San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-05-20
AMADO.

had not seen Sawyer-"Cal," as W.
called him-since we parted at Harvard
upon commencement day, when, full OF
fervOr and the class punch of 81, we
swore to keep one another in sight
Cal went home and into leather, and
| to a desk in Wall street. Now, five
years later, had almost run over icy
old college mate in my nightly mad rush
for the L. | seized him by the arm and
bore him along, postponing apologies
until had him packed into my little
up town fiat and introduced to my wife,
who was the dearest woman on earth to
me still, and who | knew could comfort
and console the tall Californian as |
could not, for | had already discovered
that Sawyer had come east in pursuit OF
the einige Weibliche.
When dinner was over my wife slipped
away to see if the baby was really sleep
ing as only such bald headed tyrants"
can, leaving us unnecessary and ire
sponsible men smoking and reminiscenc-
! ing in my den of by 9.
Suddenly blow on the door startled
Sawyer almost out of his chair.
His majesty wishes to come in,"
said, rising and opening the door.
What a magnificent bruter' exclaim-
ed Sawyer.
Not brute if you please, Cal, but
my friend. Amado, kindly shake hands
with my old friend here and then COM
pose yourself. You know your are
rather pervasive in a room of this size"
My mastiff gravely did as he was bid
and then settled himself at my side with
thud that made the things shake on
the table.
That's about the only uncivilized
thing about him." | said, laughing. "He
still remembers that his wild ancestors
had to make their bed in the wilderness
and crushed the tangle of vine and root
under them"
Sawyer, who was quite as much of an
animal lover as myself, knelt down be-
side the dog, fairly running over his
points of beauty and of breeding-his
coat of delicate fawn, silvery on flank
and shoulder his breadth of chest and
strength of loin, the velvet blackness of
his muzzle, the whiteness of his teeth,
the clear brown of his eyes, the pure,
rich scarlet of his tongue, the black
markings of the mouth and the sinewy
power of his straight, wide paws.
Where did you find such magnif-
cent dog, you enviable fellow" asked
Sawyer as he seated himself and re-
lighted his cigar.
Dear old chum! He is getting pas
sive and rheumatic. I've owned him now
three years, and I've never yet regretted
the small fortune | had to pay to get
him from the. former owner-a person
wholly unworthy to possess even pug.
But it is for better reasons than points
or pedigree that he is beloved next to
the boy, and even the boy can't put his
nose out of joint. He was the dens ex
machina that gave me my wife"
"Ah! That sounds interesting" said
Sawyer. Tell me the whole story. I've
confded to you my plight, and you won't
find better listener"
L llClu hCfSl bClOlC ISlI INC III
clination to babble of my own affairs,
past or present, but if could soothe and
distract the mind of this old classmate
that was plainly my duty. Very well,
then, here goes for it. You will find it
as mild as a homeopathic pellet, but it
was interesting enough to me-" said
this with well affected indifference, but
was really eager to begin.
Margaret my wife-and l had
grown up together in a little town in
southern Ohio. You know the kind per-
haps-everything pastoral and religious,
all church and no chaperons-where
the boys and girls were allowed the ut
most liberty, liberty, it must be ad-
mitted, they did not abuse, but used and
enjoyed with a sort of sturdy sanity and
self respect impossible in this sophlstl-
Gated, crowded city of conventionalities.
We-she and Lived side by side and
held long and confidential conversations
over the stiff, green wire fence that sep
arated our grape arbor from her bed OF
tea roses. | saved the last sweet, frosty
bunch for her. and at the first chill hint
of winter helped her cover her roses
with straw, making their tall stalks in
to queer, angular sCarecrows for Jack
FrOst's terrifying.
MY mother was a New Highlander,