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Show he sold his base ewes to John K and marketed his lambs. John K's profit that year went to pay for Frank's ewes, and it was at that time he knew he could never run his ewes with another herd for the next year, as he could not afford to pay expenses on them. That presented his first moment of decision--and he realized that somehow he must have his own herd. He delivered the share sheep back to Mr. Jensen in far better condition than he received them three years earlier. Even though he had been greatly discouraged during those three years he would not give up for he liked working with sheep, and the challenges of uncertainties kept him alert. Regardless of the risks he knew he had to go it alone while he sought the ultimate goal that had been germinating in his mind. He decided to mortgage his ewes and lambs-and anything else he had acquired in the years of his herding experience. N. S. Nielsen, a sheepman and president of a bank, had watched John K face up to his responsibilities and he admired him for his determination. Mr. Nielsen made it possible for John K to obtain a mortgage with the Mt. Pleasant Commercial and Savings Bank. The fatherly advice he gave to the younger man at times proved to John K that he had a true friend. Those early struggles and disappointments were during the Grover Cleveland administration when the entire country was in panic. With his mortgage money John K was able to buy small 53 |