Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1899-02-02

While the men gathered around the
stove o. smoke and talk politics Amelia
set ahout preparing the birds for sup
per.
"Won. pom my wordr' she suddenly
cried "Will You look at thatr'
lnone hand she held the recently sew
cred crop Of bird and in the other a
gold dollar
Hope to die il didnN just cut it
outr she declared in response 20 the
incrodulous ordinations uf the men.
"Well. swami" muttered the old
man. springing up with unusual alac-
rity and securing the dollar 1T sure
u money. he added after a moments
careful scrutiny. "Ireckon that about
the luckiest shot you ever made. stran.
ger
The stranger Acknowledged the truth
of the observation and reached for the
little round piece As the goldpiece
passed from hand 90 hand various star
Ting theories were advanced 10 explain
the manner In which II had reached the
crop of the sage hen; but. as IL after
ward transpired. they were al wide of
I the mark
Meanwhile Amelia had turned her At .
tenii1n % the -nipe and then 90 the /
second sage hen
"pa the exclaimed. with "a look ~ /
frightened amazomeut. Il do believe ] /
can feel -omethin hard IN this one'
While the men crowded eagerly
around the table Amelia proceeded with
the dissection Of the bird Amid q pro-
iounI silence she revealed b. interior
arrangement and another gold dollar
.Luiy L1rdy, quayerci the oil
man .Ec.telly
"Why. pa. demonstrated Amelia
"that ssweariu" And without wu.tins
further words she attacked another ui
the sage hem.
! "Ble-t 10 them amt more comfortin
b. an Elijah ravens laughed Ike
By the time the third and fourth sage
q hens had each produced one gold dollar
the emotions of the Barnhilis and their
0 guest were too der for words They sat
gazing at the remains and trying to
q think IL all ont
.t At bedtime the Old man lighted a
n candle and left the room
J. "wen. b. durn be kept mutter-
I. ing % himself o. be climbed the ladder
m which led mp 90 the loft Its n0thin
10 short of "a miracleI
10 Tho Barnhills were early risers, hu'
q before they opened their eyes the follow
% ing morning the fortunate hunter had
left for his days sport
II don't know a. anybody can hlam,
him. growlod Jim as ho started on hi'
. round of morning chores "only Ia lik.
!, 90 take % few cracks az them gold lined
birds too
"A And 10 was In very much the sam'
strain that the other members oi the
10 Barnhill family cmmuuod with them
m selves
NJ Late that night the hunter rcturno.
90 the ranch Drawing "a chair up bc
r. fore the fire be- sac down and foll q
studying hi- boots in moody silence
Didn't you hit uothin2 quoric
,u Ike though he could see the bulgin
nv game pockets
Without replying directly the stran
n, ger drew ont sx large birds and lai
them upon the table
m Feel 'cm. he suggested in a husk
voice
,r This time Amelia was assisted in he
.c. work by the old man aud the two boy'
"a and the kitchen soon bore the marks {
lia the terrible carnage There was httl
said hut they all worked with nervor
II energy while great beads u perspir.
re tion stood ont on the old man forehea,
.e They Thought themselves prepared Z,
- the result yet with the disclosure
,,, each successive gold dollar they cri,
4, ont il umlzcmcut The old man wip,
.rt bis face ou bis sleeve and swore ioyou
II, ly while Amelia was TOO much occl
M. pied tD check him
Look here. stranger he 40 last "a
tered ~ he dragged his guest out on q
front porch. "a want % make you
,,k proposition Let's all blaze away 3
morrow un divide whatever we get'
The stranger sighed heavily "Oh
not only could" he lamented "But y,
see tomorrow is election day, and a
~. under oath 90 appear In Westccnter
.,w The old man said nothing furth,
hut the light Of avarice burned in b
AVA faded eyes
"Just like fndin money, be muse
she "lm right glad he's goin.
''Jim. whispered Ike when th
~. were an in bed that night, 81 recz
.ou we're goin to town tomorrow an put
our first votes
. Jim chucklod
\ -, "l reckon we're goin 90 put sol
Ian, shot into them sage hons be- replied
'r,, With the first tingc oi dawn Jord
im BnruhiIl and his two sons were go
80, from the ranch Amelia preserved
~. discreet silence as she went about p
pairing the stranger breakfast
5. Later iu the day the disappoini
- hunter gathered together his guns a
49,, % dogs and gold dollars and depart
,H - for Wotceutcr
"Shall | remember YOU 90 Davcf
inquired as hc hadc Amelia goodhy
~ "What do you know about Dave