Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-01-13
red wash in the hollow between two

ored wash in the hollow between two
hills.
81 know" said sweetheart, who always
explained everything, that's his bath
gettin ready for him. He's goin to pop
up just there!!"
/ think she expected the sun to shoot
suddenly upward like a shuttlecock well
hit. At last We had climbed high on the
hill crest where the rocks were dry and
crisp for the feet. l set sweetheart down.
The wash Of easterly fire had grown
rapidly larger. 1t spread to the higher
clouds, which were faxed with seashell
pink. Bars Of crimson gathered across
the suns path, "as if the horrid things
would keep him down il they could!' she
said. Then she grew a little frightened
at the image she had conjured up.
"But they won't, will they, father"
This little girl has always a fear lest
some great pleasure, long looked forward
to, should escape her at the pinch. Pres
emily a new terror struck her.
"Does he go off with a bang, like the
gun on the castle at lunchtime?" she
asked, and she caught my hand and held
it very firmly, to be ready Sin case"
! ItuSSuIcu uCI OA LID sSUIty Nlu We
waited. We had not, however, long to
wait nova red rim, a sort of hush as
the hilltop whirled into the westerly
bound wave Of light, our shadows rushed
out 80 yards behind us, and the sun rose!
At the same moment a black cloud of
rocks was flung high into the air from
the woods about the hall and drifted
noisily away toward the turnip fields.
Sweetheart did not say a word till all
was over. Then she drew a long breath
Of raptest pleasure.
GLOW quietly he does it," she said.
l could not help it. l never can when
sweetheart speaks thus rIeditatively. |
am bound to improve the occasion. 1t
must be some Of the Westminster Cate
chism in my blood, the Reasons Annex
ed" as it were.
"All the great things in the world are
quiet" I said very sententiously, dawn,
spring, sleep, love- I was going to add
death, but refrained.
"But the birds sing out loud" objected
sweetheart in a cavalier manner, land,
please, if you don't mind, so will l. l
didn't have time to say my prayers this
mornin, you see, so this is instead"
"You can say them now," I suggested.
"No-o." Sweetheart gave the matter
due consideration. "No, but I shall sing
q little song instead"
"And what shall it be, sweetheart"
Sweetheart paused, finger on lip, tell
ing over, as l thought, her roll call of
morning hymns.
II think 'Bonny Dundee is best" she
said at last.
Alas, that such a thing should be in a
Roundhead and C~ovenanting household!
But certain it is that on this particular
morning sweetheart's prayers were com
pounded for by the stirring strains of
Sir Walters ballad:
To the lords Of convention, twas Claverhouse
spoke,
Ere the kings crown shall fall there are crowns
to be broke;
So let each cavalier who loves honor and me
Come follow the bonnet O. bonny Dundee.
After all, it did not greatly matter.
The child's voice carried the intent of
worship where many more orthodox mat
in hymns do not reach.
"And now" said sweetheart, with a
sharp change Of expression, "I'ze hun
cry"
We sat down by a crystal spring in the
high, brave morning air. and never did
breakfast taste better. We took bite
about of the sandwiches, and when it
came to drinking time I followed my
palms, and sweetheart drank daintily out
of that cup as a bird drinks at q foun-
tain's edge.
Then we went down, shouting aloud to
awake the mountain echoes. The great
things of the world are quiet. But we
did not want to be great, only to be hap
py, so we climbed back again into the
road, with its fine dust drenched and laid
with the dew.
At the turn Of the road on a little patch
Of grass a tramp family had encamped.
There were a father, a mother, with a
young baby that walled upon her breast,
and a little girl who rose at sight of us
and ran toward sweetheart.
"We are awful hungry" she said. 1--WE
have had naething to eat since yesterday
morning"
"The shops are not open," said sweet
heart, rising to the occasion, "but come
with me, and I'll find somethin in the
pantry"
So the ragged little girl trotted along
after us, every now and then with a re-
assuring air, as much as to say: "He's
all right. He looks very imposing; but,
bless you, it's all put on"
In this manner we came to the house
Of our Judgment. The door was as we
had left it. Not a soul stirred within.
This was strange.
1t seemed the middle Of the forenoon
to us. Sweetheart entered and after a
while emerged with the ham bone, knuc-
KY indeed, but in spots capable of repay
ing attention. To this were added half u
loaf, a large pat Of butter and an un-
opened tin Of caviare, all the necessaries
and luxuries of life.
"Now, can I give the little girl my Sat
urday's money? Let me, father!" she
pleaded.
And, whatever was thought by the re-
cording angel of "Bonny Dundee" con
sidered as a morning hymn, there can be
no doubt Of his opinion Of this act Of
worship, for sweetheart had cast into the
treasury all that she had.
But as she watched the small tramp
rush off with the ham bone and the loaf
pressed against her breast and the six
pence Of sterling silver clutched in her
palm sweetheart heaved a long sigh.
"And I did 50 want a new dolly's bon
net for Isobel" she said.-Philadelphia
Press.
Spiders That Hunt Fish.