The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-03
Vagabond
from
Indiana
ERNIE PYLE

EDITORS NoTE-This rowing reporter
for The Times goes where he pleases,
when he pleases. in search of odd stories
about this and that.
GAN ANTONIO, April 3.-Wilnam
- A. Silveus planned his whole
life out, from the time he was boy.
He planned it so he would retire at
so. He did, too.
And then, after lifetime of be-
ing a lawyer and real estate man,
he found a hobby. It was grass.
Today he is the worlds greatest au-
thority on Texas grasses.
Silveus was born 60 years ago on
a Pennsylvania farm. His first year
out of college he made $4,000 in real
estate. He had the gift. He mar
ried a girl from neighboring farm,
came to San Antonio in 1904. set
up a law Office, and became a lead
ing citizen.
The way he got interested in grass
vas funny. For % years he had
been going to Colorado Springs on
his vacation. About eight years ago
he and his wife adopted little boy.
Iii Colorado, he'd get out and play
ball with the boy.
The ball would roll under the pine
trees, and they'd have to look for 1t.
That way, the little boy got to know
different kinds of pine cones.
CILVEUS thought he ought to
= know too, so he got a book and
read up. That led him into flowers.
He bought books on flowers. Then
he thought he'd like to know some
thing about grass. He bought more
books.
One thing led to another like that,
and almost before he knew it he
was going around looking for grass,
and taking it home and writing re-
ports about it.
So he decided he might as well
put his stuff in book. 1t took him
three years and a half, after he
once decided to do it. His book was
published about year ago. It's au-
thentic, all right I first heard about
it at the Agriculture Department in
Washington.
He found $50 kinds of grasses in
Texas. Half of all the species in
the United States are to be found
in Texas.
He found four grasses that had
never been heard of before. The peo-
pie in Washington named one after
him. It's called "Eragrostis Syl-
veana." He has found another new
one since writing the book.
CILVEUS took photographs of all
~ the grasses He had to learn
photography to do it. Then he had
to invent contraption to put The
grass in, so he could photograph it
inside the house. Some of it was too
small to photograph outside.
He had 5000 copies of his book
printed. Had to pay for it himself.
Of course the average reader doesn't
care about Texas grass, so he's sold
only 700 copies. He figures it'll
take 10 years to sell all 5000. The
incest review he had was in Eng
land.
This grass hobby cost him $4,000.
He says he could afford it then, but
he can't now. Since he retired, his
only business is to manage his prop
critics. He owns II houses and IL
stores here. He lost 5000 on them
last year. But I don't think he'll
miss any meals soon, from the looks
Of his home.
He thinks the country is going to
pieces. He used to be a Democrat,
but he isn't any more. He has
theories on how things ought to be
run. In fact, he's writing another
book. He's been working on it
year already, and it'll take four
more years.
It's little hard for me to explain
about this book. It's about "the
growth of man." 1t tells how if man
were thrifty, and protected his
property and let himself grow all
the time growth is experience and
the freedom of will that fits right
in between heredity and environ
ment, you understand, why then
he would be all right when he got
old, and the country would be all
right, too.
When this book is finished, he's
going back to grass. Thinks he'll do
better to stick to one thing. But this
other thing is on his chest, and he