Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-06-13
HER CASTLE.

II was watching the clouds, Aunt Hes
ter. Do come and see this one in the
form of a castle"-
"a castle! Good Lord! Just as if them
dumpy lookin clouds had any more shape
to 'em than a feather bed. Land sakes,
how some folks Imagination runs away
with emf
MAY I trouble you for a glass of wa
terp" interrupted a voice at this moment.
Aunt Hester started. In the kitchen
door stood a young man clad in a hunting
costume, with his gun slung carelessly
over his shoulder.
"I've had but poor luck" he said, slnil-
ing pleasantly at Alice, "and am quite
thirsty"
Then, turning to Aunt Hester, he added:
"You have a fine, old place here. May
I ask If you know of any one in the vicin-
ity who would be willing to take a boarder
for a few weeks?"
IT dunno, replied Aunt Hester slowly.
"I've got a spare room that amt in use.
Perhaps I might. Is it your"
eyes. l have come up among the hills
here for a months holiday. I will pay
you well. 1 like the place."
And Aunt Hester, always eager to make
money, led the way to a large, pleasant,
square room, whose windows looked out
upon the hills and surrounding country
for miles around.
The stranger was SO pleased with the
view that he engaged the room then and
there.
"Il go back to the hotel at the entrance
Of the valley and have my traps sent up at
once" he said. II shall have time to get
back before sunset"
Ezra Barnard was in waiting in the
front room when he returned.
"Hello, All" he said, greeting her. II
came over to ask you to a dig they're ago
in to have down to the Corners tomorrow
night. How dye do?" acknowledging the
introduction to the stranger awkwardly.
II cannot go" she said coldly.
"Oh, pshaw, AL! You're always assay
in that. You can go. Your aunt said
you could. They're a-goin to have a tarna-
ton sight of fun!'
II cannot go, Ezra"
"For the land sakes, Alice, I shu'd think
you'd DO ashamed Of yourself, " broke in
Aunt Hester Indignantly, carter all the
pains Ezra's took to come way over here
a-purpose to ask you. Shu'dn't you think
she orter be ashamed, MI. Ellis?"
perhaps Miss Bond does not care for
parties, T" said the young man pleasantly.
"But this ERE one is goin to be an extra
affair-two fiddles and u bass viol. l tell
you it'll be a regular old hoe down. Say,
Al'-
But the girl had slipped quietly from
the room.
II swan" exclaimed Ezra, rising, his
f1orid face becoming several tinges redder,
"if that hain't a purity trick to serve q
Teller! There's more gals than one in the
world, howsomever, as I'll jest show her.
I'll ask Alminy Rindwort to go. She'll
jump at the chance"
Ella, now don't be hasty, Ezra" said
Aunt Hester soothingly. "Alice will 60.
I'll bring her round tomorrow. She's only
q little odd and ofish. When you're mar
ried, it'll be all right"
~ don't know as I care about a balky
gal for a wife!" exclaimed Ezra coarsely.
perhaps I won't have her, arter ALL"
And snatching his hat he sullenly left the
house.
CNCIy 1lOIllCuU UIlu .AAlCO OOulSk AOW
snatch from her drudgery she spent in
reading. Before the bosks which MI.
Ellis had first lent her were finished he
had sent to the city for more. Nearly ey-
cry evening, when Aunt Hester was COM
fortably DOING in her armchair, Mr.. Ellis
would select a book, and going out into
the porch would read aloud in his clear,
musical voice to Alice.
Mr.. Ellis had fallen into the habit of
calling her "Allie," and somehow she
liked it, for now his month had heightened
into three, and it seemed to Alice as If
they had been together almost forever.
"Allie," he said, tomorrow will be the
1st of November, and I am going away"
They were standing in the twilight. The
last rays of the setting sun were gliding
the girls chestnut hair until it shone like
FURNISHED gold.
The fringed curtains dropped quickly
over the brown eyes, and a sudden pallor
o%verspread the sweet girlish face.
"This has been a pleasant summer and
autumn, Allie, " he said. "Hasn't itr"
eyes," she answered, with a voice that
faltered in spite Of all her efforts.
"Shall you miss me, Allieg"
The information was SO low it was hardly
more than a whisper.
With a great. effort the girl steadied her
voice and answered calmly:
Certainly, Mr.. Ellis. It-that is, we
shall all miss you"
II am going home, Alice" he said,
watching her keenly, ito prepare a castle
for my ladylove, as a true knight should.
Shall l tell you about her-where I first
met her and how I came to love her?'
"If you please, " came ever so family.
There was a terrible sickening at her heart.
1T was n day I was returning from n
hunt. l was very tired and thirsty, and
from the brow Of q hill I espied in the val
ley below a house. l determined to go
down to it and ask for a glass Of water.
As I drew near I saw a young girl stand
Ing in its yard Watching the great fleecy
white clouds that were floating idly about
In the sky.
Alice started and crimsoned suddenly.
II paused in admiration Of the sweetest
face l had ever beheld," he said, pressing
her hand. "Just then a woman came out
Of the house and ~reprimanded the girl
sharply and asked her what she saw.
The reply was, "A CASTLE Do you remem-
Der 1t, Alliep From chat moment, dearest,
I fell in love with you and then and there
determined, if you were willing, that l
would prove your true knight. Will you
marry me, Allie, and go to my castle with
mep"
There was a smothered little sob, aquick
glance up at his face. and then the girl
whispered:
Eyes, Harry"
And Harry went away the next day,
but came back before two months, and
then Alice Bond went to live in her castle,
which exceeded In beauty her widest ex-
pectations.-New York News.
The Philosopher and the SCOOTER.
"Tell me what you eat, I" said the sage,
land I can tell you what you are"
"Ratsln shouted the scOffer.