Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-01-11
A TALE OF TODAY.

a
One could not describe the weather that
day simply as rainy, for the water poured
down as though some river above had
burst tho dam and, having found an out
let through the sky, was determined to
make the most Of 1t. Lemorryn Town
might that day have been a deserted town,
entirely given up to the reception Of the
downpour, for all sign Of life there was IN
its street. True, some smoke was feebly
trying to rise out Of some Of the chimneys,
and soon after 4 o'clock string Of bedrag-
gled children made their way home from
school soaked and dripping, the rain that
did not empty itself on their poor little
heads and shoulders splashing up again
and soaking their little worsted covered
legs and clumsily shod feet. But they
quickly vanished within the various closed
doors, and the rain had the place to itself
again, and, not content with turning the
street into a river, triokled in at the i'll fit
ting doors and windows and dripped per-
sistently through the holes in the roofs.
Unless something happened to check the
downpour soon, the town-as 1t by cour-
tesy was called-bade fair soon to form
another arm Of the sea-, with waves rip
ping over the submerged chinneys and
roofs and fish swimming calmly In and
out of the doors and windows.
Down in the quay a big vessel, which
was run SO far in that she looked from the
houses high up on the cliffs which stretch
ed far out to sea on either side Of the bay,
as though she were %crouching down in the
middle Of the town, was lying forlorn n
deserted, for the men who had been load
ing her with clay had retired to the shelter
Of the shed on the beach-a shelter merely
nominal, for the shed was composed Of but
four granite pillars supporting an imper-
feet slate roof, where they sat wrapped in
sacks, and with the big letters on their
backs and chests proved living hornbooks
to the two or three youngsters who, hav-
ing escaped from home after tea, had come
to share the shelter Of the shed. The elders
sat in contented silence, staring absently
out at the gray, misty sea, Illuminating
and resting, while the youngsters studied
them. They were silent because there
was nothing to talk about. Most of the
inhabitants of the place being present,
conversation was hampered, and they were
not in tho mood to make talk or to be
cheerful.
Martin Rowe was the first to break the
silence, and he spoke with the air of an
oracle. ''If the wind wal to get up, the
rain'd stop q bit" Then he lapsed into
silence again.
Reuben Hawke grunted assent. If
her do get us, us'll have dirty weather out
yander tonight"
No one answered. Far out they could
lust see q faint trail Of smoke, marking
where a steamer was hurrying along. II
couldn't fancy going along in n of them
there" said an old man in a corner by q
pillar, nodding slightly toward where the
smoke of the steamer wa melting away.
sid 30 soon 60 'pon one Of the steam en-
gines, and nobody can 'cuse ME of that.
I've never even so much as seed one all
the years they've been tearing about the
country"
II reckon usPll have to come to 1t sooner
or later" responded a younger man lazi
", "but 1t do seem like tempting Provi
dence to do ZEE a harm. If ! was a mar
ried man, now, I shouldn't reckon 1t right
to risk it,"
II dunno, Sam; things looks different
altogether them" Sam looked perplexei
and could find nothing to say. Martin
Rowe's abstracted, singsong voice broke
the silence again. "We've had a brave
scat Of dryth,n he remarked, evidentl,
following out the train Of thought sug
gested by Reuben g statement. "a change
wouldn't be out the way now"
For nearly an hour they sat passive, ru
minating, chewing their guilds Of tobacco
and by and by the short day closed in ant
the rain lessened. When the light begar
to fade, one of the men suggested tina
| they might as well go home. The other
hesitated. They were paid by the job, no
by the hour.
While they were hesitating there was
quick step outside and q swish Of petit
coats, and in another moment q girl wa
in their midst. She was q tall, graceful
creature with q fine head we'll set on he
pretty neck, from which her dress fel
back loosely, and dark, wavy hair draw
back from a low brow. Her eyes wer
dark and close set to her thin, we'll shapes
nose, above which her dark eyebrows met
II Was . striking face, but one repellan
rather than attractive to a student Q
physiognomy.
The men glanced up as she came in lik
q small whirlwind, breaking up thei
stolid reflections. tsBill's come back,
she said escitedly, land he says the win
is going round and there1l be q gale b
and by" Her cheeks were flushed an
her eyes sparkling with excitement. Th
men seemed to catch the infection Of he
,nnOd and lonkad IN with intArAet. hi