The San Francisco call., 1903-12-20

trom north TO south, green
with clover and patches OF
\ Gprouting Wild oats; bounded
on the east by the snow wall OF the
sierras and on the west by the hori-
non. A stretch OF thirty miles, where
was but one tree. a tall oak: It stood In
a billowy hollow OF the dead level.
Therefore not seen except at near range.
They called II the haunted tree. "Old
Solem" stood IA the door OF his house
and looked out upon the fat solitude
I wonder what's keeping TEX" he said
Old 6oleu. with his wife Elizabeth
and his little daughter, whose nickname
was Tex, had crossed the plains in the
trail OF Fremont; he had helped to raise
the Bear haE at Sonoma and at Fort
sutter. His wife Elizabeth had dread
eo 70 cross the plains. but would not
stay and let him 60 without her.
Merrily enough had they started on
that journey. which tried to the utter
most the souls OF men; but when the
vast, nmitless desert plains we're
reached, when the terrible solitude
drew near and touched them. and the
train OF plodding oxen and canvas Gov
cred wagons were as a line Of crippled
ants, strange fear fell upon Elizabeth.
She would come and crouch close TO
him, and was ever looking over her
shoulder, in an apprehensive. fright
ened way When he asked her II she
was afraid of Indians, she smiled faint
ly and said NO: II Is the shadow"
But there is nothing bigger than
buzzard 10 make a shadow he persist
&c. She answered him: 1T is the
shadow OF the plains"
fe he 60 -
counting q girls deed by telling about
the father and mother Of her: but then.
everybody in the world. except Adam
and Eve and Lilith, has had a father
and mother; and II you know the faith
ers and mothers OF people you are
equipped with some knowledge OF what
they themselves have IN their makeup.
IN the August days when the dog
star rules and the rattlesnake is blind.
81 came TO pass that Old Solem stood
under a giant pine on the western slope
of the Rocky Mountains with a spade
fn hts hand, beside a new-nade grave,
and IN II lay his month-old babe. Be
side him stood the little girl. look OF
awe on her fsce; from around the hind
wheels Of the covered wagon come the
wife and mother. She sat down by the
small grave and patted the damp
mound with her slim wasted hand. then
looking up at him with a trusting smile
began 20 sing: BY o Baby Bunting"
why does mother smile. father7"
the little girl asked with solemn eyes
upturned TO his.
His broad chest shook with an inward
sob. TT IS the shadow OF the plains,
Tex" he replied. turning his face from
her that she might not see the twitch-
hov.s hfc mouth
A sigh rustled the leaves OF the pine
tree and shivered into & breeze that
roared up the echoing canyon; a fleece
OF snowy white cloud drifted across the
face OF the sun: there was a warning
chfIliness in its swiftly moving shadow
and many the mile was II yet to his
promised land.
There were no county lines in Cali
fornia. In the midst OF the great plain
ne unyoked his oxen and pitched his
tent 70 stay: Il was here the name Of
ssOld EoIeun" was fixed upon him Hours
and hours. days and days. OF years,
Elizabeth sat by a door or window gaz-
ing out at nothing; his voice took on a
CentIer tone IN her presence and TEX
took on his way.
When near to her fifteenth birthday
an event happened in the life OF TEX.
A neighbor settled within mile Of Old
Solem and the neighbor had a daughter
less than one year older than TEX her
self Teks Joy was as her wide plains
stretching 70 the west-it reached the
horizon. The other girls name was
Mile Grayson, she was fair faced, fair
haired. blue-eyed. She was just from
the States by way Of the isthmus: she
knew nothing Of crossing the plains:
guns. But the dresses she wore were
as short as Tek's; she wore her hair in
the same fashion OF two braids.
most Of all she told Of a world unknown
10 TEX. They walked with their arms
srouid each others waists. and played
with Elizabeth. Miles friendship
was shown IN protestations. Tek's in
action. II might have gone on thus
unendingly but for the next event.
out Of a cloud OF dust in the fall Of
the wear rode young man. and rode
straight into both Of their hearts. Then
the self that had lain dormant in each
girls nature rose full grown TO life
He was young and bonnie Of face and
gOodly favored. this young stranger.
He wore a big Mexican sonabrero. with
silver ornaments on the crown OF II
A gay sash was about his waist, around
his neck a many colored silk handker-
chief: the heels Of his boots were high.
the trapplngs OF his California saddle
and bride were costly, his jingling
spurs were set with silver On his little
finger was a ring which glittered rain
bows IN the sun. The two girls were
playing with Elizabeth in the shade Of
the house when he rode up. They arose
as one and stood waiting for him to
speak. His eyes frightened with ad-
niration as they fell upon Miles smll-
ing countenance, but 1t was on Teh's
ewarthier face and wondering big brown
eyes that his glance fingered; it was OF
TEX he asked for a drink Of water and
for directions 70 the living place Of one
Orton by name, who was not in the
hlch esteem OF the neonle thereabout.