Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-09-14
ANGELS
VICTORY
BY r. Z. HANSON
Copyright, fao,, ~ y. h. Hrip@n
BY r. r. HANSON

hNtfF h'fN NhiRtt+t RSAA@stAt 1Ht Ht NEdAtTs
got the better Of the bargain when he
sold her to the manager OF Coward.
Hill prlded himself on his knowledge
of horsenesh. but Angel, the chestnut.
was old. or. rather, middle aged. ane
not the young thing Morton had rep.
resented her to be.
Moreover her temper, soured by
long years of III treatment, was none
of the best She was nervous, too,
though with Hill she was only null
ish, vicious and obstinate. She hated
but did not fear him. She evidently
OWNED his dislike and returned it in
kind.
With Wilfred Patton, the overseer,
man of passionate temper. but kind
and tender to women and children and
dumb creatures, by whom he was
blindly adored. Angel was gentlencss
itself. Ia could readily be believed
when one watched him handle the
mare that under happier circum.
stances she might have fitted her name
From the first 1t had been series
of battles between the chestnut and
Hill, in which the man usually won
out by sheer brutality.
There had been no rain for months.
but the pitiless sun poured his scorch-
ing rays on the parched earth. with
never cloud to veil his face or tenn
per the heat The water in the dam
was getting low. and when that was
gone the station people would have
either to perish or get out. unless wa
ter were reached in the well Hill was
sinking on the fiat. Water was a price
less commodity on that inland Aus
tralian station.
One close day late in February can't
the crisis of that awful summer. Net
leaf stirred. The air at each inhala.
ton burnt the lungs, and the limit OF
human endurance seemed TO have been
reached. Yet 1t was this afternoon of
all others that Hill ordered Patton and
Malcolm to fill the big iron tank.
THE foolr' exclaimed Patton as they
walked through the hot sand TO the
dam Hasn't he sense enough to wait
until EVENING"
They worked hard for an hour,
Malcolm filling the buckets and hand
ing them up TO Patton, who poured the
contents into tank. When their task
was finished they returned to the
house.
We've filled the 500 gallon tank"
said Patton. coming up to where Hill
hale rratfuad I'm a staa,par chair IN tTa
veranda. IT'S down at the dam in
the tip cart. but hate TO leave it to
evaporate In the sun, and there isn't a
horse TO drag it up to the house"
Where are Bones and MyopeT'
Smiles has them working at the new
dam, and Charlie has taken the two
blacks and gone over to the well sink
horses, as you know, were sent away
to McLelan's yesterday to save our
water" answered Patton.
"Well. Angel is in the paddock. isn't
she? Put her In
ITS too heavy load for Angel. She
isn't built for such work"
II say she shallw cried Hill. I'm
boss here, and when say thing is to
be done it's going to be done"
"All right, Go ahead and do 1t your
self"' responded Patton. The overseer
and the manager never did hit it very
well, and the heat hadn't improved
their tempers. But stay" Patton add
ed, thought striking him, I'm tr,
what can do first"
With that Patton went down to tn
paddock, caught Angel, harnessed her,
put her in the cart, and then coaxed
her to drag the load. By striving and
straining she dragged the cart a few
steps through the heavy sand, then
paused and turned her eyes on Patton
entreatingly. as though TO say:
I'D do it for you, but 1 can't"
Hill was watching the performance
from the veranda, for the house was
built on the top of the sand hill, the
dam was in the creek at its foot and
no bushes interviewed. When the man
ager saw the horse stop he got up and
went quickly down.
whats the matter?" he asked.
tits just as said" answered Patton,
''the mare hasn't the strength to haul
such load"
Hasn't she?~ I'll see about that. It's
her obstinacy, that's what it is. Angel?
It's Devil she ought TO be called"
Let me get the other tank, put half
the water in it, and then she can easily
manage it in two trips" suggested
Patton, controlling his rising anger.
"Nol She'll haul the tank as 1t isP'
"Then I'll wash my hands of the
whole business"
Patton walked up the slope. AS he
stepped on the veranda Mrs. Hill, who
was standing at the door, looked back
into the house and called to her young
cousin:
"Muriel, come out and see this brutel
She won't pull the tank up the hill,
but Horace viii soon make her He
knows how to manage horses" And
Sha shot - ScorufltI GLANCE in patou'a