Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-27
BLEAKIRK- 0N-SANDS.

ttuefe gukIflSe OF sea cSyOnQ tue SdO cOIOTtu
smoors; straight overhead, red and wintry
sun just struggling to assert itself; TO right
and left stretch of barren down still coated
white with boar frost.
had dung the reins upon my horses neck,
and was ambIng homewards. Between me
sRnd Biealirk lay seven good miles, and we
HAD come far enough already on the chance
: of the suns breaking through; but as the
gmorning wore on, So our prospect of hunting
: that day faded further from US 1t was now
high noon, and had left the hunt half an
hour ago, turned my face towards the coast,
and lit cigar to beguile the way. When a
man Is twenty-seven he begins to miss the
fun of shivering beside frozen cover.
The road took a sudden plunge among the
spurs Of two converging hills. As l began to
descend, the first CLEAN Of sunshine burst
from the duh heaven and played over the
boar frost. Hooked up, and saw on the slope
of the hill to the right a horsenan also de-
scending.
At first glance 1 took him for brother
sportsman who, too had abandoned hope of a
fox But the second assured me Of my mis-
take The stranger wore black suit of an
tique, clerical cut, a shovel hat and CATERS;
his nag was the sorriest of ponies, with a
shaggy coat OF faring yellow, and SO low in
coat all but trailed on the ground. a queerer
turnout | shall never see again, though live
to be a hundred
De appeared not to notice me- but pricked
leisureiy down the slope and soon saw that
as our paths ran and at the pace we were go
ing, we should meet at the foot of the descent,
which we presently did
"'Ah, indeedi" said the stranger, refining in
Ibis pony as though now for the first time
aware of me- II wish you very good day.
sir. We are well met" He pulled off his
hat with fantastic politeness. For NE, my
( aStonishment grew as l regarded him more
closely. a mass Of lanky, white hair droop-
ed on either side of a face pale, pinched and
extraordinarily wrinkled; the clothes that
wrapped his diminutive body were thread
bare, greasy, and patched in al directions
Fifty years wear could not have worsened
them; and indeed from the whole aspect of
the man you might guess him century old,
were it not for the nimbleness of his gestures
and bis eyes, which were gray, alert, and
keen as needles.
l Acknowledged his salutation as he ranged
up beside me.
"Wnl my company, sir, offend you? By
your coat l suspect your trade: venatorem
sapit-heyf"
sharp and charged with expression; yet both
carried also hint that their owner had
lived long in privacy. Somehow they lacked
touch
{ Il am riding homewardS," answered.
"Heys Where is that"
The familiarity lay rather in the words
than the manner, and l did not resent it.
AT Bleakirk."
( His eyes had wandered for a moment to
the road ahead, but now he turned abruptly,
and looked at me, as l thought, with some
SUSPICION. He scanned about TO speak, but re-
strained himself fusnbled in his waistcoat
pocket, and, producing a massive snu1fbox,
Offered me a pinch On my declining, he
helped himself copiously, and then, letting
the reins hang loose upon his arm, fell to tap
ping the box.
ITO me this form of the herb nicotiana
commends itself by its cheapness; the sense is
tickled, the purse consenting-like the COM
PLEASANT husband in Juvenal; you take me?
am well acquainted with Bleakirk-super-
sabulum. By the way, how is Squire Cart
wright of the Hall"
If" said |, You mean my father, Angus
Cartwright, he is dead these twelve years"
"ReyF" cried the old gentleman, and added
after moment, ''Ah, to be sure, time flies
u
hearty man, to all seeming. So you are his
Bon" He took another pinch. 1T is very
sustaining" be said.
THE snuff"
"You have construed me, sir. Since set
out, just thirteen hours since, it has been my
Sole viaticurn." As he spoke he put his hand
nervously TO his forehead, and withdrew it.
''Then," thought l, you must have started
in the middle of the night" for it was now
little past noon But looking at his face
saw clearly that it was drawn and pinched
with fasting. WheTeupon l remembered my
flask and sandwich box, and pulling them ont
assured hun, with some apology for the
offer, that they were at his service. His
Joy was childish. Again he whipped Off his
hat and clapping it to his heart, swore my
conduct did honor to my dead father; and
with Angus Cartwright" said be, kindness
was intuitive Being a habit it outran re-
Election; and his whisky, sir, was undeniable.
Come, have a fancy. Let US dismount,
and, in heroic fashion, spread our feast upon
the turf; or, if the boar frost deter you, see,
here are powders, and a running brook to
dilute our cups; and, by my life, foot
bridge, to the rail of which we may tether
our steeds
Indeed we had come to a hollow In the
road, across winch 8 tiny DECK, now swollen
with the rains, was chattering bravely. Fall
ing in with my companions humor, l dis
mounted, and after his example, hitohed my
anar,e's rein over the rail There was raci-
hess about the whole proceeding that took my
fancy. lost as was in conjecture We chose
two powders among heap Of lesser
stones close beside the beck. and divided the
sandwiches; for, though protested was not
hungry the old gentleman insisted on our
sharlng alike. And now, as the liquor warm
ed bis heart and the sunshine srrote upon his
back, his eyes sparkled and lie launched on
flood OF the gayest talk-yet always Of
world that ! felt was before my tina In
deed, as he rattEed on, the feeling that this
must be some Rip Van Wh1isie restored from
thirty years sleep grew stronger and
stronger upon me. lie spoke Of Bieakdrk,
and displayed q knowledge OF it sufficiently
thorDugh-lntlulate even-yet OF the old
friends for whom he inquired many names
were unknown 70 NE, many familiar only
Shrough their epitaphs in the windy GENE
terry nbove the clif OF the rest. the pretty
Girls he named were now grand1notbers, the
Noung men long since bent and rheumatic;
Shn youngest well over 80 This however