Middletown transcript., 1897-05-08

III
] iron fountain.
All this filed Miss P.'s queer sou
with intense satisfaction. who's
giyeth cup of cold wattr''-sh
thought to herself, maybe it's just a
much a deed of mercy as to send none
to the heatheu.''
One morning Miss p, as was he
custom, worked among her flowers
digging around the rose trees with he
little hoe, turning up the earth witt
her Irowel, and tying up saRging vim
here and there. Suddenly sh heart
down the road tie unmistakable hearlt
of an approaching herd of cattle-thr
confused lowing of a hundred plunginl
and ploddiug COWS miuglel with til,
whistle and peculiar cries aud calls q
the attendant cowboys, who ii wid,
felt sombreros and picturesque attire
rode at each side Of the moving mas
of tossing horns and rough coated bod
les.
Mrs. P. dropped her garden tools anG
went up the steps to the porch. 1t was
the way she paid. herself for the expense
and trouble of setting up the drinking
place this quiet eDj ,yment of hers in
the eagerness aud satisfaction Of the
poor creatures, weary with the travel
of many miles over tn dusty roads.
As she sat thus, looking out across
the cypress hedge upon the surging
crowd of cattle, panic stricken child
pushed open the gre and ran up the
walk. ''Oh, Miss p" she cried out
shrilly, ''let me come where you arel
Pm afraid of the cows!"
Miss p. ruse and went down the
steps. How womanly and tender she
looked as she reached hand down to
the little girl and smRed resssuringly.
The cattle were crowding around the
long, stone trough and dark eyed,
weather-bronZsd cowboy leaned from
his mustang and helped himself to
drink from the fountain. As he did
SO he heard the .child's frightened cry
aud saw the pretty, womanly little pic
ture. As he drank he studied the Wo-
mans face furtively from the shadow
of his wide sombrero, and a sudden
look of wonder seemed to come into
his deep eyes. But he assisted the
others in keeping the struggling herd
under control, and finally, after all was
satisfied, helped to start them moving
again, in wide dark stream of hoofS
and horns, broad, red backs and switch
ing tails, down the dusty road. Then,
with word to the cowboy nearest to
him lie turned his horse aud rode back
to the fountain.
As Miss P, standing at the gate
with the child, glanced up at him he
lifted his sombrero and sprang from
his saddle. "Beg pardon, madam"
courteously, shut l want to thank you
for the great privilege we have enjoyed.
It's rare thing in California t. find
watering place along the road"
you're entirely welcome, I'm sure,"
responed Miss P. Cordially. This was
nothing new. Dozens of grateful pas
sers-by had paused to thank her for
providing such refreshment for man
and beast, and it was only simple act
of courtesy in this particular cpw-
boy TO do the same. SO she wondered
little why he did not take his depart.
ure now that his errand was done.
Perhaps he enjoyed the shade of the
mighty 6g-tree which spread its great
limbs and dense foliage far out over
the mountain and into the street,
Why should he look at her soY Why
didn't he go2 Oh, whom did be look
like and who was hep
At that nome Mt her startled eyes
caught sight Of long, red scar across
the mans fore head, for his headwas
barred, and in another instant she
found herself leaning against the cy-
press hedge quite weakly and feeling
as though itmust all be a dream. Then
she gathered herself together and spoke
in quiet voice which tremblad a. little.
"Horace-Horace, is it you, or am l
dreaming?"
"You are not dreaming, Nellie,n
the man replied as quietly-''it is Hor-
ace and you are Nellie, come together
at last in this strange way.n
Miss P. suddenly lost her hold upon
herself and began to cry-a soft. ner-
vous, sobbing cry-and murmured
something brokonly which the stranger
accepted as an invitation to come in.
So he tied the mustang to the ring in
the Gig trees trunk and followed Miss
P. tito the house, while the open
mouthed child went on her way school,
ward, stopping often to walk back
ward few steps and wonder at what
she had seen.
But old Mrs. Green behind her win
dow blinds called rxcitedly to Maria
and tpld her all about it. "Depend
upon = Maria" she qaaSered. that
old maids got history aud know it
and | hadn't mite # donbI in my
mind but What thai 5 her beau cone
back. But CO ~ boy my sakes alivtP'
1t was ths same old 3 ory with which
everybody is SO famlliAr-a hveI's |
quarrel, hasty parting, hot headed
youth tlinging himself away from the
quiet New England home out into tile
world, to be swallowed up III The |
jaws of The wide, wide west;
3 girl left to eas h.,r heart in proud,
sorrow aud refuse her var
ious suitOrs because she had no love To