The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-03-12

etW F4IN bh4I IL IL u pre-
cious stones. likely. You know folks
are all rich down ia New England" re-
piled Theo.
Aunt Serena wouldn't bring those"
"Of course she wouldn't" put in that
lady herself. coming from the dwell
ing which was To be her home for n
year. II guess | know better than to
bring anything like that out here-why
don't you have board walk instead of
dirt pa.h 10 the house?"
This isn't Connecticut, aunt; its
Texas. an mighty near the Panhandle"
replied Paul. IF you visit the Texans.
do as the Texans do; you know the
lroverb.'
lit is not proverb, and you did not
quote it correctly: but hurry in with
the trunk"
SO the heavy burden was. with much
strainng of muscles on the part of the
two nephevs. carried inside; but the
youths curiosity remained unsatisfied.
I've brought this 20 miles in a
wagon to-day, and ! ought to be told
what's in it," insisted Paul.
So thcy waited while Aunt Serena
unpacked.
Dresses, aprons, a few kcepsakes-
out the articles came. all light of weight
and furnishing no explanation of the
mystery. But before the bottom was
reached the lid slammed shut and no
more was TO he seen.
Mighty funny she's so particular.
commented Paul. as Theo and himself
sat on their ponies the following day.
n couple of miles from the cabin, watch
ing the big cattle herd. I'm going to
tnu out. an right soon, too.
MAKE a raid on the trunk"
don't know; but l guess SO. Fa-
ther and mother are going 10 take her
over to the school directors this after
noon Ill make a hunt then"
And he did. When he came back his
face was a study.
What dye fnd?" asked Theo.
Couldn't guess it in a thousand
years"
"Gold. silver. iron, horscshocs. beans,
bullers?"
Your trail amt even warm-it's
salt"
" hat for'
"llow do you suppose l know. I'm
goin' to ask her"
But Paul did not need to ask. Aunt
Serena suspected that her belongings
had been searched, and forestalled any
comments by remarking at the break
fast table: Its the purost, finest salt
could gct-a hundred pounds of it.
I've lived too long within smelling dis
lance Of salt water to risk having things
fresh. Even for visit / wanted to be
prepared for emergencies, and besides.
suppose you use stock salt in Jumps
here"
Paul admitted that she was partly
right. and from shat time the ranch
table was not without the flourlike, re-
fined product of the eastern salt works.
The sack was set inside the storcroom
door. and was the subject of many "a
joke in the family as well as among the
hcrders.
Even the sturdy nephews were not
above referring TO the freshness" that
their aunt expected to see i'm the south
west
but then it's just what you'd allow
to find n schoolteacher doin'," said
Paul His contempt for school-teachers
was. however. largely assumed, and
ne often wished he were capable of
Teaching the neighborhood school. as
ms aunt was doing. He longed for her
knowledge of books every time he saw
her crossing the prairie To the sod
schoolhouse, mile or more from the
ranch. where all the settlers children
gathered
bu' soon something else was of more
pressing Importance. The grass on the
range WAS becoming short. and the Sc
we're drought had prevented the start
ihp Of q new growth.
We must move the stock down
NVater the rarchhouse.' ordered the
sn'ei herder; and the men allowed the
Sa..ie 70 Craze closer TO the corral
I'VE thousand head of Texas cattle,
. n'ue sea of horns. thin. nervous faces.
warp backs and switching tails--it was