The Washington times., 1906-05-27

the Vault-the vague. intermittent clat-
ter OF a dilatory typewriter-a dull
tapping from the State geologists
quarters as II some woodpecker had
flown in to bor1 for his prey IN the
cool OF the massive buiiding-and then
a faint rustic and the light shutting
or the well-woIa shoes along the hail,
the sounds ceasing at the door toward
which the commissioners lethargic
back was presented. Following this.
the sound OF a gentle voice speaking
words uninteIligible TO the commits
sioner's somewhat dormant compre-
hensiOn. but giving evidence OF be-
wilderment and hesitation.
The voice was feminine; the commits
sioner was of the race OF cavaliers
who make salaam before the trail Of
skirt without considering the quality
of its cloth.
There stood IN the door a faded
woman. one OF the numerous sister
hood OF the unhappy. She was dressed
all in black-povertys perpetual
mourning for lost joys. Her face had
the contours of twenty and the lines
OF forty. She may have lived that
intervening score OF years in twelve
month. There was about her vet an
aurum OF indignant. unappeased, pro-
testing youth that shone fs-n,ly
through the premature ven OF un-
earned decline.
Il beg your pardon. ma am" said
the commissioner. gaining his feet TO
the accompaniment OF a great creaking
and sliding of his chair
Are you the governor, sir?" asked
tho vision OF melancholy
The commissioner hesitated at the
end of his best bow, with his hand
in tie bosom Of his double breasted
'frock." Truth at last conquered.
Well. no, ma'am. l am not tbs
governor. l have the honor to be
commissioner OF Insurance. statistics,
ard history. Is there anything. ma'am,
I can do fer you? Won't you have
a chair. ma 'am7''
The lady subsided into the chair
handed her. probably from purely ply
Bical reasons. She welded a cheap
fan-last token or genuIty 10 be
abandoned. Her clothing seemed to
Indicate a reduction almost 10 extreme
poverty She looked at the man who
was not the governor. and saw kind
liness and simplicity and a rugged, un-
adorned courtliness emanating from q
counteuance tanned and toughened by
forty years OF out OF doors. Also. she
saw that his eyes were clear and
strong and blue. Just so they had
been when he used them 10 skim the
horizon for raidinR Kiowas and Sioux.
His mouth was as set and firm as Il had
been on that day when he bearded
the old lion Sam Houston himself
and deaed him during that season
when secession was the theme Now
In bearing and dress, Luke Coonrod
Standifer endeavored to do credit to
the important arts and sciences OF IN
surance, statistics. and history. He
had abandoned the careless dress OF
his country home. Now. his broad
brimmed black slouch hat. and his
long tailed "frock' made him not the
least imposing Of the official family,
even II hts Office was reckoned to stand
at the tail of the list
You wanted 20 see the governor.
ns'am2" asked the commissioner. with
the deferential manner he always used
toward the fair sex
Il hardly know" said the lady. hesi-
tatingly. Il suppose So" And then.
suddenly drawn by the sympathetic
lcok Of the other. she poured forth the
story OF her need
1t was a story so common that the
public has come TO look at its monot-
ony instead of it's pity The old tale
of an unhappy married life-made so
by a brutal. constituencies husband,
a robber. a spendthrift. a moral cow
ard. and bully. Who failed TO provide
even the means Of the barest existence
Yes. he had come down I'm the scale SO
low as 10 strike her. 1t happened only
the day before-there was the bruise
on one temple-she had offended his
highness by asking for little money 10
1--we on. And yet she must needs,
womap-like, append a plea for her
tyrant-he was drinking; he had rare
iy abused her thus when sober.
II thought" mourned this pale sister
OF sorrow. that maybe the State
might be willing 10 give me some re-
lief. I've heard of such things being
done for the families of old settlers.
I've heard tell that the State used to
give land TO the men who fought for
II against Mexico. and settled up the
country. and helped drive out the In
dams Ny father did all of that, and
he never received anything He never
would take 1t. ] thought the governor
would be the one to see. and that's
why I came. II father was entitled
TO anything they might let It come to
me"
It's possible ma am said Standifer.
that such might be the case. But
most all the old veterans and settlers
got their land certificates issued, and
located long ago. Still. we can look
that up In the land Office. and be
sure. Your fathers name. now. was
Amos Colvin. sir"
Good Lord" exclaimed Standifer,
rising and unbuttoning his tight coat,
exc!todly. Are you Amos Colvin's
daughter? Why, ma'am. Amos Colvin
and me were thicker than two boss
thieves FOR more than ten years, We
fought Niowas. drove cattle and rang
ed side by side nearly all over Texas.
I remember seeing you once before.
now. You were a Kid, about seven.
a-riding a little yellow pony up and
down. Amos and me stopped at your
home for a little grub when we were
trailing that band of Mexican cattle
thieves down through Karnes and Bee.
Great tarantulasi and you're Amos Col
wins little girl, Did you ever hear your