The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-06-16


ax, 30 forth and chop n little wood
which did.
The weather was idenl~a Dakota
fall; mir vital with the mingled pleas
ant touch OF frost and sun. like lee
cream IN hot coffee. and still ~ III
lcncc Itself | had good breakfast
was In excellent health and spirits
The boss could by no means approach
within nile nnporcelvcd, and every
thing pointed 70 pleasant day. But
alas. IN the Copper Lined KIllelubird OF
the Rockies sings. MANS hopes rise
with the celebrity and vigor Of the hind
leg OF the mule only 10 descend with
The velocity Of u stout gentleman on
a banana peel"
On reaching the grove Of cottonwoods
j sat down for u smoke and q specu.
Iativc view OF things In general. having
learned at my then early nge that
/phlloHophy Ia never OF more value than
when one should be doing something
else.
heard noise behind me, n peculiar
noise. between a snort and a violent
bleat Turning. saw buck deer
and from the cord and bell around
his neck recognized him m one Bill,
The property OF Stevcs eldest hoy. II,
was spoken Of as pet.
This was the touch needed to com
plcte my Arcadia. the injection Of
what at the time | considered 10 be
poetry into the excellent prose OF opep
air life. Who could see that grace.
ful, pretty creature and remain un.
morcdi Not !, at all events. fan.
clcd myself ms knight OF old In the
royal forest. which gave q touch OF the
archaic TO my speech.
Come here. thou sweet eyed forest
chlldr' | cried. And here he came.
Al an estimate should say that be
was four III handles. or about twelve
feet. high as he up.sndcd himself.
brandlnhed his antlcrs and jumped me.
My AZ was ut n distance. moved. ]
played knight TO kings bishops eighth.
In this case represented by q fork OF
the nearest tree. wise and subtle
piece OF strategy. MS II resulted In
drawn game.
My friend stood erect for awhile,
making wariike passes with his front
feet which. by the way. are 40 for.
midable weapons as man would care
20 have opposed TO him: then. seeing
that there was no sporting blood 10
me, he deyoured my lunch and went
away. a course promptly initiated AZ
Tar as could. departed.
Hitherto | had both liked and ad.
mlred Steve, His enormous strength.
coupled with an unexpected agility and
an agreeable way he had OF treating
you as II you were quite his own age.
endeared him TO mo. When poured
out my troubles to him. however, re.
buking him for allowing such q savage
beast 70 be at large. he caused my feel.
ings to undergo change. for instead
Of sympathising he fell to uproarious
laughter. slapped his leg and swore
that II was the best thing he'd ever
beard Of and wished he'd been there to
see II.
There are probably no worse leases
Gu earth than tho big boys who chase
the COW on the western pralries They
bad "a horse on the KID" and the poor
kid felt nightmare ridden indeed. II
were out with them some one would
assume an anxious look and carefully
scout around bunch OF grass In the
distance, explaining to the rest that
there might be deer concealed there.
and one could not be too careful when
there were wild beasts like that
around. Then the giggling rascals
would pass the suspected spot with In.
finite caution, perhaps breaking into
gallop, with frightened shrieks of 'The
deer. the deerw while tried to look as
II liked II and strove manfully to
keep the brine Of modification from
rolling down my cheeks.
didn't let my emotions take the
form Of words, because | had wit
enough to know that could not put a
better barrier between myself and
real danger than those husky lads OF
the leather breeches and white hats
For all that had a yearnlng to see
one OF them encounter the deer at his
worst. did not wish any one hurt
and was 30 confident Of their physical
ability that | did not think any one
would be, but felt that such an Incl
dent would strengthen their under
standing.
This thing came to pass, and, Of all
people, on my arch enemy, Steve. II
! had had the arrangement of details
] could not have planned 1t better
Because Of my tender years the light
chores OF the ranch fell to my share,
One day every one was off. leaving me
to chink up the "bul pen" or mems
quarters, with mud against the cold
Of approaching winter, Steve had TAX
on his eldest boy on trip to pick ort
some good Wood
Presently arrived the boy, hatcss
running as fast MS hc could tear, tlc
breath whistling In hls lungs, come
quickp was the message.
II aaa,,nu tba fnnr hod fnIIo,vnd fl,