The San Francisco call., 1897-01-03
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on OF running away. If ones back is
turned minute she skips. Last
night the dear maternal was getting
supper and [ went for some wood.
Ruth followed me out and when I went
into the shed she glided to the front yard,
squeezed through the end of the fence and
flew down the street. Then / missed her
and had to race down the corner before /
caught her. OF course her eyes were
dancing and her hair flying and she
thought it fire joke. Going home l told
her narrowing tale of little girl that
slipped through a Lole in the fence, ran
on the street, was caught by an eagle and
carried to it's nest. Of course before the
eaglets hurt her hunter rescued her and
returned her to her home. Ruth looked
anxious and asked. Den did big broder
mend hole i fence? You see all her
thoughts are bent on running away.
Moral for me-'Don't leave dear maternal
with both work and baby"
well, what time can you start?"
''About half-past l. You chaps come
for me and when I've finished We'll 60.
Our house is on the way anyhow"
So it was settled.
Will was tho only son of successful
lawyer and had few chores to intrude on
his time. Bert also had few chores, but
he was special messenger boy 10 three
older sisters and his position was no sine
cure, His father owned the largest dry
goods store in town, and Bert would
probably have spent his Saturdays getting
an insight into the business, but that his
sisters insisted he needed one day for out
door exercise.
.Ioe's father was an officer on a small
Joe was left quite often as sole protector
of his mother and baby sister, ana a chiv-
! alrous protector he was. He teased his
mother as companion, called her by any
tender nicKname his reading or fancy die
tated, but enveloped her with devotion
that kept all minor cares and duties from
her.
At the appointed time Will and Ber
arrived and found Joe almost ready. In q
few minutes they started ''to diskiver the
festive berry," as Joe remarked.
A ter an hours tramp they reached the
desired hillside only to find the glossy
trees stripped of their crowning glory.
Although they were prepared for this,
each boy felt disappointed in his inmost
heart They looked at each other and
burst into laugh.
"What lots of beautiful berries |"
Knocked Joe. admit, chappy, for once the
! greasers are ahead of u.s."
They're not ahead OF us" replied Will,
"for we didn't plan to get berries till yes
terday, and likely they've been shipping
! them since Thanksgiving. But, say
what are We going to do?"
! Search for more trees to plunder'
but where? Those fellows have been
all over these hills, bet, and it's no fun
| out in this rain"
'Oh, you're neither sugar nor salt, and
| if you were that rubber suit would protect
you"
How would it do" interrupted Bert,
"for US to go to old Davis himself? We
can tell him why we want the berries and
you know he is such botany crank
that he knows every bush on his place
Anyway, it would only be polite as we are
going to take his berries"
"That's just the thing. Let's go to him
at once.''
"Wish we'd studied botany" sighed
Will. '1f we could call off the botanical
name we would win the old mans heart"
1t is to be judged that "the old mans
heart" wasn't very hard, for when he had
listened to them his eyes twinkled ITO
decorate for the Teachers Association!
And in all this rain! Well! Wenl Times
are changed since was boy. You seem
to be friends with your teachers. Now,
we'd rather play pranks on them than
work for them"
"Our teachers" began Bert.
"Oh, | know the new generation of
teachers. Isn't my daughter one? But
let me see. You want Heteromeles
arbutifolia. We'll, gave the Garcias leave
to pick all they want, but l reckon there's
enough for ALL"
"But, and Win gave the history of their
first exploration.
swell, well! So you would have taken
them without leave. if you had found
them. Hey2"
I'VE didn't think about ownership, sir,'
apologized Bert; we're so used to getting
black berries there and flowers, toon
Now, amt there beautiful flowers here?
There's never a day when there is no
flower in bloom. Why, do you believe it.
yesterday | found four Ranunculus Cali
| fornicus, in spite of all this rain. Let me
see. Do you know where the old adobe is?
Where Santo Moreles killed Juan Castro?
That was before you were born. There is
clump of Heteromeles arbutifolia south
of the adobe. / reckon the Garcias
wouldn't go there. because the Mexcans
say it is haunted. You boys afraid of
ghosts?"
CONCLUDED NEXT sUNDAY.l