Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-02-07
D'ri and /
BY IRVING BAcHELLER
Author Holden Darrell Of the lses Etc.
Copyright, is,,, By 1.sA..p pusli.hins Company,
BY IRVING BACHELLER
" "parrel Of the Blessed Isles" Etc.

|
relish. There were half dozen or so
sitting about the bar, and all ears were
for news of the army and all hands
Tor our help. If we asked for more
potatoes or ale, half of them rose to
proclaim it. Between pipes of Vir-
GINA tobacco. and old sledge, and
songs of love and daring. we had
memorable night. When we went to
our room, near IL o'clock, told Dri
OF our dear friends, who. all day, had
been much in my thought.
"Wus the letter writ by herr" he in
quired.
Not doubt of it."
Then it 8 all right" said he. "a
likely pair O. gals them air-no mis-
take"
But think they made me miss the
bear" l answered.
Ray said D'ri, soberly, when yer
shutin' bear, eff We want i'm, don't
never think O. nuthin' but the bear"
Then. after moments pause, he add
ed: Won't never hev no luck KILN
a bear eff we don quit dwellin' so on
them air gals"
| l thanked him, with smile, and
asked If he knew Eagle island.
Ben all over it half dozen times"
said he. CT ain no more n 20 rod
from the Yankee shore, tibet air island
amt. We c'u'd paddle there in day
from our cove"
And that was the way we planned
to go-by canoe from our landing
and wait for the hour at Paleyville,
Yankee village opposite the island.
We would hire a team there, and con-
vey the party by wagon to Leraysville.
We were Off at daybreak, and going
over the hills at lively gallop. Cross
Ing to Caraway pike, in the Cedar
meadows, an hour later, we stampeded
a lot Of moose. One Of them, great
bull, ran ahead Of us, roaring with
fright. his antlers rafting upon bush
and bough, his black bell hanging to
the fern-tops.
Don never wan t hev no argument
with one o. them air chaps less ye
know purity nigh how It s comm out"
said D'rf. "Alwus want gun es we'll
es a purity middlin' ca-a-areful aim on
your side. Then We ire apt t. need a
tree. tew, fore We git through with Il"
After a moments pause he added:
"dot t be joemightyful stout tree, er
he II shake We out NV it LUX ripe ap-
| ple."
"Fhey always have the negative side
of the question:" said. "Don't be-
lieve they d ever chase man if he d
let 'em alone"
| "Yis, stree, they would" was D'ri's
answer. II We he'd 'em come right
efter me fore ever c'u'd lift gun.
Ye see, they re jest es Gurus bout
man es man Is bout them. Eff they
can't smell i'm they re terrible GURUS.
Jes' wan t see what g inside Nv i'm
an what kind Nv smellin' critter he
is Dunno es they wan t. dew i'm any
pertic'lar harm. Jes' wan t. mux i'm
over leetle; but they dew it awful
careless, an he amt never fit t. be
seen no more"
He snickered family as he spoke.
AN they don't nobody see much Nv
i'm efter thet, nuther," he added, with
. smile.
II member once big bull tried t.
md out the kind O. works he'd in me.
+ wan no moose-jest common or.
d'nary three-year-or BULL
Hurt your" Queried.
mo; Z hurt 'im," said he, soberly.
Split I'm, es ye might say. Could nj
never bear the sight Nv man efter
thst. Seem SO he did MT think he wus
at t be seen. Nobody c'u'd ever git n
a mild O. tn poor cuss. He'd t. be
shot"
What happened?"
He'd stout club n my hand" said
DO. Got holt Nv is tail, an begun
a-whalin' NV i'm. Run i'm down q
steep hill, an passin' tree, TUX
ono side an he Z other. We parted
there fer the las time"
He looked OF at the sky moment.
Then came his inevitable addendum,
which was: II he'd a dam sight more
tail AN he did, tibet g sartin.''
About ten o'clock we came in sight
Of our old home. Then we hurried our
horses, and came up to the door with
q rush. A stranger met us there
Are you Capt. Bell3" said he, as /
got of my horse.
nodded.
Il am one Of your fathers tenants"
no went on. ride over the ridge yon-
der about half a mile, and you will see
his house." looked at D'ri and he at
me. He had grown pale suddenly, and
felt my own surprise turning into
alarm.
"Are they well?" queried.
Very we'll, and looking for YOU"
said he, smiling.
We were up In our saddle, dashing
out Of the yard in jiffy. Beyond the
ridge wide mile Of smooth country
sloped to the river margin. Just of
the rpad a great house lay long and
low In fair acres. It's gables were red
rooted, Its walls of graystone half hid
den by lofty hedges Of cedar. We
stopped our horses, looking of to the
distant woods on each side Of us.
Cant be-" said D'ri, soberly, his
eyes squirting in the sunlight.
| ''Wonder where they liver" I re-
marked.
"All looks mighty GURUS" said he.
1T ain no way nat'ral."
Lets go in there and ask" 1 sug-
gested.
We turned in at the big gate and
rode silently over driveway of smooth
| gravel to the door. In a moment I
heard my fathers hearty hello, and
then my mother came out in better
gown than ever had seen her wear.