The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1890-01-25

Unfortunate E1rOn0ut.
A balloon descended one day in the
eornfield of farmer on the banks Of
the Ohio, in that region of Southern
Illinois locally known as Egypt.
The aeronout, slight, serious-looldng
young gentleman with spectacles, ex-
tricated himself from the balloon just
/. as the farmer came running from the
next field to the scene of the descent.
''Recl1on you lit suddin, didn't you2
said the farmer. ''Glad to see you, sir,
on my property, though folks does
gener'ly come in by the front yard when
they're comp'ny. Much shook up, dc
you fnd?"
''No, thank you,'' said the balloon
ist, 'Fm very comfortable. When
saw the chute was bound to come down
anyway, 1 steered for cornfield. It's
lucky you didn't have the river run
through this field
''You mought have got some wet,
that's fact" said our farmer with an
appreciative grin. ''Sphinxy says the
Nile don't never drown folks"
''Sphinxy? The Nile? Where am
anyway"
I'm Egypt"
''In Egypt! Impossible. Why, only
left Cincinnati day before yesterdayw
''Yet here you be, said the farmer
'eMy names Shelby, and my folks will
be tickled to death to have ballooner
to dinner. They's yellow-legged chicken
fried, too, to-day. 1 see Sphinxy and
her. ma fixing it when 1 was to the
pump, spell ago."
''But what do you mean about the
Nile?" persisted the stranger. "My
name uis Sewall, and I'll be much
obliged for a dinner, but don't under
stand. That's the Ohio river, and I
must surely have come down in Hi
nois."
-''Shucks, now," laughed the farmer.
''Reckon you've lost your neariags- ca
re-li-e ond snasslri0e. -r1 '--rna ia e..
clouds in that machine O. yOuru. t.
Egypt you be. and reckon you won't
find q uoarter section Of country novbur
you look lorit. Come onin, and have
some dinner. 'Tsint dinner-time for
half an hour, but reckon you'll want
10 rest up some, before you explain : our
star-cart to an old fellow like me-
''Oh no, Mr.. Shelby" said Mr.. Sewall,
'.your hospitality shan't run away with
your curiosity in that way. Let us spend
the half-bour with the balloon. I'll be
delighted to tell you any thing L can
about it.
They were still looking at the balloon
and talking it over when tall, young
girl, wearing a green gingham sunbon-
net and a freshly-starched pink calico
frock, came out across the corn-feld
from the farmhouse. She walked UP
to. her father and, without looking at
the balloon or the balloonist, said: "Paw,
come to dinner. Nav says it's spiling
powerful fast for lack Of eating"
Then she turned and walked away to-
ward the house.
''That's Sphinxy," said her father, in
:. tone of pride. ''Most women folks
would have stood around and pestered
ms todeath asking questions: What is
uthat? How did it get here?' and all
the like Of. that. But Sphinxy, if you
notice, tends strictly to her own bust
ness. Paw says. she to me, come to
dinner says she. That's enough for
Sphinxy, and no questions asked. It's
always her way. s
''WhY, onst they was cyclone come
sudden one. night; first one overheard
of in this part of the country. Sphinxy,
she was milking the speckled cow when
it struckthe milking-shed. 1t took the
COW and her both right up, wbirled 'em
round and whisked 'em off and landed
'em both or - = ll-r- is1r-d o''+ --"rAo~
in the river. had TO fetch 'em both off
IN q 1at-boa
Sphinx Jared? Not 6it ofitl
Paw. sad she, I'm sorry I split all
that good l-esh milk, says she. g. it
don't seem 20 be Speckle's fault no moro
.2r mine,' says she. Never asked ONCE
what struck her No. Sphinxy never
asks no questions. Said afterward she
knew the Nile wouldn't drownd no
body
''Do you really call the Ohio the Nile
down in this Egypt?" asked Mr.. Sewall
81 remember now hearing that South
ern Illinois is Egypt
''Shucks, now, you're getting your
wits back, aint you?' laughed Mr. Shell
by, as they walked toward the farm
house. eve call it the Nile here on
our farm. Well, this is the land O.
corn and wine,' ard they amt no taller
corn than mine"
Mrs. Shelby sat down to the dinner
table with her husband and their guest,
whom she welcomed cordially, and con-
cerning whose adventures she asked a
hundred questions. She was a small,
sallow, vivacous woman, and Mr.. Seweu
had scarcely chance to answer half her
questions, so rapidly were they show
cred upon him.
Sphinxy meanwhile, still wearing her
green gingham sunbonnet, waited upon
the table. She sliced a cucumber fresh
from its cooling in pail of cold we'll
water, filled Mr.. Sewalrs glass with
milk, and brought him piece of pie.
Still he had not seen the face of the
girl with the extraordinary name. She
was hidden from observation by her
sunbonnet.
Her figure was slender, and not un-
graceful in her clean pink trock, her
hands were singularly nice hands for
girl who washed dishes three timesoa
day.