Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-11-25

IN TWO PARTs-PART ONE

TN THE Basque country i'll the lower
Pyrenees mountains on both sides
of the border line between France
and Spain the Goras were known as
the best farmers. The two countries
are divided by the line, but not the
Cora family, owning tens of small and
large tracts on both sides. They have
owned them for hundreds of years,
each one absolute master Of his own,
yet in some way connected with that
of his kin in France or Spain, ready
to come to his help and ready to ask
his aid when needed. The whole clan
assembled on great occasions; the
birth Of a male child, a wedding, or a
funeral; Goras all, big, strong, close
mouthed, and proud. And of their
dignity and honor it was said hat it
was far greater than that of any
nobleman in the neighborhood.
One could always recognize q Cora
farm by the peculiar Moorish roundness
OF the roofs as well as by the color OF
the window n door sashes: red and
black. And whenever q Cora cart passed
through the streets of a town. no matter
who was driving, 1t was recognized. The
lamb fur over the heads Of the oxen n
that wrapped III the yoke which held
the horns Of the cattle together was
black and twisted differently from that
on any other yoke. They were q clan
apart. the Goras.
And 1t was the great ambition Of the
farmers in the Basque country to have
their daughters marry into the great
|fnVn1lu Nh dnnyru yrnu noncid0rad fnn
excessive for that. Twenty pairs Of oven
and the price of a huge farm was q small
price considering the advantages and the
pride of being able to say: I'VE belong
to the Goras.'
And Of his family there was one by
the name of Emanuel who, being the eld-
est son, had inherited the farm of his
father lying between Cyboure and Saint
Jean-de-Luz. Emanuel had only Just re-
turned from French military service when
his father died. The young man took
command Of the farms. He had been
trained as the future master since early
childhood. He was tall, broad shouldered,
and with q chest as big as a drum. His
limbs were Of the color n solidity of
oak. His bulletlike head looked more
Moorish than any of the Cora family,
though they all showed distinctly the
blood mixture as their origin. His eyes
were big and brown, his slightly arched
nose was 80 fine it looked chiseled In pro-
portion to the strong and well-deined
mouth n to the slightly protruding
chin. The high forehead and big shock
Of black. curly hair completed the un-
usual oriental appearance of this Basque
peasant.
He had nc sooner taken possession Of
the farm when the wealthiest of the
neighboring peasants began thinking of
wiving him. People Just happened with
their daughters at the places he was ac-
customed to go; afternoons at the pelota
game behind the church wall, In the vii
lage market place, n at the fandango
dances In the open square on Sundays.
Saint-Jean-de-Luz merchants had never
disposed of as many yards OF vivid reds
and green's as they sold hat spring.
Basque mothers. usually SO tight-fsted.
had never been known to spend money
as freely to dress their daughters and
themselves in order to create the right
impression. People had never spoken as
loudly Of their wealth in oxen n land,