The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-06-13
A YOUNG AMAZON.
BY JOS. Z. BADGER, JR.

ITS shame and a pity, by Jove!"
and Seth Thomas stamped the butt Of
his gun against the ground and scowled
down upon the pleasant valley thatlay
at his feet.
Just ,rhat was shame and a pity, an
unenlighl observer would have
been sorely puzzled to say. The
weather was lovely, the heat of the de-
elining sun was tempered by the soft
haze of the Indian summer, the valley
itself was a beautiful gem of handi-
work; and Seth Thomas had met with
fair success i'll his grouse shooting.
Yet those words came from his very
heart of hearts, and he really felt that
he had just cause for complaint.
a few minutes before, the young
sportsman's attention had been attract
ed by 1.-THE, graceful figure passing
along the base of the precipice which
lay at his feet. Despite the disfguring
sunbOnnet of checked gingham, Seth
recognized the fair cause of his tarry-
ing so long i'll that benighted region-a
back county of Kansas.
In silence he watched her passage
through the knee-deep grass, with
swift, springy stride SO different from
the society pace" to which he was
accustomed. He saw her approach a
shaggy, impish-looking Indian pony
which was staked out at the end of a
long trail-rope: saw her Stoop and pull
up the picket-pin, then, as it seemed to
him, draw the prancing animal toward
her by main strength. lie saw her
place one hand upon the mustangs
withers, then spring lightly upon its
back, maintaining her seat with appar-
entity the utmost ease through all the
side-leaps, buck-jumps and other
tokens of mustangish playfulness which
followed.
All this was bad enough for one
saised as Seth Thomas had been, in
acme the atmosphere of which would
nave been as a sweet SAVIOR in the nos
trils of the most austere Of the Pilgrim
Fathers; but worse was to come.
With one swift glance around her,
The young Amazon rapidly changed
her position upon the mustang, for
another, which is commonly regarded
as sacred to masculine bipeds, Indian
squaws and fair Mejicanas. Thus
mounted, with sunbOnnet hanging over
her shoulders, with hair broken from
its fastenings. with eyes flashing, cheeks
glowing, the young Amazon put her
mustang to top speed, one little brown
hand TO her mouth, out of which issued
a very musical but otherwise admirable
imitation of the Cherokee war Whoop.
But that musical cry was discord
ant screech to Seth Thomas. He saw
none of the unstudied grace of that
wild picture. lie saw only a hoidenish
amazon where he had hoped-but ?
| backward glance is necessity here.
Seth Thomas, ayoung New England
! er,was making a horseback tour through
the Western States. for the good of his
| health. Two weeks prior to this day,
he paused at little farmhouse for Il
| drink of water. 1t was handed him by
! bluShing maiden-a marvel of uncOn
sciOus grace and beauty. Not a dozen
words passed between them, but before
Seth reached the little village, only two
miles away. he knew that he had met
| his fate. But little sleep visited his
! eyelids that night. Those few words,
SO soft, so musical, rung through his
! brain like a chime of silver bells, and
| that one shy, upward glance of those
| large, lustrous black eyes, now beamed
down upon him through the shades OF
night.
All of which goes to show that Seth
| Thomas was very hard stricken, indeed.
| Directly after an early breakfast, he
shouldered his gun and sailed forth
after grouse, naturally enough follow
ing the only road with which he had
any acquaintance. He had his reward,
such as it was.
A dog barking; loud believing; two
voices united in merry laughter. Has
tening around tie corner of a fence he
beheld-his new-found angel riding a
plunging, kicking, half-mad yearling
steer.
That was but the beginning. Seth
and Samantha often met, but some ma
licious sprite seemingly had charge OF
those meetings, for, save at church
where she acted, sung and looked JUS
like an angel, Samantha was always
doing something to shock the very Tt
fined taste of the modern Puritan. A;
often did he VOW to leave the place ant
nevermore give thought to such ;
holden, but still he fingered on, hi
heart more deeply interested than h,
dare acknowledge.
) AS Samantha inaugurated her i'm
pIpnpta circus down in the valley, Setl
thumred his gun heavily against tn,
ground, and uttered the petulant eX
! planation recorded above.