The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-06-25


invitation to the country. for
/ had spent my childhood with
the bees, and I gladly accepted.
Also. Il liked riding alone with
Older. He had soothing In
nOenee without knowing it. He
would drive for miles without e
word. and then relieve himself
81. cryptic thought that com.
PEELED animated discussion Older
seldom spoke. save. to say, some
thing worth whiie.u In some OF.
the conferences about the policy
Of the paper. with half q dozen
offering vehement suggestions. he
would .remaln silent. alrnpstrgsv-
ing the impression OF dfsihterest-
auness. and then abruptly say q
few words that floodlighted
everything,
Opportunity.
saw and talked with Older
: only . few days ago after several
years separation, and found him
still the same. I might: say In
passing that It was his hope at.
one. time TO make q thorough.
going Journalist out OF me. and
I was admitted to conferences
the nature Of which demanded
the mostaa ABSOLUTE loyalty. Oppor.
tunity, in other words. was not
knocking 1t my door-it was be-
ing handed to me daily on silver
platter ana didn't have sense
enough to know it. Booze and
superficial pleasures had me
throttled.
We left san Francisco about
$50 that afternoon and arrived at
the ranch around O'Clock.
was much enthused when we got
there because it seemed like .
sudden transportation to my own
New England the rural western
part. had no idea there was
no such spot IN California. In
place Of palms and eucalypti and
fIaf spaces there were rolling hills.
nrchards. vineyards, stocklands
and old.faahioned country fences.
Near the center Of the ranch
nestled between surrounding hills,
was the farmhouse and barns.
Round-eyed Jerseys. inquisitive
hogs and immaculate looking
chickens greeted us as we drove
up and parksd the car under an
IMMENSE hveoak tree beside the
creek bed. The former owners
were still occupying the old house.
bv agreement, and Older hadsput
up 4 two-room portable house ,
Is . temporary abode.
Immediately we began prepare
tions for supper, filling the place
With dense smoke and stumbling
around ike q couple Of clowns.
hut both as serious as judges.
The piece de resistance was to be
corned beef hash. made from
canned corned beef and potatoes
which we boiled first. Ny Job
was to peel and cut up the onions
ana see that the coffee did not
BON over. and I was soon talking
big about my camping and
culinary capabilities.
At last the hash was about
ready, and Older proceeded to sea
son It in the pan. He used
cayenne pepper. and the top Of
the can came of. disgorging a
huge red heap into the mixture.
was stupefied- appalled,. Sup
per was ruined. and I was hun
cry as lion. But, to my amaze.
ment. quickly followed by adn1ira-
tion, Older promptly proceeded -
recover the pepper. using a table
spoon and putting the stuff back
into the can. Then he stirred the
hash vigorously, and we sat down
with . loaf Of bread and the
gteaming coffee pot between US.
followed the leader by taking
. generous helping of hash, and
the first mouthful was down my
throat before I awoke to the
fact that was eating fire, burn
Ing lava. molten Iead-a whole
eonflagration. looked at older
through Xatery curtain.
Great stuff-isnt itT' he com.
tnented. taking a second forkful.