Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1934-09-20

in the lands sufficient moisture to last
until the spring rains ceased and 1t
would be necessary to employ surface
irrigation to develop the first crop
about the first of June. Babson de-
cided therefore, to open the Lake Bah
son headgates for the first time on
May first and to make the occasion
one of general rejoicing; the descent,
for the first time upon Forlorn Valley
of the life-giving waters of Eden Val
ley creek should be an epic event.
The prospect filed him with delight,
thrilled him to an unwonted gener-
osity. He owned rather lovely farm
on the western edge Of the district,
and through this far the main canal
had been dug. with the laterals lead
ing from it down gentle slope to the
east and taking advantage of every
contour. There was a grove of Val
paralso live oaks growing on this farm
close to the edge of the main canal
and here Babson decided to hold a
barbecue for his people.
A dramatic frenzy gradually seized
him. May-day. immemorially ded
Gated to festivals. was to be his day
of triumph, a day that should repay
him for his years of labor. and self
sacrifice for the public veal. OF
course, as president of the Forlorn
Valley Irrigation district. his right to
be the orator of the day could not be
gainsaid and nobody tried to gainsay
it. He dictated his speech to his sec
rotary, edited 1t, revised it, labored
lovingly over it, and when it was com
plete he memorized it and delivered it.
with appropriate gestures, to Henry
Rocky after the bank had closed for
the day. Meanwhile he had had an
electrical contrivance installed at the
reservoir headgates, and a wire led
eight miles down country to connect
with push-button on the speakers
stand at the barbecue grounds. He
had the districts engineer figure ap-
proximately how long 1t would re-
quire the water to flow from the
headgates to the grove, for he
planned, at the moment of mounting
the platform to press his push-button,
which would raise the headgates at
the reservoir and release the water.
Then at a certain dramatic point in his
Grafton the water would make it's dra-
matte appearance. Henry Rookby was
to discover its approach and interrupt
Babson with shrill and appropriate
cries of amazement and joy.
Babson had a motion-pieture camera
man from a news reel agency engaged
to photograph the head of the vast
brown flood as it rolled down the dry
forty-foot main canal, bank-deep. He
sent out engraved invitations to the
great of the county and plastered the
barns and fences of Forlorn Valley
with notices Of the great event and
cordial invitation to attend-every.
thing free. At the last moment he for.
got his early religious training and
erected a dance platform. He dec
Grated everything literally with red,
white and blue bunting and the Amer.
lean flag, and resurrected the striped
trousers, Prince Albert coat, and top
hat he had once been forced to Dur.
chase-or look ridiculous when act.
ing as pall-bearer to a defunct con.
gresham from his district.
He was so happy he elected to for
get that Joe Rrainerd had once
punched him several times on the
nose. and sent over to the Office of
the Register a detailed announcement
OF his plans, for he was ever one who
loved publicity. Promptly Brainerd
carried this news to Eden Valley,
where Nate Tichenor's eyes glowed
strangely. He set of Immediately for
the county seat
The great day arrived, and as Bah
son mounted the speakers platform
and gazed out over the hundreds of
happy faces before him-as the Gold
Run Silver Cornet band broke into
"Hail, the Conquering Hero Comes u
and three cheers and a vigorous tiger
burst from the audience, Babson
turned to Congressman Beatty. whose
valiant work in Washington had aided
to tap Eden Valley creek and secure
permission to run the diversion canal
through the public domain, and re.
marked that he was convinced at last
that he had not lived in vain.
Bowling to the audience. he re.
moved his shiny top hat and laid 1t or
a small pine table before him. He
gazed lovingly at the magic push-but
ton. his hand reached lingeringly out
to press it, all unseen by his auditors
(happily. he had taken the precaution
so to place his hat that the pressing OF
the button would not be observed)
when rude interruption occurred.
commanding voice cried sharply
"Stop that, Babsoni'' and Babson
stayed his hand to glance up angrily
Nate Tichenor stepped up on the plat
form; behind him came his wife an6
RUDE Tenney, and a silence that was
almost thunderous settled over the
grove as 1t was observed that all three
were wearing two slx-shooters each
Straight to Babson's side Tichenol
strobe; he delivered upon the Babsor
shoulder a gentle accolade with a blue
backed. legal-looklng document and
then thrust II into Babson's hand. the
| while he said so all might hear: