Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-08-18
THE AUSTINS' FATE.

water trough.
He stopped his work and looked up and
pushed his sombrero on the back of his
head. giving sigh and passing his hand
across his brow. sit is the Circle-A
ranch. 1t belongs to Everette Austin.
Can be of service to you?"
"E-eh-well, yes; at least the boss can.
I've famed my horse, and as I'm small
matter Of 80 miles from my destination |
can't walk it in this weather"
"It is rather warm" he assented.
"Slightly Is Mr.. Austin in or any
where around?"
He's not in, but he's around. I'm
Mr. AUSTIN
"Oh, indeed. Well, am Mr. Brant-
William r. Brant--Mr. Austin, and
must ask you if you can lot mo put up my
horse until it's foot is rested or until
find some way of getting to Miles City?'
Mr.. Austin stepped forward lifted the
ragged sombrero and put out his grimy
hand. "Im happy to meet you, Mr..
Brant. I am sorry l can't call man to
take your mount, but if you will turn him
over to me III stable him and attend to
the foot, and you can go to the house and
ask Mrs. Austin to make you comfortable.
The men are all off on the range"
"I'll go with you," answered, and we
set off to the barns.
They were beautifully kept, as few but
Englishmen keep their stables, and l was
glad that my weary steed should be SO
we'll installed. / saw in a moment that
my host was accustomed to being his own
veterinary surgeon. 1t puzzled me to
reconcile tho fact of his manual labor and
ragged working clothes with his large pos
sessions, his perfectly appointed stable and
his yet moro perfect language, SO unmis-
takably British, for was new to Montana
and its people. though not tcnderfoot by
many years of Arizona experience.
Tho doctoring of my horse finished,
Austin led tho way to his house, q long,
low, implanted board structure, set up a
foot or SO from tho ground on posts. There
was wretched attempt at o bod ct flowers
near tho door, but tho sun and wind gave
1t small chance of success. A few stunted
petunias, struggling line of mignonette
and several bushes of sapless red and pink
geraniums were all that rewarded evident
patient care. My host was not commune
cative, nor did he expect mo to be SO. l
started to give him reference, but no cut
me off by changing the subject. In a
moment more VIC had gone up the steps
and stood on the porch, which boosted of
neither roof nor railing. Austin handed
mo feather duster, and we brushed the
white dust from our boots. Then we went
in.
"Sit down, and will announce you to
Mrs. Austin" he said, with no apparent
perception of tho incongruity Of tho Ian
guage and his attire. 1t was tidy little
drawing room-as did my host tho hon
or Of calling it all through my visit-with
some we'll chosen colored prints from
English papers on tho rough board wall,
clean white curtains, few cane chairs, and
box covered with cretonne, which served
as divan. There were no new books or
papers, but the old and much used ones
were Of the best. There was a pot of
Wandering Jew in tho huge fireplace,
which made very pretty effect.
was just looking at my travel stained
countenanco in small mirror, when a
door opened, and Austin, holding it back,
stood aside to admit his wife.
"We AFRO very glad to SEQ you, Mr..
Brant," she said, with tho most delightful
of we'll bred English accents. "Mr. Aus
tin told mo of your accident. am sorry
for the horse, Of course, and for you If you
had need to mako haste, but for ourselves
| 1t cannot DO looked upon MS misfortune" "
"Your husband has treated tho poor
animal SO skillfully that / fancy may
promise not to encroach upon your hospi'
tality very long"
"Please put aside the idea that you art
not or may not DO welcome. We are most
happy to have you"
"Now, Brant," said my entertainer,
"Mrs. Austin will give you your room
| We cannot do much for you, but there Ii
| plenty of water, both hot and cold, and
| that will not be amiss, as I know by ex'
| perience, after a midsummer ride in this
| country. I will see you at tea.
He went back to his digging and Mrs
| Austin conducted me to my room. The
ceiling and the floor were of solid boards,
| like the rest Of the house, but the parti
tions were of white manta and every sound
in the place was perfectly audible. How
ever 1t was clean and darkened and COO
and there were no flies, which took az
the browning blessing of Providence.
|
which served for my chair, and gazed al
| myself in the mirror again and wondered
profanely what the woman must think o.
me. sighed for my calling suit, which
was safe in Miles City, and considered my
surroundings, my hostess in chief. In alb
| solute regularity of features she was not q
beauty, but she had the fine gray eyes
finer brown soft hair, strong chin, sensi
! tive mouth and digniflod carriage Of thu
best examples OF the women Of her nation
| and above all an dir of grave sweetness
| which Is peculiarly and distinctively Eng
( lish. Her figure was indifferent and hel
| gown had not and never had had any styl,
] OF cut, which also gave evidence Of hel
| English birth, but 1t was pleasing ant
harmonious In some way. Altogether sh,
/ was fascinating woman, a woman tina
man must absolutely worship Sh'
knocked at the door and brought me biz
wooden bucket Of hot water. My sensa
tions at being served by this woman, will
her air of the daughter Of hundred earls
were not pleasant
Ny toilet made, went back to TIN
drawing room and read pelham" until
at 3 o'clock, ten was seryed--tea as onl,
tho English serve 1t, with slices Of breat
and butter as thin ns cloth, and ricl
cream, md good tea, none Of tho bitter
nervc shattering, green concocton which
Is lignifled by that name In tho average
American house. found out aftorwar,
TINT this wns tho one meal of tho ia!
where there was any approach to luxury.
i Austin came In, after having WASHED
! his hands and brushed his smooth British
head. With tho exception Of q coat slippet
4 on over his flannel working shirt he wor
the Same clothes IN which he had bee,