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

away the dinner things. They could
hear the rattle of dishes in the kitchen,
but no sound of Sphinxy's voice.
Mr.. Sewan asked after awhile how far
it was to the railroad station.
''It's matter of seven miles," said
Mrs. Shelby. ''Be you going right
back to Cincinnati with your balloon?"
81 think shall. It's badly out of
gear" said Mr., Sewell. 81 shall know
how to arrange it in better shape next
time.
'fAnd you think you must be leaving
us right off? That's too bad, said Mr..
Shelby. ''Well, if you must go, I'll
drive you over 10 Town - time Tor you to
take the eight o'clock train this even
! ing for Cinciunatah.'
Il shall be very much obliged to you, .
said Dir. Sewan. and if I could offer
/ you -'
Don't mention it. Proud to have
/ skv-scrapers come to visit us Drop in
! ON MS HL-.o.o % you Ioel like dropping,
returned cordial Mr.. Shelby, laughing
at his own wit, land next time you
drop, we'll have feather-bed out in the
cOrnfield all ready for you, eh, mother?"
Sphinxy came out on the piazza.
"Paw," said she, ''the cats fell down
the MINDLESS into the we'll, the buckets
off and the cats squalling."
Mr.. Shelby disappeared in great ex-
citement, followed by Mrs. Shelby.
Sphinxy turned to Mr.. Sewall, looked at
him with frank smile, then ran out to
the well to aid in rescuing the cat,
whose accident she had announced with
much calmnesS as she had announced
dinner, in the usual and unexpected
presence of balloon and a ballOonist.
Mr. Sewall had smiled in return.
Her look had expressed the most in
tense admiration. 1t was evident that
the descent of the balloon and the ap-
pearance of the young stranger at din
ner had touched SphinXy's imagination.
Mr.. Shelby was clambering down the
stones within the well-shaft when his
visitor reached the curb. It was a
perilous descent, and still more slip
perry ascent after he had sent the
drenched cat up in the rescued bucket.
At six o'clock Mr.. Shelby brought
rickety old buggy and lean horse to
the front gate, called ''Hello the houser'
and announced his readiness to take
passenger to town.
Mr.. Sewall, who had spent most of the
afternoon in a sound sleep on the lounge
in Mrs. Shelby's best parlor, making up
for sleep lost while in the clouds, came
out refreshed and ready to go. They
were to drive to the cornfield fence and
take up the broken balloon. Mrs. Shelby
shook hands heartily, and stood on the
piazza smiling and speeding the part
ing guest.
Sphinxy came around the corner of
the house, and walked across the grass
TO Mr. Sewa7l. Halfway down the
front yard midway between her father
a. the gate and her mother on the steps,
she stopped beside him.
She had left off her sunbonnet and
ne saw a bright. gtrlsb face She held
out O small parcel
''You might need 1t. Don't open 1t
till you get to town." said she, blush
ing with timidity. Then before he
could thank her or say goodbye she had
put the parcel into his hands and had
Iun away 1ASI p1Hh AIOCh hu1ShSu
out of sight around the corner of the
house directly.
''What did Sphinxy present you
with?" asked Mr.. Shelby, as his guest
got into the buggy beside him, looking
at the parcel with much curiosity.
'EShe said I'm not to open. it till we
get to the town. replied Mr.. Sewall.
'It was very kind of her.. I'm sure,
whatever it is"
'Sphinxy's girl of few words. Never |
spoke to you at all till you was leaving,
did she?" said Mr.. Shelby, touching the
lean horse with his hickory switch.
''Not once," answered Mr.. Sewall
At the railway station in the village |
he opened the parcel containing |
Sphinxy's gift It was little old faded |
red silk purse. netted in an old-fash-
ioned form, and cleaning through it Mr..
Sewall could see two gold pieces.
'''Why, this is very kind of your
daughter!" he exclaimed, astonished,
tbut. really can't accept her money.
The purse looks like a keepsake, a
treasure of her own, tool"
'1t is. 1t belonged to her grand
mother, who leftit to her when she
died, with them two five dollars" said |
Mr.. Shelby, in low tones of much sym
pathy and tenderness. -''Sphinxy thinks
.l- ti' - III "f +hat money. 7 !
reckon She rho.E Ett being ol'd come |
by balloon, going home 5rain with /
car fares 10 pay and so on rl lght come a /
little awkward TO you."
''But you VIII take 1T back to her, and
evnlajn thatI have more than enough /
sy a.. ~. .a.r To- .luciuoati, won't you?"
salG III. svT&u. And tell her how /
much l thank her. She is very good and
thoughtful"
''Sphinxy is good girl" said her
father, ''and she's one that's wonderful
set in her own way, two. 1 don't think
he added, thoughtfully shaking his
head, 81 don't think she would, to say,
really stand it if / should take the
purse back to her. No." he said, with
81 can't take it back to
Sphinxy, Mr.. Sewall. She'd take on and
cry if l should do such thing. know
just how that girl thinks, though she
never says much.
''She always feels as though nothing's
too good for any body that comes to see
US, and when any body comes, so to say,
right out of the sky, her granny's pres
ents got to go, or Sphinxy wouldn't be
Sphinxy. She has had some notion of
saving up her chicken and egg money
to put with it and buy her a melodeum,
but laws! she'll never do it. She'll
just spend all she gets along, for pink
calico dresses for every day and white