Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-02-05
COPYRIGHT, 1897 BY THE AUTHOR,

mars gov nor, ne step roun lively as
you please, lax he want that boy dis.
timely onderstan he amt out Nv de
ring hSsel yit, nur ready to be lay on
de shelf. Nuther is l."
With quick transition from colloquial
leniency to judicial severity, Dolbear
laid violent hands on the piece of har.
ness Sandy was rubbing.
"Does you call that clean? Bekase l
begs leave to diffah wild YOU"
His bushy, gray brows contracted ON
inously as closer scrutiny revealed great
er obliquity on Sandy's part.
SANDY, you is a low life, tritiin,
good fur nothin. quarter niger. You
aln't with shucks. NO, san. O
amt with the powder it 'ud take
t. blow your saphaid off'n with. An you
spires to wait on Mr. Adr'nr"
Sandy did not look at all aspiring at
that moment. He seemed to be taking
himself rather seriously, as Dolbear's
d~enunciation grew in the direction of
infinite contempt and forcible invec-
tive"
IT p'intedly tole you to bresh up the
drag harness, now, didn't, boy? An yher
you is ben wasen a solid hour OH the
buggy crupper. You is got a sight to
learn yit. Sandy-a sight, I tell you.
You pum'kin haid raskil you'll
"W'en the Strongs goes a-co'tin, they
does it in style. You needn't trouble
youseff to hitch up airy horse con-
traption for my wife folks. They is
blue blood quality, that is what the
Strong family is, root an branch, boy.
l driv' Mr.. Gabriel, Mr.. Adr'n's pappy,
bout wen he was waitin on the ladies,
an we went in style, I tell you, boy.
Mars Gabr'el's gone now, an Mars
Adr'n's havin his day, but ole Dolbear
amt furgot yit what's fittin in a colud
pusson which spires to wait on a gent
men NV cibility. You amt much to look
at, Sandy"
Sandy, nowise disconnected by this
sighting personal mention, surveyed
himself gravely, hitched his solitary
s%uspender farther up OH the patched
shoulder Of his ragged cotton shirt and
answered with cheerful optimism:
"But l kin fix up some. amt got
no Sunday shoes nur no hat with talkin
bout, but nanny wash my yother
shirt yistiday, an I got a better par
breeches than these yher, them as l
keeps for buryins an baptizin's."
Dolbear waved his hand majestically.
II is glad to hear it, Sandy, / is glad
to heari it, but you needn' 'sturb youseff.
Mr.. Adr'n is already signify that the
bobtail mars all the drag an ole Dol
bear is good 'nough to git him over the
road i'll style to Mis- Chambliss' place.
Miss Amy done come home. Miss Amy,
she's ole Mis- Chambliss' onlies' gal,
al she'll be rich as Shorthorn cream
some NV these days. I reckon them bob
tail mar'sll trample the weeds down
right smart on the road 'twixt our place
all hern. 1t won't be the fus' Strong
ole Dolbear is gone coffin with. Yher''-
with a spasm of conscientious energy
"you chuckle head calf, git to work OH
dem harness"
The fragrance of a good cigar, fol-
lowed by u quick, firm football, perhaps
had something to do with this newborn
zeal. Adrien's slender figure was framed
in the doorway of the harness room che
next second.
"Why, Uncle Dol, you are rubbing
away as if you were just learning your
trade and trying to earn your salt"
mo time fur foolin, Mars Adr'n.
Some folks wuks they jaws, other folkses
wuks they elbows. Dolbear amt got no
time to wuk his jaws, less'n bout grub
time"
II thought l told you to get help
about the stables"
Oar he"-pointing the finger Of scorn
at Sandy-''dar my he'pef you is mind
to call him dat. Whar's your manners,
niggerT'
Thus violently introduced to public
notice, Sandy rose and made a shutting
movement in Adrien's direction. Liber-
ally construed, he might have been said
to have bowed.
There was an air of vague uncertain
ty about all Of Sandy's performances.
a certain shy tentativeness as if the
willing spirit located somewhere within
his uncared for little body was sadly
conscious OF the flcsh's weakness. He
was approaching manhood positive Of
but one %thing-that it was impossible
for him to escape condemnation from
some at every turn Of his existence.
Hence a certain unresentful acceptance
OF Dolbear's tart criticism. As he
shuffled forward to where Adrien, re-
splendent in drab velveteen shooting
clothes, stood regarding him with coolly
investigative eyes, his W were lifted
~deprecatingly as he ventured a shy salu-
tation.
"Howdy. Mars Adr'n? I is mouty glad
to see you ag'in."
Furtively he was rubbing his be.
grimed right hand along the leg Of his
ragged trousers. II Mr. Adrien should
+ vouchsafe a handshake, he wanted to be
found in complete readiness.
But Adriep's ivory white hands, with
their carefully pruned pink nails, were
clasped about the stock and the muzzle
Of the gun at rest across his shoulders
He flung a nod and a smile at the boy.
The smile was bright and the nod
friendly. Sandy, the uncritical starve-
ling, appropriated them gratefully and
grew bold.
II is got o pup for you, Mars Adr'n-
a rale setter pup She ready fur to be
trained right now. I ben savin her fur
you. A setter pup, he is"
IA setter? The very thingi / am 60
ing to look for some birds this morning,
Sandy, and there isn't a dog but Mar.
tins old collie up at the house. / can
give her her first lesson this morning"