Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-01-07


AT first intended that the whole oI
this tale should be told by myself bui
upon getting so far It struck me that
the evidence OF another actor, who
played an important part in the drama,
would give certain occurrences 10 the
reader at first instead of at second
hand, so wrote to my friend Dick Fen
ton. Of Frenchay, Gloucestershire, and
begged him, Il he found himself capa-
Bile Of 50 dong, TO put IN simple nara
tive form his impressions OF certain
events which happened IN January,
1866 events In which we two were
concerned lie has been good enough
TO comply with my request His COM
municatlon follows
PART II.
TOLD ny mcHARD rESroN ESQUIRE on
FRrSCuAY, WORCESTERSHIRE.
l.
As my old friend Phi Brand has
asked me to do lh 5, suppose must
Brand Is a right good fellow cId q
clever fellow but has plenty OF crotch
cts Of his own. Tho worst | know of
him is that he insists upon having his
own way with people. With those who
differ from rim he is as obstinate as a
mule. Anyhow. he has had his own
way with me This custom. so far as |
Rm concerned, commenced years AGO
when we were boys at school together,
and have never been able 10 shake on
the bad habit Of giving in to him. lIc
has promised to see that my Queen 5
English is presentable; for, to tell tho
truth, ! am more at home across coun
| try than across foosoap, and my iin-
gers know the feel Of the rcins or the
trigger better than that Of the pen.
All the same | hope he won't take
too mGay liberties with my style, bad
though Il may be; for old Brand at
times Is apc to get--well, BIZ prosy.
To hear him ON the subject OF hard
work and the salctity thereof APP
proaches the sublime!
What freak took me 70 the little God.
forsaken village Of Mlicombo in the
depth Of winter is entirety between my
self and my conscience. The cause,
having no bearing upon tAe matters |
am asked to tell YOU about Is no one S
business but mine. Twill only say that
now would not stay in such a place a,
such time OF the year for the sake Of
the prettieit girl in the world let alone
the bare chance OF pectlng her once or
twice. But ones ideas change am
now a good bit older, ride some two
stone heavier, and have been married
ever SO many years, Perhaps, after all.
as look back can find some excuse
for being such an ass as TO endure for
more than a fortnight all the dscom-
forts heaped upon me in thatyillagc inn
A man who sojourns in such a hole
as Midcombe must give some good rea-
son for doing so. My osensible rea-
son was hunting had q horse wita
me, and Second-rate subscription pack
OF s,cw-golng mongrels did meet some-
where in the neighborhood, so no one
could gainsay my explanation. But if
hunting was ms object, ! got prcciou,
little OF it, A few days after my arrival
a bit er. biting frost set ina frost as
black as your hat, aud as hard as nails.
Yet still staid on.
From private Information received
no matter how, when, or where !
knew that some people in the ne ghbor-
hood had organi ed a party 10 90 skat-
ing ON a certain day at Lilymere, linc
sheet OF water some distance from Mid
combe guessed that some one whom
| particularly desired TO meet.woud be
there, and as the skating at Lilymere
was free TO any one who chose to take
the trouble OF getting to such an outof
the-way place, hired u horse and an
apology for a dog-cart. and at ten in the
morning started to drive the twelve
miles to the pond. took no one vita
me. ! had been TO Lilymerc once be-
fore, IN bright summer weather, 50
fancied knew the way well enough
The sky when | started was cloudy;
the wind was choppiEg round in WA,
which ma lc the elicte rustic old hoslleI
predict a change of weather He was
right, before / had driven two miles |
light snow began TO fall; and by the |
time | reached wrelchcd little way
side inn. about a mile from the mere,
a film Of white covered the whole coun-
try. stabbed my horse as well as |
could, then, taxing my skates with me,
walked down to the poud.
Now. whether | had m staken the /
day or whether the threatening fall Of
snow bal made certain people change
their minds, | don't know; but, 10 ms /
annoyance and vexation, no skater /
were to be seen. and. moreover The
uncut white surface told me that none
had been on the pond that morning
Still, hoping they might come in spite
Of the weather, put on my skates and
went outside edgng and grapeyining
all over the place. But as there was no
person in particular fact no one at
alto note my powers. room got
tired. Il was. indeed. dreary, dreary
work. But waiici aud hopei until
the snow came down so IA and furi-
ously that felt sure that waiting was in
vain, and that | had driven to Lilymer,
for nothing
Back ] went 10 the little inn. utterly
disgusied with things in general. and
feeling that TO break some one be q
would be a relief 20 me in my present
state 0f mind Of course a zen abe
man would at oncc have got biz horse
between the shafts and driven home
But whatever ! may b. now. IN those
days I was not sensible man Brand
will. know. cordially indorse tbs re.
mark. The accomm1dat on Of the inn
was not such as 20 induce one 70 lingI |
with is precinCts. but tie 1re was o
right good one. and n dri7k. which ]
skillfully manufactured out ~ some hot
beer. not 10 be despised. and proved
warming 10 the boif and soothing &c
the m bed temper So iingefea or-i
ihe b z fire until tezan % feel hungry,
ani upon the landiady fssunng me that +
she could cook a rasher. decided n
would BE- wiser to STAY where ! wa-
until he violence Of the snow-sform wa
over. far coming down it was nov. and +
no mistakei
And i kept on coming down. Aboni I
half pas ihrec. when ! sorroNfHllv De-
riied was b,und % make q move. %
vas showing faster than ever. J bar /
Lcssei ny horse. and laughing e. tle
1h woman's dismrl prophecy that
should never "a 70 iAidnombe IN auch
weather. gathered up thc rens. and
iway went along fhs white rosd
no BE C0yrNrED.