El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-30
IN THE BLACK HILLS.


determined to visit his friend Somers
Stevenson at the Big Buttes ranch in the
Black Hills. Bird Slater had been sent
from the ranch to the nearest town for
him.
For the first time in months Holiday
was hungry and so informed his driver.
well stop at Newlands'," vouchsafed
Bird.
rs that an imp Holiday inquired
Nav! There amt no inns in TINS
here part of the country"
Before the sod habitation of the New
lands Bird hallooed loud and long, but no
voice answered.
They're gone to town. he remarked,
but all the same he descended from his
seat, got out bags of feed for his animals
and then proceeded to walk to the front
door of the Newlands house. He signal
ed Holiday to follow him, which that
young man did somewhat reluctantly.
He was not accustomed to entering
houses during the absence of their OWN
ers.
But Bird Slater evidently had no such
computations.
set down. he commanded. Then he
proceeded to build fire, to draw water
from the well and put the kettle over.
More, he got out the skillet and warmed
it, helped himself to a side of bacon, from
which he cut half a dozen slices; made
free with corn bread, coffee and stewed
prunes. and at last invited Holiday to a
dish of hot meat and sceaming coffee.
''Well,' said Holiday, compelled by his
hunger to accept this invitation, ''of all
the impudent things 1 ever heard of in
my life, this takes the cake! 1 thought
I'd seen cheek in the city, but never any
thing to equal this"
Cheek cried Bird angrily. This
amt cheek! This is the custom in these
Sir hot 7 hav is r1,ina-un1aSS
you're hungry. Then it's your'n. Why,
man, you don't think the Newlands
would count as havin good sense if we
went by their place with empty stom-
achs, do yonE"
This is a mighty neat looking place,
Bird commented Holiday, looking
around at the agreeable interior, with its
muslin curtains, its shelf of books, Its
sewing table and rockers and its vista of
an orderly bedroom.
yep" acquiesced Bird, his mouth full
Of bacon. There's women folks here.
You kin allayS tell where there's women
folks. Bub Newlands amt II yit, and
he's the only man OF the family. Mrs.
Newlands, she's a widow, and she took
up this claim and settled here. She's
got two daughters-Sally and Nell.
They're plucky girls, too, L tell you
The meal was finished; Bird gathered
up the soiled dishes in n pan. poured hot
and dry them. When everything was
replaced, he threw ashes over the fire,
laid 80 cents upon the table and said: E.
"Well. let's be humpin ourselves"
Wait minute" begged Holiday. Il
want to write n note" A spirit of ro-
nance and adventure took possession of
him. He tore leaf from his notebook
and wrote on it:
Miss Sally Newlands-A stranger has sat beside
your hearth and eaten of your fare When the
little timeDiece, which he leaves token of
your unconscious hospitality. has made its round
four times. he will call to thank you.
He drew n little leather framed travel
ing clock from his pocket and placed it
upon this note, and as he rode away
he wondered how it was that woman'S
ruffied apron and a little scarlet shawl
could give Il look of inviting domestlclty
to the dun interior of Il sod cabin.
His friends ranch among the
mountains. where the shooting and the
fishing were of the best, and it was shoot
ing and fishing that he had come for, but
for all of that he got into a saddle
though he was not used to a horses back
and made off over the hills to the New
lands shack
The house was not uninha bited this
time. Far from it. Three hearty and
handsome women sat in it-wOmen used
to making the most of every opportunity
that offered. To feast and entertain Il
joyous opportunity not to be accepted in
the spirit of coquetry, but with honest
friendliness and gratitude
AS for Holiday. he honestly Gu
rious about these unaffected and capable
women, who took their hardships as a
matter of course and who wrenched hap
piness out of misfortune.
In the three months that followed Hol-
iday let no week pass without visiting
this self respecting home. Perhaps of all
the influences that operated to rest his
mind the placid courage and sweet, good
sense of these women were the most po-
tent factors. 1t seemed to him that he
would never be able to do without this
influence.
He told Sally Newlands so the week
before he left.
Il love you," he said. 81 want to take
you home with me when l co.
"Oh." she cried. "Why do you go back
east? Why not stay here? We could
build another room on the shack and live
with mother"
He smiled at her perfect unconscious
ness of the part he played in the world
and of the part he asking her to
play. Her simplicity enchanted him. He
used an argument which he thought she
would understand.
well" he said, Il must go back to my.
mother"
IF you feel that way" she retorted.
''do you think l ought to leave mine!"
But he had further arguments, and she
went east with him. And Holiday
shabby little travelling frock and red Tam
O'Shanter. he smiled many times at the
thought of all the surprises life would
have in store for her-EXchange.