The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-04-02

4 IN
is tho fine things the delicate, grace.
full attributes of the days and their
| people. A spring day on the avenue,
when the dog carts are passing swift
! ~. and well-dressed women are going
by in steady stream, cheeks of rudy
| red, and walks of Junos stride, the
scent Of violet bouquets in the air-all
! that is even prettier picture than
| when the wild flowers are blooming
among the mesquite grass, l venture to
say. But why do talk to you? You
will not understand. You are not worth
it."
mo, ".he responded, ''Ireckon mebbe
Pm not, But, you see, it can't well be
helped; you have your way of looking
at things and have mine, and they're
everlastingly different, that's all"
And yet, somehow, almost impercept-
IDLY, the views Of the youth from Texas
began gradually to assume a less de-
cided and critical aspect, at least SO
far as they were openly expressed
He still rebelled inwardly, perhaps,
but he no longer reviled openly. He
began to go to theaters and attend re-
citals, and all that sort of thing, and
always with Madge. She said it was
really getting to be a most amusing
procedure, this tanning of western
shrew, male edition. He used to do the
most dreadfully shocking things at
first in defiance of all etiquette, but
she even got used to that She declared
that to know the Little Tin God as she
did was liberal education in simplici-
ty, and provocative of disbelief in the
theory of original sin.
One day, in the early summer, Jack
Placer-for that was the young mans
name in his baptism IN the waters of
the Rio Grande-was riding leisurely in
the park. He had long ago got used
to the ridicule Of the street urchins,
who objected to his lack of Rotten
Row attitudes in the saddle, and he
took a canter through those spacious
avenues very often, thinking good
deal of the Texas prairies and their de-
lightful freedom. Well. on this day he
was aroused suddenly from reverie
by curiously uneven clatter OF hoofs
behind him. He looked round to
where cloud of dust was rapidly ap-
preaching, and soon perceived that it
was caused by a runaway. On they
came, the frightened horses galloping
along in mad recklessness, the driver
white and ncrveless in his long black
coat, and in the body of the carriage
two women shrieking. It was only
moment and Jack had set spurs into
his pony's sides AS the carriage came
nearer and nearer the rider increased
his own speed until they were racing
in parallel swiftness. Then, through
the cloud of dust about tho rapidly
moving mass, the frightened bystand-
ers saw the riders big sombrero dip
down, down, until it seemed Gas if the
owner must be falling off his steed.
For several seconds they raced thus;
then the mans body came up with
sharp skillful jerk. and in his hand were
the reins that the maddened horses by
his side had torn from their drivers
hands and flung into the road. where
they had been trailing like writhing
hoop-snakes. The reins were fastened
about the high horn OF the Texas sad
die, that had always seemed so useless
to the sneering park riders. Gradually
the speed of the obedient pony was
slackened until the runaways began to
feel the reins again; few more yards
and they stood still, painting, steam
ing and quivering in fear and weak
ness. For the first time Jack turned
to look at the occupants of the car
riage Then he uttered a quick mar
ticulate exclamation, handed the reins
to the hum bled and apologize driver,
and rode up to the side Of the vehicle.
1t was to Mrs. Collingwood and the
unconscious form of Madge that he
lifted his hat.
"She's tainted" said her mother.
will you tell the coachman to drive
home as quickly rs he can? And if you