Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-01-01

/ Iuey were lOW III SiSuU vi eiiO hOuSSt
which they approached with caution,
and neither spoke, George alighted,
going in the direction of the station.
In short time he returned, threw. q
sack. evidently containing some arti-
Gle of weight, into the buggy and with
the remark, I've got II, jumped in
andthe two drove rapidly away, pass
ing westward from the station SO as
| not to again encounter Don Felipe.
They found that leaving the main
road was most fatal mistake, as in
| the darkness all idea as to direction
was lost. Feeling elated at their sue
| cess they failed to exercise their usual
caution and suddenlyfoundt themselves
| hounderingi II one of the bottomless
sloughs that the natives call cienega.
| The situation was not only disagreea-
BILE, but critical one; for if it became
necessary to obtain assistance many
unpleasant questions might be asked,
which, owing to the strictly private
nature of their adventure, could but
result in their discontinue. Reali-
zing these facts they put forth their
conveyance. For long time it defied
their united efforts, but at length by
almost superhuman strength, they re-
leased themselves from their involun-
tary confinement, and wet, tired, and
Lowered with real estate in a liquid
form, wended their way hOmeward,
feeling very much as though the fun
was hardly worth the expense. AT II
o'clock they reached the house, having
been gone Just four hours. Removing
as much as possible the traces of their
mishap, they cautiously entered the
house, and were soon in the arms Of
Morpheus, enjoying Arrest as perfect
and unbrOken as though they had not
been engaged in one Of those contre-
temps with which tbs said the devil
entices the unwary. .#e.-.
Then, o, thou blessed ministers above, 81
Keep me in patience, and in rpened time,
Unfold to me the mysteries that are here
wraptup. saE lShaks.
The first day Of the new year dawn
ed BRIGHT and beautiful, softening the
scenery with its peculiar gray tint,
and slowly dispensing, first trembled
on the tops Of the highest cliffs, then
touching them with splendid light,
while their sides and the valley below
were still wrapt in dewy mist. Mean
while the sullen gray of the eastern
clouds began to blush; then to redden,
then to glow with q thousand colors,
TIL the golden light darted over all the
air, rejecting all the prismatic colors
from the dazzling snow on the noun
tain top, and glanced in long sloping
beams OH the valley below. All ma
ture seemed to have awakened to re-
alization Of the goodness of the Crea-
tor, and even the birds warbled praises
to him for the protection he had ex-
tended, and ushered in the new year
with their sweetest notes of song. AS
the well-defined line of gray began to
extend along tie eastern horizon,
George Henderson shouldered his rifle
and passing to the barn took from the
buggy that mysterious sack, and hast
lily cOncealing it beneath the heavy
coat which he wore, walked rapidly
away to intercept the long lines Of
brant and gray geese that had already
begun to assemble in field to the east
Of the house. The quarry was exceed
ingly shy, but his skill as a Nimrod
at last enabled him to bagsa fine speci-
men Of the game. Although close
observer would have said that unless
the earliness of the hour deceived
him, the ground was as free from
game after the leaden messenger had
been sent among them as 1t certainly
was after the departure Of the hunter,
but the facts would have contradicted
the statement, for fine goose he GER
tainly had. As the noise produced by
the discharge of his piece occasioned
the departure of the game he sought,
George returned towards the house.
Taking position upon a fence in plain
view from the residence Of DR.. Santi-
ego, he deliberately plucked the bird,
and returning placed it carefully away.
He had scarcely completed his toilet
when he was surprised by the entrance
Of DR.. Felipe, in whose gloomy ex-
preston Of cOuntenance he easily de-
tected the disappointment that ran
kled in his breast. After the usual
salutations, DR.. Felipe proceeded to
speak of a mysterious disappearance
which disconnected his plans for a
New Years dinner. He had secured
the bird, he said, by hanging it on the
open air, the day before; but during
the night the coyotes, those restless
robbers of the plains, had succeeded
in carrying it away; and he described
in an eloquent manner his theory of
thelpilfering. George sympathised with
him, and as other members of the
family had now gathered around,
many were the speculatiops as to the
mysterious disappearancey Don Felipe
maintaining his firm belief in the
theory Of Coyotes. All expectations
Of a dinner were fast disappearing,
when George informed them of the
good fortune that had attended his
humble efforts, and the entire family
pressed Don Felipe to join them in q
New Years feast. With considerable
reluctance he consented, and at 4
O'clock took his place as guest, when
he had expected to enact the role Of
host. We have not fingered in the
details of our story, and the reader
shall;not now be worried by relation
The dinner passed off pleasantly,
both Don Juan and George insisting
upon q liberal supply for the plate Of
Don Felipe, whom they would FREE
quently ash, "whato do you think Of
the bird he innocently replying, tits
very good, but ]. do not think it quite
as plump as the one the Coyotes
lunched off Of last night" The fire.
quency with which the question was
asked at last elicted a reproof from
Dofia Maria, whose idea of table ETH
quette were exceedingly shocked by
the persistant efforts of the young
men TO- quiz Don Felipe. The last deli
cacy had been tasted, their appetites
entirely satisfied, when Don Juan in
formed Don Felipe the goose was
his-that DoiIa Maria had effectually
Cooked his goose" (no doubt this the
origin OF the expressiOn) and related