Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-08-09
AMADO.

to desk in Wall street. Now. fiv,
years later, had almost run over IL,
old college mate in my nightly mad rusl
for the l.. seized him by the arm ant
bore him along, postponing apologize!
until l had him packed into my littl,
up town fiat and introduced to my wife
who was the dearest woman on earth Il
me still, and who knew could comfor
and console the tall Californian as
could not, for had already discovered
that Sawyer had come east in pursuit o.
the einige Weibliche.
When dinner was over my wife slippeC
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 bye.
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 magnificent brute!" exclaim
ed Sawyer.
"Not brute if you please, Cal, but
my friend. Amado, kindly shake hand:
with my old friend here and then com
pose yourself. You know your are
rather pervasive in 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 ar
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 a magnifi.
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
contided to you my plight, and you won't
find better listener"
had never before felt the least in.
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 we'll,
then, here goes for it. You will find ii
as mild as homeopathic pellet, but ii
was interesting enough to me-" said
this with well affected Indifference, but
was really eager to begin.
Margaret - my wife and had
grown up together in little town in
southern Ohio. You know the kind per.
haps--everything pastoral and religious,
all church and no 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 sort Of sturdy sanity and
self respect impossible in this sophisti.
Gated, crowded city Of conventionalities
We-she and l-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
20 queer, angular scarecrows for Jack
Frost's terrifying.
my mother was a New Highlander
and the thirst for knowledge of books
and men that smoldered in her breast
famed into power for her only son, and
so was sent to Harvard. While still 9
freshman | came to regard my native
town as the vanishing point in the per
spective of an inglorious past. With
what lofty smile should have received
the hint that the dark eyed little CIR
whom | had left to tie her roses alone
might one day amply avenge all my
sights!
"a concealed my boyish delight in lift
rrter the most pronounced and classic
'indifferentism, and wonder even now
how ever my mother could put up with
me. Ny old friends laughed at my airt
and my reformed accent, secretly dislik
ing and envying me. | naturally found
it much pleasanter to spend my vaca
tions in the soothing atmosphere Of bs
ings like myself, after brief visit to rny
mother.
During these occasions | saw Mar
garet only once or twice, and Away
carried away the disturbing impression
that she was in no way impressed eithei
by my superior manners or talents. Thi
was slightly annoying, as she was fai
and away prettier than any girl Of my
acquaintance, east or west. To be sure
had made her blush--such an exquisit,
red-but it was with vexation. Upor
my first departure we had written on,
another quite regularly, but about tn,
middle Of my FIRST year ! received let