The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-02-28
SPHINXY.
She Looks After the Welfare Of the
Unfortunate ErOnaut.

balloon descended one day in the
cOrnfield of f>rmer on the banks OF
the Ohio, in that region of Southern
Illinois locally known as Egypt.
The aronout, a slight, serious-looking
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.
Reckon you lit suddin, didn't you?''
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, do
you find?"
''No, l thank you" said the balloon
list, I'm very comfortable. When l
saw the chute was bound to come down
anyway, | steered for corntield. It's
lucky you didn't have the river run
through this field"
You mought have got seme 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"
''In Egypt"
Gin Egypt! Impossible. Why, only
left Cincinnati day before yesterday"
'Yet here you be, said the farmer.
''My names Shelby, and my folks will
be tickled to death to have ballooner
to dinner. They's yellowlegged chicken
fried, too, to-day. see SphinXy and
her ma fixing it when l was to the
pump, spell ago."
''But what do you mean about the
Nile?" persisted the stranger 'My
name is Sewall, and I'll be much
obliged for a dinner, but don't under
stand. That's the Ohio river, and l
must surely have come down in Hi
uois."
''Shucks, now," laughed the farmer.
Reckon you've lost your bearings, Ca
reering and shassaying up round in the
clouds in that machine O yOurn. In
Egypt you be, and l reckon you won't
find a pearter section of country nOwhur
you'll look for it. Come on in, and have
some dinner. faint dinner-time for
half an hour, but reckon you'll want
y
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-hour with the balloon. I'll be
delighted to tell you any thing can
about it.
They were still looking at the balloon
and talking it over when tall, young
girl, wearing 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 dinuer. 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
a tone of pride. Most women folks
would have stood around and pestered
us to death asking questions: What is
that?' 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.
"Why, onst they was cyclone come
sudden one night; first one ever heard
of in this part of the country. Sphinxy,
she was milking the speckled cow when
it struck the milking-shed. 1t took the
COW and her both right up, whirled 'em
nd nd u-hi oil of Iol
'em both on that thur island out yander
in the river. had to fetch 'em both off
in flat-boat.
''Sphinxy scared? Not bit of it!
Paw said she, I'm sorry l split all
that good fresh milk says she, but it
don't seem to be Speckles fault no more
nor NINE 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.
Il remember now hearing that South
ern Illinois is Egypt"
"Shucks, now, you're getting your
wits back, amt you?" laughed Mr.. Shell
by, as they walked toward the farm
house. 1--WE call it the Nile here on
our farm. Well, this is the land o.
corn and wine,' and 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-
corning whose adventures she asked a
hundred questions. She was small,
sallow, vivacouS woman, and Mr.. SeweIl
had scarcely chance to answer half her
questions, so rapidly were they show
cred upon him.
Sphinxy meanwhile, still wearing her
green bingham sunbonnet, waited upon
the table. She sliced a cucumber fresh
from its cooling in pail of cold we'll
water, filled Mr.. Sewall's 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 frock, her
hands were singularly nice hands for a
girl who washed dishes three timesaa
day.
After dinner Mr.. Sewell sat upon the
piazza with his host and hostess foi
half an hour while the daughter cleared
away the dinner things. They could
hear the rattle of dishes in the kitchen,
but no sound Of Sphinxy's voice.
Mr.. Sewall asked after awhile how far
1t was to the railroad station.
Its matter of seven miles," said
Mrs. Shelby. Re yo,s going right
back to Cincinnati with your balloon? %
think shall. It's badly out OF
gear said Mr., Sewell. 81 shall know