Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-01-13
"..A.."..A.."..A
! The Golden Morning. i
BY S. r. Crockett.
A Beautiful Sketch Of Childhood by
the Celebrated Author.


A Beautiful Sketch Of Childhood by ..
: b Celebrated Author. :.
Sweetheart and I had many. adventures
together, but there was nj pleasure
which l had hitherto kept to myself
with a niggardliness quite unworthy of
sweetheart's broad minded generosity.
I had never yet let her see the sunrise.
Now, I am a professional seer of sun
rises, not having missed above a dozen or
80 in as many years. There are few tales
that sweetheart likes SO well as to hear
tiers of the world.
"Tell about the man in Africa what
wouldn't put the photograph box on his
camel! No, that isn't the way. 1t be-
gins, His name was Muhammed Ali
Mustapha Ibharim Ell Raschid.' Yes, in
deedy; you said SO last time, and you
mustn't make it W as you go along, but
tell it right"
Or it might chance to be "the story Of
the man who climbed the cocoanut tree
to get you some milk when you were
thirsty-or, no, about how Dog Royal
took you in swimmin and made you play
truant. That is the best of ALL"
"Sweetheart," said /. with a sudden
fash of recklessness at the sight of her
bright face, 'if it is a fine morning to-
morrow, and you go to sleep early to-
night, and you are a good girl all day,
and you promise you won't tell"-
eyes, yes, father-I will mean l
-.-yA Ali 49, .L.A ~ =. - -.~ -as- A.
do, and III be as good as, oh-that"
And sweetheart opened her arms to
their fullest extent in order to express
the measure of her goodness.
"Perhaps-1 don't say I will. But
if"-
"Get on, father! You talk so slow
when a little girl is waitin"
perhaps tomorrow you might see a
sunrise for yourself!"
"Oo-oo-ooh! Can I? l wish it were
now! I shan't never sleep, not a wink,
with thinkin about It."
"But you must, or l shall not take
you. So be calm"
"Shall I ever grow as calm as you, ia
Their? You don't really care for sweets
or bread and sugar or g%ooseberry tart
or candied cocoanut or anything just
dreadful NICE"
Sweetheart and I were away for a lit
tie cheap trip Of our own accounts. Our
shining steed, a tricycle. emphatically
built for two (sweetheart being a gentle
oma passenger, was being oiled up
and its chain mended in the blacksmith's
shop down in the village. 1t was very
nearly the prettiest village in Scotland,
where there are, out Of Fife and Gallo
way, not many pretty villages. I love to
call it Whinnyliggate, and sweetheart
likes to think that "Mr. Father" once
went to school down there in that little
low schoolroom with the wall round it.
The adventure came off just as it was
planned, which things very seldom do in
this world. Sweetheart had been good"
but not too good. 1t was a fine morn
ing, fattering the turnip shaws as well
as the mountain tops, the sort of morn
ing you want to take a drink Of and then
smack your lips and say, "How refresh
ing!"
I walked sweetheart by rolling her up
In her blanket and carrying her to the
window.
"Oh, father" she said, her eyes still
dusked with sleep, sis 1t review day"
For whenever she is walked suddenly
and taken to the windows she always
thinks that it is to see the soldiers pass,
as she does once a year when in mid
summer the volunteers march through
our ~village-our real for true home vii
lagoon their way to summer camp.
"No, sweetheart" I said. 1T is morn
ing, and you are going out to see the sun
rise. But don't make a noise. Nobody
will be up for hours yet, and we must 60
out on tiptoe."
Sweetheart was dressed to the accom-
paniment Of little gurgles Of sound ex-
pressive of intense delight. Sometimes
when I had a safety pin in my mouth
she would give my arm a quick, impulsive
hug and say "De-e-ear father" This for
no particular reason except that she con-
sidered her own a particularly nice thing
In fathers.
When all was finished, We began a raid
on the pantry with enormous caution
indians on the wal traiD and captured
bread, butter and slices Of ham sufficient
for half a dozen. Presently we were
outside the door, and the dewy GOODNESS
Of dawn dropped upon US like the first
dip in the sea.
Its like havin your face washed with.
out water" said sweetheart as we made
u way up the garden walk between the
gooseberry bushes and over the wall.
Here I mounted sweetheart on my shout
ders, for the grass was long and dewy.
Bees big and brown were already boom
ing in the foxgloves, and pearls sparkled
on the gossamer suspension bridges that
spanned the path. The swifts were
busily arranging their family affairs in
long, screaming swoops.
A little breeze came to US filtered
through miles Of dewy woodland. It was
Z good breeze and smelled Of many pleas.
ant things.
Sweetheart on my shoulders clutched
my hair and gave 1t little involuntary
tugs az she looked all around the horizon.
We were mounting the heathery hillside,
and there was no trace Of the sun to be
seen anywhere.
! think that, even at the last moment,
sweetheart Sxpectsd that b might ont.
Wit 10. But, NO; the ran had not stolen
Z march upon us this time. Only away
to the east there was a kind Of Are col
NL IAL AE "HMN 49,