CHAPTER V 



WITH UNCLE SAM 



A whole year had gone by now since my grad- 

 uation and I had nothing except a little expe- 

 rience to show for it. Money I had none, and 

 what was worse, I was in debt. 



I owed several friends money in Milwaukee 

 and also in Houston. Likewise in Temple where 

 I had had to borrow money to get out of town. 



I was now twenty-two years old and in good 

 health. I was full of life and the world looked 

 bright to me in spite of my misfortune. 



So far only one occurrence had the effect of 

 sadness on me and that was a notice which I 

 received, while in Temple, of the death — self- 

 inflicted — of my old friend Charlie. Aside from 

 this, I could see nothing but cheerful success 

 ahead of me, as I began my duties for the second 

 time in the government service. As my work 

 this time would be inspecting animals on the hoof 

 at various ranches and stock yards, I looked for- 

 ward to my new appointment with much interest. 



My first appointment as veterinary official in 

 the Bureau of Animal Industry was in the fall 

 of 1904, shortly after my arrival in Texas. By a 

 strange coincidence I was to go on duty at Fort 

 Worth, Texas. 



The position at that time paid only $1,200.00 

 a year, and the veterinarian went by the title of 

 "Meat Inspector." 



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