San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-07
BLEAKIRK- ON-SANDS.

mOOrS: straight overhead, Il req anu "lnury
sun just struggling to assert itself; to right
and left stretch of barren down still coated
white with boar frost
had flung the reins upon my horses neck,
and was ambling homewards. Between me
and Bleakirk lay seven good miles, and we
had come far enough already on the chance
of the suns breaking through, but as the
morning wore on, SO our prospect of hunting
that day faded further from us. 1t was nov
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 began to
descend, the first CLEAN of sunshine burst
from the dull heaven and played over the
boar frost. | looked up, and saw on the slope
of the hill to the right horseman also de-
scending
At first glance 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 flaring 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.
He appeared not to notice me, but pricked
leiSurely 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, indeed" said the stranger, refining in
for bo
aware of me- Il wish you very good day,
sir We are well met" He pulled of his
hat with a fantastic politenesS. For me, my
aston, grew as regarded him more
closely. A mass of lanky, white hair droop
ed on either side of face pale, pinched and
extraordinarily wrinked; the clothes that
wrapped his diminutive body were thread
bare, greasy, and patched in all directions
Fifty years wear could not have worsened
them, and indeed from the whole aspect Of
the man you might guess him a century old
were it not for the nimbleness of his gestures
and his eyes, which were gray, alert and
keen as needles.
acknowledged his sautation as he ranged
up beside me.
will my company, sir, offend you! BY
your coat suspect your trade: venatorem
Sapit-heyF'
His voice exactly fitted his eyes Both were
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,7 answered.
"Heyf Where is that?'
The familiarity lay rather in the words
than the manner, and did not resent it
AT Beakirk"
His eyes had wandered for a moment to
the road ahead, but now he turned abruptly,
and looked at me, as | thought, with some
suspicion. He seemed about to speak, but re-
strained himself, fumbled in his waistcoat
pocket, and, producing massive snuffbox,
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.
TO NE this form of the herb nicotiara
commends itself by its cheapness; the sense is
ticked, the purse consenting-lke the com
PLEASANT husband in Juvenal: you take me.
| am we'll acquainted with Bleakirk-super
sabulum. BY the way, how is Squire Cart
wright of the Halle"
"H,' said |, you mean my father, Angus
Cartwright he is dead these twelve years"
after moment, "Ah, to be sure, time flies
hearty man, to all seeming So you are his
SON" He took another pinch, ''It is very
sustaining" he said.
The snuffF
You have construed me, sir. Since set
out, just thirteen hours since, it has been my
sole viaticum." AS he spoke he put his hand
Sly tn forehead lxtritb
Then" thought |, 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 Whereupon | remembered my
flask and sandwich box, and pulling them out
assured him, 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; land
with Angus Cartwright" said he, kindness
was ntuitive. Being a habit, it outran re-
Fiction; and his whisky sir, was undeniable
Come, | have a fancy. Let US dsmount,
and, in heroic fashion, spread our feast upon
the turf, or, if the hoar frost deter YOU see.
here are powders, and a running brook to
dilute our cups, and, by my life, a foot
bridge, TO the rail of which we may tethar
cur sJseds"
Indeed, we had come to hollow in the
road, GcTOss which tiny beck, now swollen
with the rains, was chattering bravelv Fall
ing in with my companions num0r, | dis
mounted and after his example, hitched NV
mares rein over the rail There was a raci-
ness about the whole proceeding that took my
fancy, lost rs | was in conjecture We chose