, 1891-01-21
COL BOB JARVIS.

We were sojourning between Ana.
helm and the sea
There was a sur.hiny dullness about
the place, like the smiles OF a vapid
woman The bit Of vineyard surround
ing our whitewashed cabin was an
emerald set in the dull golden brown
plain Before the door an artesian
well glittered in the sun like an in.
verted crystal bowl E~sculapius called
the spot Fezzan, and gradually l came
TO think the well a fountain and the
sunburned waste about us a stretch Of
yellow sand.
When l walked to the field of whis
pering corr behind the house and
through the struggling vines TO the
edge Of the vineyard in front, l came
back TO where my invalid sat beneath
the feathery a~cacias, dreaming in hap
Ply lonesomeness-
did you ever see such ethereal still
nessf' / asked.
Esculapius took his cigar from his
lips
ut may be my misfortune, l hope
not my fault, but / do not remember
to have seen stiffness Of any sort"
Escuiapius has but n ~shortcoming
He is not a poet | never wound him
by appearing to notice this defect, so
sat down and made no reply.
You think It is still. " he went on In
a mannish. instructive way. but in
fact there are n thousand sounds At
night when 1t is really quiet you will
hear the roar OF the ocean ten miles
away. Harkr'
Our host was singing far down in the
corn. He vas n minister, a deep toned
Methodist bTimming over with vocal
piety.
Nearer the great white throne.
Nearer the Jasper sea.
came to us in slow, rich cadences.
The fern like branches above us stir
red softly against the blue. Little arc
matte whiffs came from the grove OF
pale eucalyptus trees near the house.
Esculapius diluted the intoxicating air
with tobacco smoke and remained sane,
but as for me the sunshine went to my
head, and whirled there like some east
ern drug.
MY love, said wildly, III we stay
here very long and nothing happens, |
shall do something rash"
The next morning a huge derrick
frowned in the door yard, and a pict.
uresque group of workInen lounged I'M
der the acacias, The well had ceased
to flow.
Esculapius called me to n / Of
the piazza
Something has happened, " lie said
the well has stopped. thought it
might relieve your feelings"
/ looked at him with profound com
passion.
Then l took a pitcher and went down
the walk to the disgloriicd well The
musical dip on the pebbles was hushed
the charm Of our oasis had departed.
In its place stood a length Of rusty pipe
full of standing water. Some bits Of
maidenhair | had placed in reach Of
the cool spray yesterday were already
withered in the sun. | took the gourd
from its notch in the willows sadly.
Some one had been before me and
carved ''Ichabod" on its handle. !
filed my pitcher and turned to go. A
tall form separated itself from the
group OF worklnen and came calamity
forward.
Madam, - said a rich, hearty voice,
IF you'll just allow me, I'll tackle that
pitcher and tote it in for you. Jarvis
is my name, Col Bob Jarvis, we'll
borer. We struck a ten inch flow
down at S~cranton's last week and rather
knocked the bottom out Of things
around here
But the pitcher isn't at all heavy.
Col Jarvis"
''Oh, never mind that; anything's
too heavy for a lady. That's my sen.
timents You see, I'm n ladies' man
born and brought up TO it. Nursed
my mother and two aunts and a grand
mother through consumption, and never
let one of 'em lift a finger. Robert,
my mother used TO say, in her thin,
sickly voice, Robert, be true TO God
and the women and. by godfrey.
mean TO bel"
/ relinquished the pitcher instantly,
Esculapius was right; something hiVl
h-nnaned Tho well was o hrt y