Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
always some small paddock where my horses could graze, and they enjoyed this much more
than being under a roof.
A great part of the wealth of the U.S. is concentrated in the industrial north, where the
Southerner's money goes to buy automobiles, agricultural machinery, etc., and where the
brokers enrich themselves, thanks to the farmers' products of the south. This is one of the
sore points between north and south and, at the same time, a problem of vital importance, but
difficult of solution. True, Oklahoman and Texan oil-fields give fabulous returns, but only a
relatively small number of people benefit by them; the livelihood of the vast majority being
earned on the land.
Irodethroughthebeautiful, woodedOzarkswhentheywereattheirbest.Itwasthestraw-
berry season, and enormous quantities of 'berries' were being shipped north. It is calculated
that an army of 65,000 pickers is wanted for the harvest each year. Here and there we passed
big fields where peony flowers are cultivated, and at the time these were in full blossom, and
streams of cars with tourists came along the roads to see this beautiful sight. To avoid being
molested by curious people, I had disguised myself as a farmer, but even then some recog-
nisedme,whichwasprobablyduetothecolourofMancha,whowasso'pinto'thatonecould
not help knowing him after once seeing his photograph. More than once when I was walking
aboutthevillages intheevenings, farmers whowereshortofstrawberry pickers came tooffer
me a job, and they must have taken me for one of the loafers one so often sees hanging about
when I refused.
Several times I was mistaken for a horse trader, and farmers came to offer me their 'old
grey mares', and others came to ask me the price of my animals. I always took advantage of
such opportunities to have a good joke, and when I told the would-be buyers my price they
walked away as if in a hurry to 'phone up the nearest lunatic asylum.
The horses must have enjoyed the trip through the hilly woodland of the Ozarks as much
as I did, for all along the sides of the highway juicy clover grew in abundance, and many a
drink did they have out of the clear and rippling streams we found at short intervals.
Unfortunately, many of the tourists positively spoil the pretty country, and soon they were
my pet aversion. The very sight of a car filled with a vulgar and noisy crowd made my blood
boil,andwhenIsawthemlitterthemostpicturesquespotswithpaper,emptybottlesandcans,
my inward rage knew no bounds. I am not tarring all tourists with the same brush, but the fact
is that many of them are veritable pests.
The accent of the Southerners is as pleasant as their expressions are original and to the
point, and the short 'howdy' on meeting pleased me as much as their 'I hope you good luck'
amused me on parting.
The nearer we came to St. Louis, the heavier became the traffic, and with a lead horse the
danger of being run into was considerably increased. I was seriously considering leaving one
horse behind and finishing the ride on the other, but the question was to find a suitable place
to leave him, where he would be well looked after. When we arrived in St. Louis I had the
