Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-14


such a thing without
Certainly, Interrupted his
friend Il didn't like to use
the word myself. But I agree with
you perfectly, though you mean am,
not was The idea Of a talented
fellow at the beginning of what
promised to be a brilliant career
hampering himself with an ignorant
mountain girl
Good rhetoric but bad logic, Ed.
AS a matter of fact. the girl came
down and carried all the honors from
our high school girls two years ago.
She Is bright. ambitious, sympathetic
and bewideringly beautiful, AS to
the rest, I've happened to meet her
just twice in my work and talked
with her as casual acquaintance
'You raved about her for an hour
to me-" accused Ed.
Maybe. She's worth ravine
about She"
Look. here, ELLIS IIerndon.' ex-
postulated his friend seriously. lust
when you acknowledge falling down
on "A big thing that was 10 start
your career you put yourself in the
way of a greater fall that may make
the career impossible. Why. man
alive. There's Ella Ray. whose father
owns half the town, whom you-----
The other threw up n hand.
Never mind Ella Ray" he in
terrupted shes a nice girl and a
very good friend of mine. But that's
all. And think of living with her
for 40 or so years. She would he
nice figure to drape lovely dresses
on, to receive guests in ones house,
to make the house itself run smooth
ly and with noiseless efficiency. one
could fold his arms in such a house
and go through life dreaming.
What more could one want?" de-
manded Ed.
--ambition-edge, you
might call it, Better spur than
tnanition. l am not in a position
10 think of any one now-may not
be for years. But If | could have
found the old spring near the top of
the mountain and carried through
the big water and irrigat ton scheme
as planned, / would-well. / would
60 straight to lola Westcott and try
to make her love me. Her ambition
and inspiration would rise to any
height a man could go and draw him
up and on rather than weight him
back"
"Stop! Stop entreated his friend.
I'm willing to drop the girl Ques'
ton for the other. Isn't there any
possible way to get water from suf-
hcient elevation? Blow the whole
top of the mountain of il necessary.
There must be water somewhere. 1t
isn't often that a man puts d million
dollars into an estate and then gives
a local chap like you a sweep order
to furnish irrigation and water power
and after that goes of on a trip
round the world with the expectation
of finding everything complete on
his return"
1T seemed easy enough, and so
told him. That's why he ordered a
trainload Of piping before he went
away and left me power to get as
much more, or anything else as might
be needed. You know the big boiling
spring under the wtllows?''
Ed nodded.
"Well, its duplicate used to be two.
thirds the way up the mountain be-
fore went of to school, and naturally
i supposed 1t to be there still, without
looking. The spring was 40 feet or
more across, and the constant flow
would furnish enough water to irri.
gate the estate and deluge the build
ings at any time. But when I went to
make a survey after Mr.. Trimble left
there was no spring"
When they separated Ellis struck
I'D the mountain. Some piping had
been laid there which must be re:
moved. ks~e