The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1896-10-29

that, for the time. gave IL up in dis
gust. lie was person who was 20 be
visited daily, who paid literally for the
attention. and who thus enabled me to
pass my many leisure hours in careless.
easy-going comfort The people met
were no longer inquisitive about the
hermit the theory of the brewer from
Charleston appeared TO have spread
widely and to have been accepted, find
ing believers far more easily than
would have been the case with any state
inent of the facts concerning him, so
far as they had fallen within my knowl-
edge.
At last winter drew to close, and
spring came on, advancing coyly, as is
the custom of maidens before whom
the world is ready to bow in eager hom-
age. Then the last of the snow-banls
disappeared from the recesses of the
hills, the slopes grew green, and the
rank vegetation of the marsh hourished
in all the vigor of it's strong new life.
Once more there were birds in the trees
end flowers in the fields, and once more
from the sea swept invigorating
breezes.
To all about me spring brought re-
newed activities. There was fine
hustle on the farms, and even the sleepy
village seemed to be awakened. For
the first time my ease became onerous;
| fell to inventing tasks to convince
myself that one could be busy If he
would. My lorse, whose existence
during the winter had been all that
equine sloth could desire, was now in
steady service. for the roads were excel
lent, being sufficiently sandy soon to
rid themselves of undesirable moisture,
and explored the highways and by
WAYS for miles around. Near the VIII
lage let my steed choose his own gait,
but when we found level bit of road
where there were likely to be TO spec
tators the trotter had TN opportunity
to prove his speed. He was all that Car.
| penter had said for hm; devoid of
nerves, yet. when pushed, by long odds
| the fnstest animal in the region.j His
appearance certainly was against him.
Arching the neck he left to the younger
and less philosophical of his kind; his
head was carried as low as that OF the
oldest and most decrcpit plow horse
in the town. He was free from the vice
of stumbling, yet often seemed to
threaten to lose his footing on the
slightest provocation. a high knee
action was foreign to his notions, and
his ordinary trot was mere shuttle.
Yet he covered ground surprisingly,
even when apparently only lounging
along. His only serious fault, from q
practical point of view, was hard
mouth, which sometimes made it no
easy task to pull him IN after one OF
our spurts.
We were jogging along toward the
village one day, when | heard sharp
pattcr of hoofs behind me, and soon
DR.. Banks clever little mare drew up
alongside the dark bay.
Good morning, Norris" her owner
called out, in his CHEEKY voice, which
had done as much for his patients as
half his prescriptions.
Fine day, Doctor" shouted back to
him.
VERY profcssional-looking nag you've
got there" he continued. "Will stand
without hitching, I'll be bound"
'IIe answers my purpose well
enough" | responded, rather stiflly
for after awhile jokes about ones horse
no matter how well intentioned, lose the
charm Of novelty.
pity he hasn't more speed" said the
other, and, with a twitch of the reins
he shot his mare couple of Lengths
ahead. 1t was probably his scheme u
trot a hundred yards or SO and then pull
up to watci in triumph my tardy ap
proach. When he looked over hi
shoulder. however, the bays head wal
close to his wheel. Much surprised
and no less disappointed, he brough
his animal down to a walk, II proceed
ing which promptly initiated
'I've been wanting to have tall
with you, Norris" he said. lit ha
struck me that we might cooperate ;
little to our mutual advantage
"Indeed?" said |. wondering wha
might he in the cid gentleman's mind
"The fact is, I'm getting ancient>
he went on.
"Not bit of IL" said I. You're IL
your prime, fair, plump, and forty"
"Deny the first. admit the second, ant
make the t!ird half ass much again,
said he. I'm not broken down--a4lt
j don't want to be before my time
That's just the point. This last win
ter gave me warning. Besides, Tv
enough to live on. and I'd like to hav
little chance for play after 40 year
of work. want to travel a bit, to se
something of this big country of ours
I'm like mole that knows his particu
lar garden by heart but has hardly
notion of what may be ON the other sid
of the fence. The long and short of l
is, I'd like to shift my heavy work Il
younger shoulders. which will bear
more easily, and, | dare say, better"
Not better" said |.
; 'The fact is. as you've probably dis
covered, this town is hardly big enougI
! to support two doctors comfortably
; 1t has seemed TO me that we might max
some Arrangement which would be ad
, vantageous TO both of us. There's
/ young chap in Trent who is trying L
7 dicker with me, but I've put him of
for you're first on the ground, and
don't believe in making two peopl
! sleep in bed that's large enough fo
I only one. by the way, though. am
: right in supposing that you've decide
! to remain here permanently? Tha
would make a difference. of course"