Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-03-07
M a - =.
A TALE OF A CARAVAN.
BY ROBERT BUCHANAN.
CHAPTER I.

| low-lying Island OF Anglesea, was
beginning TO scatter thin penetrating
drizzle on the driver of the caravan.
To right and left of the highway
stretched bleak and bare prospect of
marshland and moorland, closed to the
west by sky Of ever-deepening redness,
and relieved here and there by black
clumps of stunted woodland. Here and
there peeped asolitary farmhouse, with
outlying fields of swampy greenness,
where lean and spectral cattle were
iugubriously grazing; and ever and anon
came a glimpse OF some lonely lake or
tarn, fringed all round with sedges, and
dotted with water-lilies, The road was
as desolate as the prospect, with not
living soul upon it, far as the eye could
see. To all this, however, the driver of
the caravan paid little attention, owing
to the simple fact that he was fast
asleep.
He was reused by sudden j0ting
and swaying of the clumsy vehicle, COM
bined with sound of splashing water;
and, opening his eyes sleepily, he per-
ceived that the gray mare had turned
aside from the center of the road, and,
having plaeldly entered astagnaDt pond
I on the roadside, was floundering ard
struggling in the mud thereof, with the
caravan rocking behind her. AT the
same moment head was thrust round
the back part of the vehicle, and an an
CRY voice exclaimed:
Tin, you scoundrel. where the devil
are you driving to? Wake up, or III
break every bone in your skim
Thus addressed, Tim woke himself
with an effort, and, looking round with
an insinuating smile, replied:
"Begorra, Master Charles, / thought
it was an earthquake entirely. Come
out of that now! Is il wanting to
drownd yourself you are? G-r-r-r! Sh!
Aisy now, aisy."
The latter portion Of the above SEN
tence was addressed to the mare, which
was at last persuaded to wade out of the
cool mud, and return TO the dusty track,
where she stood quivering and painting.
No sooner was the return TO terra frma
accomplished, than light, agile figure
descended the steps at the back of the
caravan, and ran round to the front.
An excited colloquy, angry on the one
side and apologetic on the other, en-
sued, and did not cease even when the
driver, with flick of his whip, put the
caravan again in motion. while the 9TH
er strobe alongside OH foot.
Ii was just such q caravan as may be
seen any summer day forming part of
the camp on an English common, with
the swart face Of gypsy woman look
ing out at the door, and half a dozen
ragged imps and elves rolling on the
grass beneath; as may be observed,
smothered in wickerwOrk of all descrip-
tions, or ylittering pots and pans, NOV
ing from door to door i'm some sleepy
country town, guided by gloomy gen.
tleman in yelveteen coat and hare
skin cap, and attended by brawny
hussie, also smothered in wickerwork
or pots and pans; as, furthermore. may
be deserted forming part of the process
sion of travelling circus, and drawn by
piebaid horse which, whenever good
pitch" is found, will complete its day S
labor by performances in the ring. A car
avan of the good old English kind;with
i --....ls., curtaip. s-ssst % -s,ssans.S s.taa
| for the smoke to come through from
the fire inside, with door behind, orna.
meated with knocker, and only lack.
ing door-plate TO make it quite COM
plete; in short, House on Wheels.
The driver, though rough enough and
red with sun and wind, had nothing in
common with the ordinary drivers of
such vehicles, and, in point of fact, he
was neither gypsy, nor travelling
tinker, nor cireus-performer. Though
1t was summer time, he wore large
frieze coat, descending almost to his
heels, and on his head wideawake hat
underneath which his lazy, beardless,
and somewhat sheepish face shone with
indolent good-humor. His companion,
Master Charles, as he was called, bore
still less resemblance to the Bohemians
of English lanes and woodlands. He
was a slight, handsome, fair-haired
young fellow, of two or three-and-twen-
ty, in the tweed attire of an ordinary
summer tourist; and every movement
he made, every word he spoke, implied
the gentleman born"
Presently at signal from his master
(such he wasl, Tim drew rein again. BY
this time the sun was setting fiery red,
far away to the west, and the thin driz-
zle was becoming more persistent.
How far did they say it was to Pen
croes?"
Ten miles, sor."
The mare is tired out I think. We
shall have to camp by the roadside
"All right. Master Charles. There's
a handy shelter beyant there where you
see the trees" Tim acded, pointing up
the road with his whip. The young
man looked in that direction, and saw,
about quarter of a mile away, that the
highway entered dark clump of wood
land. He nodded assent, and walked
rapidly forward, while the caravan fol-
lowed slowly in his rear.
Reaching the point where the wood
began, and entering the shadows of the
trees, he soon found spot well fitted
for his purpose. To the left, the road
widened out into grassy patch of COM
mon, adorned with one or two bushes
of stunted brown, and stretched out a
dusty arm to touch a large white gate,
which opened on gloomy, grass-grown
avenue winding right through the heart
Of the wood. The caravan, coming
slowly up, was soon placed in snug
position, not far from the gate, the
horse was taken out and suffered to
Craze, while Tim, searching about,
found some dry sticks, and began to
light fire. Diving into the caravan.
the young man re-emerged with
camp-stool, on which he sat down, light
ed meerchaum pipe, and began to
smoke. They could hear the rain faint
ly pattering in the boughs above them,
but the spot they had chosen was quite
sheltered and dry.
The fire soon blazed up. Entering the
caravan In his turn, Tim brought out q
tin kettle full of water and placed it on
the fire, preparatory to making tea. He
was thus engaged when the sound Of a
horses hoofs was heard along the high
way, and presently the figure Of ahorse-
man appeared, approaching at q rapid
trot. AS 1t came nearer to the group on
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