The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-07-31

Il
really a horse--a caricature
his old self il is true, but re;
, sonaby sleek In new white
coat, that was more than eve
and splI .eneu Win nv,
his, together with his crop-ear, gay
him somewhat waggish. not so sa
"akish. aspect In genuine kndii
less the plantation master advise
haury TO get rid OF him, adding tina
1t would he mighty hard tor strange
either to live up TO, or live down
such a looking horse. Maury smiled
hanks, and said he would think th'
matter over Next week he bought
| mule-blnd, but quickSteppng -oa
credit and agreed To work little out
| yln9 farm the next year on shares,
April came in with gusty rain dashe'
inset between hours of Translucent
bue sky Underneath, the STIR of new
! life strengthened. Something else
/ strengthened with 1.-THE mysteriou
impulse instinct or memory -- that
sends dumb things, and flying ones
| straight to their earliest home.
The first April Monday. ana quar-
lerly court day Maury had let himself
he carried off to the county town. in
I his landlords buggy The King was
eft loose in the shambling door yard.
Maury knew the fence would never
nave held him back in the Old days
81 ND
latterly, what with age and temper,
The King had got in the way OF refus
ing To do more than step over two
rails laid one on the other.
As the buggy vanished round a turn
of the road the King gazed fretfully
for five minutes. Stock-stil, the
very moral Of sleepy innocence,
the King stood, Then his head
went up; he took three fences
one after another never SO much as
ripping a rail vita his heels, and was
out on the road. minute he seemed
to listen then, head and tail up, he
plunged into the woods and made for
he nearest creek.
The creek ran westerly. He grazed
an hour in it's valley, then struck
dcross the boundary hills, his course
due north. Night found him at another
stTodm-siCe. Again he gra2ed and
drank, and at last lay down to rest. |
But h, was awake al dawn, and away, !
snatchiHg at richly budded twigs as
he passed
He might well have been in love
with such vagrancy, but there was
strong something that |
whipped nm imperiously forward, al
ways to northward
TWO weeks he wandered. Then one
day the King came to the top of a |
rise wheI ce he could see the spread |
of two whole counties Then-he re- !
nembered. Lettering ended. Away |
he went at pounding trot, now and |
hen slackening TO a walk, now and |
;hen qgickening to a run. Toward |
nighttan whinnying triumph he found
himself at Fairheld's gateway.
The King had grazed there three
lays. when he heard Maury's whistle.
and looked up to see the blind mules
Ieaa well over the stone wall In
ltantly ne ran, neighing welcome as
ne ran. to thrust his nose into his
Cutstretched hand, while his
master said. repruachfully: Lad. II
lidn't think you'd do it-go and leave
ne in the lurch What will become o.
he crop?
over lad quick" he cried we
lave no time to lose. You see, cant
'ome inside
The King wagged his crop-ear, but
nd not bulge Again Maury said
over" this time IN deepest chest
ones. When the King stood stock
iil'. nippng his masters sleeve, Maury
Wheeled upon him scornfully, crying Z
,ut "Ha, no, A descrter, At this
ate day! thought You feared moth
ng, but find ont you're afraid OF
WORK"
NO It's only that he has moro
ense than his master-sense enough
o come home where he is sadly want
d." Col Winchester said behind
laLry. He had ridden mp unseen.
nd was hghtipg hard 10 keep his old
ose OF testy dignity.
the first glimpse OF Maury's empty
leeve put an end to that He dropped
ems, caught Maury in his arms. ana
aid. hoarsely: My boy-they SAID
ou were dead Thank God Thank
-ou, Now He has given you back
shall never let YOU go away"
Fairfield house stood bare. and al
lost empty But why say more than
rat the place had been for months at
stretch army headquarters Thus
ties grim irony had ordained that
le only loyal citizen IN the county
lould be worse despoiled than any
his neighhors.
Uoi Winchester looked about. smn
X whimsically. and said. pretending
, speak low: We'll. Maury, you see ,
les lest NE my land
And Your loyalty?" Msury hazard
I. The colonel's eyes twinkled. q
ave sworn not to talk politics for tho
axl FIVE years he said
But Maury had no ears for him