Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-03-05

Nj. Montreull nad q particular INK
ing for that spot. He loved the rocky
bank, whose reddish color seemed to
glow in the sunlight. He found in
that spot a strange charm, and, al
though he could hear the clock upon
the tower of his church, it happened
to him several times that he dreampt
himself transported to some sun
scorched corner of Africa, so often
called before his vision by his vivid
imagination.
Only through a narrow break in the
wall of rock could he see the sur
rounding country, it's level plains,
traversed by a river and closed in
along the horizon line by a chain of
low hills. The landscape was COM
monplace and without any peculiar
characteristics. One might imagine
it to be an Australian landscape as
well as one in Holland, just as ones
fancy would have it.
On account of the sun, Perou
pushed the chair a little farther than
usual to a dry spot which formed a
little island, and seated himself upon
a large, fiat rock. He filed his pipe
with M. Montreuil's tobacco, and,
with his elbows on his knees, and
with his brick-colored cheeks in his
large and sunburned hands, he began
his chat.
"Talk about a fine country, sir;
there is none more beautiful than
that. When we arrived it was toward
evening. Everything looked like gold
the ground, the sky, and even the
trees. When we reached the forest
it was different. The palms formed a
perfect green roof the color of a
parrots tail, and the sun appeared
red, like the nose of our chief cook,
who, saving your respect, was drunk
every night"
I "Was it there where you suffered
%shipwreck for the first time?"
eyes, sir; and it was quite Il IA
nous one for a beginning. We had
just hauled up the anchor, ready to
continue our cruise, and in less time
than it takes to take a chew we were
Edriven by the storm upon a sand
bank. The next thing was a plunge
into the sea and a swim for the shore.
The sea was perfectly crazy that day;
yes, sir, perfectly crazy, though it
usually knows quite well what it is
doing"
For a long time he continued to
chat in that strain, and it was long
after noon when he finally emptied
the ashes from his pipe by striking
the latter against the heel of his boot
and arose.
"Are you going to leave me al
ready, Perou?"
81 must. They expect me in town."
"When shall you come back here
again?"
"Not before a week from to-day.
Do you wish, M. Montreuil, that I
push you part of the way?"
"No, thank you. 1 shall stay here
until dinner time"
"Good-by, sir. Watch out for the
swamp on your way home"
After Perou was gone NJ. Mon
treuil, aimlessly glancing at the dis
tant plain, sank into meditation. He
thought that it was terrible to die
in some corner of this earth without
knowing anything of the marvellous
GASES Which dot the desert, of the
ocean in it's various moods, o rag
ing with fury and laundering against
the rocks, now signing and softly
singing, like the swan before it dies,
He longed for the sadness of bid
ding good-by, for the oppression
caused by the eternal sameness of
ocean scenery, and for the delirious
Joy of sighting land. He lived as il
he had known how that life of a sail.
or in his t~houghts-he, who could
not have lived it, owing to his in
trinity; he, who lived in this corner
always had lived here, and would die
} here.
Toward evening clouds appeared in
the sky. M. Montreuil made himself
ready to return. 1t was to him
! like getting under sail. Slowly he
wrapped his covers around his legs
with an expression as if he were
handling a sail. Then he settled down
in his chair, and, with his hand upor
the long guiding rod attached to the
front wheel, he inspected the pass
age" with a critical eye.
! Owing to the condition of the wa
ter-soaked ground he examined the
road before him more attentively
than usual. Once more he listened
to the ripping and murmuring SOUND
of the little cascade, then he graspe6
the lever which controlled the hind
wheels and set it in motion.
) Ali of a sudden the rolling chair
came to a stop with a start.
"Copfcund it," murmured the in
!, valid. 81 did not see that rut!"
He tried to push the lever harder
but the resistance was so great thai
he was afraid to break the mechan'
ism of his chair. Then he tried tc
: reverse the movement, but he found
it equally impossible. To see what
had happened he leaned over the side
as much as his paralyzed legs woulc
permit. : The wheels must have sunk
in deeply, for he found himself close
to the ground.
: He smiled over that incident. His
! ship was hecalmed. 1t vas only 6
small and insignificant adventure, il
: is true, but at his age had he a right
> to expect a greater one?
1t occurred to him that nobody
l would miss him, as he had unfor
: tunately announced that he would
visit his niece. To find some ex
pedient out of this difficulty he begar
: to rake his memory, but none of his
books had spoken Of adventures thai
; had occurred to invfNids.