The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-05-04


chivalrous patience with her grammat.
lcal excursions,
II feel like l am the happlest man
alive today, Priscilla"
incorrect use Of like" broke in his
wife, knowing better, but disregarding
the finer instinct.
But, Pris, don't feel as fits
like, that ! feel, And, now that
think Of it, / don't feel like | was the
happiest man alive. Have I corrected
myselfT
Priscilla knew she was yenturing too
far. But when do we ever follow our
strongest leadings2
"Dan, If you love me as you say you
do you would take more pains to speak
correctly. Your 'shalls' and wills put
~ right would make me sleep better
nights And your 'shoulds' and 'woulds'
II they would fall into line and keep
step my bliss would be complete"
1T isn't permitted to mortals to be
perfectly happy, Priscilla. You know
the ancients used to pray for some
moderate reverse when things went
too swlmmingly. Let me be your mod
crate reverse little lady"
you are my immoderate perverse,
Dan. You always say Hadn't better
pp when you know as well as do
lhat you should say Wouldn't | better
goT"
All of sudden to their startled VI
sion appeared around turn of the
harrow hill road team tearing with
breakneck speed down the steep way
up which their horses were climbing
and on which 1t was impossible to pass
them. The driver was thrown out as
they rounded the curve and could be
seen struggling up from pile of rocks
upon which he had been hurled far be.
low in the ravine which skirted the
road.
The carriage was bounding violently
from side to side. The two women and
child in the back seat were at the mer
cy Of the terrified horses that were
madly running directly toward Priscil-
Ia and Dan Another moment and they
would be upon them. At the foot OF
the hill was a rocky ford waiting to en-
gulf the fatcd occupants of the vehicle
II they should reach 1t alive.
Paraly2od by fear, Priscilla knew In
n maze Of terror that Dan sprang from
his horse, throwing her the bride.
Then she saw him through a fear
dimmcd haze rush just In time for the
salvation Of them all straight in front
Of the m0ddened brutes with arms out.
stretched to stop them. She heard his
masterful command, whoa, boys;
whoa" as he made q dash for their
foaming bits.
He sprang nlmbly from side to side
to avoid being trampled under their
hoofs Again and again It seemed that
their brute strength would overwhelm
him as they plunged forward stralning
TO get free.
The man and the beasts strove, 1t
seemed to Priscilla eternal ages, until
at last, at last, he was conquering
them. With mouths dripping bloody
foam, eyes starting from their sockets,
they finally stood trembling, but still,
save for an occasional trampling and
champing of their bits. This, too,
ceased at Dams command:
"Whoa, boys! Steady, boys"
Their brute instinct responded to the
master without fear. He stood al
length stroking their names.
Even then Priscilla realized In dim
unworded way thing that was better
than the subjection of signs and sym.
bols to rule and law.
She emerged from her cruCible OF
agony with an aching relief that her
husband was alive, while her own soul
shrIveled by the refining fire, saw him
with n larger vision, a deeper under
| standing.
Proudly she marked his chlvalrous
bearing toward the unnerved, fright.
ened women, who lauded his exploit in
words of intensest gratitude.
She noted with swelling heart his
bluff kindness toward the bruised and
distressed driver, who came llmping
up to see the extent of the calamity,
bloody and battered from his terrible
fall.
He made light of what he had done
calling 1t nothing
When the trembling animals were
quite pactied, greatly to Priscllla's ap-
prehenslon, her husband turned the We
hicle around abouta thing not done
without much ado on the narrow shelf
Of q road--got into the carriage and
took the relns with a firm hand to drive
the ladies' to their home, which was
"but a mile or 50 back" they had told
him. Priscilla led his horse for him
until he could deposit his charges at
their own door.
"Your man is too knocked up to
drive" he tactfully explained as he
saw the ladies tremulous at the thought
OF being trusted again to their unlucky
jehu.
Dan, you are simply great" Prlscil-
la told him as they rode down the hill
again toward home. I'm proud Of
you through and through. But prom
ise me never never never, again to
take so dreadful a risk. 1t makes me
faint but to think Of 1t. What If those
awful runaway horses had killed your
And she shuddered.
Then you could, should and would
have been a widow. PrlscIllaw
81 neither viii nor shall nor could
should or would be a widow! I'll die
when you do, Danw sobbed Priscilla
Historically.
"Never say die, little girl. We will
be happy. Nothing shall prevent it,
my Prisclllaw
"You are hero, Dan" The girl
reached out her hand to him, and in
their clasp thrilled between husband
and wife the love that Is above and be-
yond all speech and language
nit OF Holmes Wit.
Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, the poet
and wit, wrote to a committee declin-
inc IN urpept nm invitation IN da1ivor