Lisco's American Life

But if the first generation Mr. Wagner made it himself, it would be of commemorative significance.

After entering the pasture, which was still some distance from the residence, Lisko looked out the window. Among the endless green pastures, there were towering mine shafts. Groups of cattle and sheep raised their heads from time to time, glanced at the clouds, and then lowered their heads to eat.

With green grass.

Led by the leading cowboy, the horses jumped and ran freely in the pasture as if they were having fun.

There are also working planting areas. The wheat planted in spring has turned yellow. In two weeks, it will be the harvest season, and the golden sea of ​​wheat is swaying in the wind.

Texas is also the main wheat production base in the United States, and the largest wheat base here is Wagner Ranch.

The car soon stopped in front of a cobblestone-decorated villa, and Lisko saw a familiar face from the window.

Estang got out of the car first, then respectfully opened the door from one side, and Lisko got out of the car.

"Hey, my friend, I'm sorry for not being there to greet you in person. How was your trip?"

A white man in white casual clothes came forward to greet him. His hair was blond and curly, and his facial features were like an elegant man walking out of an oil painting.

"Hey Ian, how're you doing?"

Lisko also stepped forward, and the two hugged and patted the back twice politely.

This man is the owner of Wagner Ranch, Ian Wagner.

"Let's go and rest first."

Ian's smile was sincere, and he stretched out his hand to signal the guest Lisko to walk ahead.

As you step into the living room, the whole front suddenly opens up. This villa looks unremarkable from the outside, but after walking in, you realize that the living room is indeed not small.

The first thing that catches the eye is a deer head with twelve prongs, the eyes have been removed, and are inlaid with two red crystal gems. Looking from the door, it looks so lifelike that it seems like it is not alive.

The furs have been processed and hung above the fireplace. There are also specimens of wolf heads, tiger heads, and bear heads next to them, which are very impressive.

"The deer head was my grandfather's prey, the tiger head was my grandfather's prey, and the bear head was my father's prey. When I took over, I could only count one wolf head."

Seeing Lisko staring at the specimens above with great interest, Ian opened his mouth to explain, his tone full of helplessness. After all, as a junior, he couldn't repeat the same mistakes as his elders. These animals were hunted from the nearby mountains.

, that is the hunting ground of their Wagner family.

“A family with a long history.”

Lisko estimated that the significance of this custom was to let his descendants remember that their ancestors fought for a share of the family business from the mouths of these animals, and not to forget their duty and iron blood.

This habit is great. If Lisko has a child in the future, he will take him hunting and treat it as his coming-of-age ceremony. Hunting is not cruel and easy to kill, but it teaches children to respect life and that they have nothing to do with these running animals.

Both give them the same sense of conquest.

Nature can teach people a lot, and every lesson is precious.

Ian pulled Lisko to sit on the sofa, clapped his hands, and the maid promptly brought him a cup of black tea.

The United States is a country without history, and because it is a multi-ethnic country, many of its habits are different. However, in the upper class, everyone follows the example of Britain, a country with a long history, and most of the guests are served black tea.

Lisko took a sip of the tea. It tasted fragrant but not bitter. It was astringent but not astringent and had a filling feeling. It was a good British black tea variety.

"My friend, I will be happy to entertain you if you stay longer after this visit."

Ian took out his pipe, lit it, and spoke to Lisko.

"I came here this time to learn from your experience. It's not easy to run the ranch now."

Lisko put down his tea cup and chatted with Ian.

"Yes, the price of agricultural products is getting lower and lower. Those damn Wall Street bugs and stupid governments don't care about the lives of us people."

Speaking of this, Ian was also full of resentment. Although there were not many other agricultural and sideline products in his pasture, the price of wheat had also dropped significantly. Fortunately, his main suppliers were many wineries. He had just signed the contract and the loss was not huge.

It was a big deal, but the constantly high and sometimes low prices also made him very exhausted.

Affected by the economic crisis, most ranches are no longer able to survive. As the largest private rancher in the United States, Ian has also received a lot of news from ranchers he is familiar with. Many people have changed their professions, and large tracts of ranches have been put up for sale at low prices.

Sell.

"Lisko, you are my friend. The Wagner Ranch has no secrets from you. You can watch it as you like, Ace."

Ian said, calling to the ranch manager guarding the door.

"gentlemen."

Ace heard the call and came in immediately.

"Remember, tell my friends everything you know."

"OK."

Lisko picked up the black tea cup and raised it in the direction of Ian with gratitude. He was indeed very interesting and accepted the favor.

The two parties chatted for a while, during which Ian also asked about Lisko's new book. He could be considered a fan of Lisko's books. He had read every book, and his favorite was "Blood Road".

This book describing the construction of a large railway by Chinese workers seemed to take him back to the era when his ancestors struggled.

After chatting for a while, Ian asked the maid to take Lisko to the guest room to settle down and rest from the fatigue caused by the journey. Soon it was lunch time.

Lisko and David carried their luggage and followed a good-looking maid upstairs. The second floor was the guest room, and the two rooms happened to be adjacent to each other.

Most of the decorations in this villa are styles that were popular in the United States before. Not only are they not outdated now, but they have a different sense of history.

All the paintings hanging in the corridor are paintings by local painter Bill Anton, a painter who particularly loves creating the American West.

Most of the paintings are scenes of cowboys grazing, as well as horses, cattle, and towering mountains.

Although the price may not be comparable to those world-famous paintings, it is particularly suitable to hang the paintings here.

Although the appearance looks like a vicissitudes of life, the decoration inside the room is not backward. They are all the most popular styles. Lisko opened the door and walked in. The high-end furniture, as well as the popular glass bathroom and jacuzzi, all reflect the owner of the villa.

A sense of fashion that keeps pace with the times.

Lisko put away his luggage in an obedient manner, and then took a good soak in his sore body in the jacuzzi. When he came out of it, all his fatigue was gone.

"gentlemen."

Lisko was wiping his hair with a bath towel. His hair had become longer and longer recently, and it had reached his back when it was scattered.

"Come in."