The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1901-01-11

WH" a." "H1 AAMM ~ NMNMM"LNMNA ~ AMME
BILE over the stones Of that extremely
rough mountain side. 80 / sat down
and considered what a sublime fool
I was. thought OF firing on my
arsenal to attract any wandering SYM
pathy there might be in the neighbour
hood and I thought OF other things, but
nothing seemed practical. SO / sat
there. Suddenly I heard a notes.-the
music Of voices-and looking up I saw
a young giant bringing down a perfect
Venus In his arms"
Now, Marquis. you are getting in
teresting," i%nterpolated the usual
bright young man, without whom no
dinner party is complete.
Thank you. And they were bearing
directly in my a Well, not to
make this too long, the young lady
had also fallen and sprained her ankle
and the young man was carrying her.
They stopped as they reached me and
| explained my predicament. What
do you suppose he did? He made me
get up On his back while he carried
her in his arms. holding her as If she
we're a little doll baby. / never saw
such strength. Well, I, looking over
his shoulder, could get a full view OF
her face, and IL there was ever life
OF beauty or health or happiness IL
vas there. All, that facet that facet"
Marquis, do you happen to know
the excursion rates to Colorado?"
asked the young man again.
Twenty years ago, my friend. TWEEN
ty years ago. Well, to go on, with the
story. the giant gave all his attention
to the lady, saying things which I
tried not to hear but which we're main
ly inquiries as to whether she was feel
ing better. She seemed to be feeling
better all the time-in fact quite com
Portable, although she gave me some
looks as If to say that she would be
pleased IL I had stayed on the other
side Of the ocean or some other place.
never appreciated in my life the old
saying about three being a crowd as
did then. After we had gone some
distance l thought / would take part
in the conversation and / began to
stutter out something, when the giant
remarked to Venus, with a laugh, I'D
forgotten that there was anything on
the roof and then to me he said,
Say you up there, send it by mail;
it'll get down here quicker"
The marquis was getting along very
well and his Story got its applause as
it proceeded.
w g finally reached a rough log
home in the wilderness and around it
was a clearing, in which were some
flowers and vegetables. A most de-
licious spring was near. An old coll
ored woman was in charge. 1t seemed
that the head of the house-the father
of the girl-had gone to Denver for
machinery. The young giant was a
miner who was prospecting in the
neighborhood. They were kindness
itself to me but did not have much to
say to me. And 1 did not blame them.
Surely l shall never forget such
beauty. But for the time / did not
think very much of the man, because
he made so much fun of my outfit.
Sonny, he said, the next time you
venture forth have more nerve in your
soul or get a wagon to carry your
guns And when l tried to thank him
when l was well enough to walk and
he took me to the point from which
could easily reach my camp, his part
ing words were, Now young 'un. you'd
better recollect that guns always in
vito trouble and you'd better have an
auction sale l got back, about as
forlorn a hero as ever walked-and /
found that the men had made way
with most Of my goods. Gradually 1
reached a railroad station-and from
that time on l have never bothered
with firearms or r~etinues. 1 hold that
a man is safe in any part Of the world
so long as he has nerve and sense.
That is not much Of a story, Judge"
he concluded addressing the lawyer,
but 1t was about the finest experience
1 had"
And your mountain friends? Did
you never hear from them or from
them afterwards"
Not a word, and I've always prom
ised myself the satisfaction of going
back there and trying to ind them.
But things and places change SO much
in twenty years. l understand that
the very m%ountainside on which I met
with my accident has yielded millions
of wealth and there is a new city
somewheres near the log cabin. Yes,
sir, we all change-people change
things change-and in your marvellous
country, sir, you see the greatest
changes of ALL"
And so the dinner ended with a bit
Of reflection and seriousness. AS the
guests grouped themselves In the
drawing room Marcus Cornovon went
to his wife and whispered a word to
her and then they stood side by side.
a strikingly handsome couple. She
was perfectly gowned, with jewels that
were worth a kings ransom, and she
was a glorious picture Of health and
beauty. He was tall, gray and strong,
with clear, laughing eyes and a buoy
ant boyishness that distressed his
evening dress4
The marquis approached and the
others turned as if by instinct to see
something-they knew not what.
Have we changed so very much?"
asked the big husband with a great
laugh.
And tine marquis-well he still holds
that this is his best story. especially
since 1t found a climax.