Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-03-01
Through Santa ClaEaWheat
By FRANCIS BRET HARTR

1t struck Rose that she had not even
thanked the man in the same flash that
She remembered something dreadful that
ne mad said. She covered her face with
her hands and tined to recall herself.
Mrs. Randolph gently tapped her
shoulder with a mixture of maternal
philosophy and discipline, and continued;
Ot course its an upset, and you're con-
tosed sun. That's nothing. They saw,
dear, its perfectly well known that no
two peoples recollection of these things
ever Is the same. Its really ridiculous
the contradictory stories one hears
Isn't it, Emieg'
Rose felt that the young man had
joined them and was looking at her. In
the fear that she should still see some
trace of the startled selfish animal in his
face she did not dare to raise her ewes
to his, but looked at his mother. Mrs.
Randolph was standing then, collected
but impatient.
Its all over now," said Emile in his
usual voice, land except the chimneys
and some fallen plaster there's really no
damage done, But I'm afraid they've
caught it pretty badly at the Mission
and at San Francisco in those tall,
hashy, rattle trap buildings they're put
ting up. I've just sent off one of the
men for news"
Her father was in San Francisco by
thattime, and she had never once thought
of him. In her quick remorse she forgot
all else and rose to her feet.
Il must telegraph to my father at
once" she said hurriedly; "he is there"
"Iou had better wait until the mes
senger returns and hear his news" said
Emile. If the shock was only slight
one in San Francisco your father might
not understand you and would be alarm
ed"
She could see his face now; there was
no record of the past expression upon it,
but he was watching her eagerly. Mrs.
Randolph and Adele had moved away to
speak to the servants. Emile drew
nearer.
"You surely will not desert us now,"
he said in low voice.
please don't" she said vaguely;
I'm so worried" And pushing quickly
past him she hurriedly rejoined the two
women.
They were experimenting the erection
of long tent or marquee in the garden,
hastily extemporized from the awnings
of the veranda and other cloth. Mrs.
Randolph explained that although all
danger was over there was the possibil-
ity of the recurrence of lighter shocks
during the day and night, and that they
would all feel much more secure and
comfortable to camp out for the next
twenty-four hours in the open air.
"Only imagine you're picnicking, and
you'll enjoy it as much as most people
usually enjoy those horrid al fresco en-
tertainments. Idon't believe there's the
slightest real necessity for it, but" she
added in lower voice., the Irish and
Chinese servants are so demoralized now
they wouldn't stay indoors with us. It's
n common practice here. believe, for a
day or two after the shock, and it gives
time to put things to right again and
clear up. The old one-storied Spanish
houses, with walls three feet thick and
built round courtyard or patio were
much safer. It's only when the Ameri-
cans tried TO improve upon the old order
of things with their pinchbeck shams
and stucco that Providence interferes
like this to punish them"
1t was the fact, however, that Rose
was more impressed by what seemed to
her the absolute indifference of Provi-
dence in the matter, and the cool resump-
ton by nature of her ordinary condi-
tions. The sky above their heads was
as rigidly blue as ever and as smilingly
monotonous; the distant prospect, with
its clear, well known silhouettes, had
not changed; the crows swung on heavy,
deliberate wings over the grain as be-
fore and the trade wind was blowing in
its quiet persistency.
And yet she knew that something had
happened that would never again make
her enjoyment of the prospect the same;
that nothing would ever be as it was yes
terday. think at first she referred only
to the material and larger phenomena,
and did not confound this revelation Of
the insecurity of the universe with her
experience of man. Yet the fact also re-
malned that to the conservative, correct
and, as she believed, secure condition to
which she had been approximating, all
her relations were rudely shaken and
upset. 1t really seemed to this simple
minded young woman that the reyolu-
tionary disturbance of settled conditions
might be something in the style of a
divine right" also.