The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1933-03-02

| lievably high price for the service
and didn't seem to believe me when
I told him it was not for sale. He
just kept fitting the ante and
couldn't seem to see he was annoy
ing me. Some people are like that.
They think money is the beginning
and the end of everything
Perhaps you would, also, Mr..
Hfguenes, if you had ever been
poor" Roberta suggested.
"I've paid IL per cent for rented
money" he retorted. 'I've had the
ranch mortgaged in bad years and
banks carried my father half his
lifetime. Only those who are poor
in spirit. who lack courage. can be
really poor"
"Do you not find life little lone
~ hereT'
| "a busy man is seldom lonely.
My father spent his life in bondage
to the irrigation system you prob
ably observed en- route here, but
after his death completed II and
transformed a semiarid valley into
alfalfa and cotton fields. got rid
of the scrubby long-horned cattle
! that were built for speed and SUBJ
stituted Herefords. which are built
for beef. All this has been con-
siderable task and fell to my hands
when was eighteen. That was
ten years ago.
"After was demobilized In the
spring of 1919 really started to
| put this ranch on paying basis. /
| cleaned up on cotton in 1919 and
90. And cattle prices were unbe-
lievably high. had a feeling. how
ever. that such wartime prosper
ity wouldn't last. so sold all my
cattle in the fall of 1920 and in
1927 didn't plant any cotton. Well.
the market smashed on both-and
lucky Jim didn't have any!
! Instead | raised alfalfa anu
stacked It; then bought cattle for
a song when the banks and govern
mental loan agencies fOreclosed
Cheap cattle and cheap feed. You
know. had my moments of panic:
the road was rough and rocky In
spots. although that. of course, made
1t all the more interesting, the vic
tory all the more delightful. think
that when one has had to fight for
his land and his people he learns
to love both. no matter how unl0ve-
~ or uninteresting they may ap-
pear to those whose lives have been
spent in shelter and without effort
| Roberta noticed that her host was
much more at his ease. now that
their conversation had veered into
new channels. II occurred to the
girl too that Don Jaime Miguel
IIiguenes had lived more in five
minutes of his .colorful life than the
last three generations of Hackptts.
| And the Hacketts were q long lived
race.
"What gainful occupation. II any.
does Mr. Latham practice now?"
Don Jaime asked Roberta.
"He plays the stock market"
with success. | hope"
"He has always heen very sue
cessful until recently. when he lost
practically everything he had -or al
least he would have lost II without
the aid of some people who love
him. We anticipate a reverse in
the market which will pull him olIf.
If not with profit at least without
terrific loss"
"My father loved your Uncle Bin.
even If he did shoot him in the heel
and disagree with him politically.
| would he glad To give my fathers
friend leg up. You live with your
Uncle Bill. I take It."
"Tve been his ward and a mem.
her of his household since my tenth
birthday. have never known q
wish he hasn't hastened TO crafty.
at whatever cost. So. you see. now
that he's old and liable to suffer
financial reverses. II Is my dhty to
take care of him. and for that raa
son my Uncle Toms estate comes
to me somewhat in the nature of a
| gOdsend."
"0ne more reason why should
he dealt with charitahly in the mat
ter of your deceased avuncular rel
ative." the young man suggested
humnrously "Well. well pull you
out all right on the sheep" :
Il understand the estate is board
ing on ynu. Mr.. Higupnes."
Don Jaime shrugged. "Es nada.''
he replied THAT is. the grass they
consume doesn't amount TO that"
and he snapped his fingers. "'The
knowledge that ! am serving dis
tressed lady is q rich reward"