Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-03-12

Auueeu 10 lie uWellerS OIL the COWSaG0s
The rest Of that evening is hazy
enough to me now till l find myself
opposite Mrs. Mavor at her fire, read
irsy Graeme's letter. Then all is vivid
again.
l could not keep the truth from her.
l knew it would be folly to try. So
read straight on till 1 came to the
words: HE has had mountain fever,
whatever that may be, and he will not
pull up again. If 1 can, shall take
him home to my MOTHER" when she
suddenly stretched out her hand, say
ing, ooh, let me readw and 1 gave her
the letter. In minute she had read
it and began almost breathlessly:
Listen. My life is much changed.
My mother-in-law is gone. She needs
me no longer. My solicitor tells me,
too, that, owing to unfortunate invest
ments, there is need of money, so
great need that it is possible that Ell
Their the estates or the works must go.
My cousin has his all in the works
iron works, you know. 1t would be
wrong to have him suffer- I shall
give up the estates. That is best"
She paused
And come with me!' cried.
when do you sail?"
Next week." l answered eagerly.
She looked at me few moments,
and into her eyes there came a light
soft and tender as she said:
II shall go with you"
And so she did, and no old Roman in
all the glory of triumph carried
prouder heart than as l bore her and
her little one from the train to
Graeme's carriage, crying:
''I've got herv'
But his was the better sense, for he
stood waving his hat and shouting,
Hes all rightv' at which Mrs. Mavor
grew white, but when she shook hands
with him the red was in her cheek
again.
1T was the cable did it, went on
Graeme. 'Connor's a great doctor.
His first case will make him famous.
Good prescription-after mountain fe.
yer try a cablegram"
And the red grew deeper in the beau
tiful face beside us.
Never did the country look so love
ly. The woods We're in their gayest
autumn dress; the brown fields were
bathed in a purple haze; the air was
sweet and fresh with suspicion of
the coming frosts of winter. But in
spite of all the road seemed long, and
it was as if hours had gone before our
eyes fell upon the white manse stand
ing among the golden leaves.
LET them go!' | cried as Graeme
paused to take in the view, and down
the sloping dusty road we few on the
dead run.
Reminds one little of Abe's
curves said Graeme as we drew up
at the gate, but l answered him not,
for l was introducing to each other
the best two women in the world AS
l was about to rush into the house
Graeme seized me by the collar, say
ing:
Hold on, Connor! You forget your
place You're next"
why. certainly" l cried thankfully
enough. What an ass l ami"
Quite true" said Graeme solemnly.
where is he?" l asked.
Sat this present momentw he asked
in a shocked voice. why, Conner, you
surprise mel"
ooh. seer
yes he went on gravely; you may
trust my mother to be discreetly at
tending to her domestic duues. She is
great woman, my mother"
had no doubt Of it, for at that mo-
ment she came out to us with little
Marjorie in her arms.
You have shown Mrs. Mavor to her
room, mother. hope" said Graeme.
but she only smiled and said:
Run away with your horses, you sill
ly boy" at which he solemnly shook
his head. ''Ah, mother, you are deep.
Who would have thought it of youY
That evening the manse overhowed
with joy, and the days that followed
We're like dreams set to sweet music.
But for sheer wild delight nothing in
my memory can quite come up to the
demonstration organized by Graeme,
with assistance from Nixon. Shaw.
Sandy, Abe, Geordie and Baptiste, in
uOuOl VI luC uEIlNdi III Citllp VI MI. anu
Mrs. Craig, and in my opinion it added
something to the occasion that after all
the cheers for Mr.. and Mrs. Craig had
died away and after all the hats had
come down Baptiste, who had never
taken his eyes from that radiant face,
should suddenly have swept the crowd
into q perfect storm of cheers by ex-
citedly seizlng his toque and calling out
in his shrill voice:
"By gar! Tree cheer for Mrs. Mavorw
And for many Il day the men Of Black
Rock would easily fall into the old and
we'll loved name, but up and down the
line of construction, in all the camps
beyond the Great Divide, the new
name became as dear as the old had
ever been in Black Rock
Those old wild days are long since
gone into the dim distance OF the past.
They will not come again, for we have
fallen into quiet times. But often in