Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-05-24
nlea and more sparsery trllea. streten.s

away to the great snow mountains that
here limit France. 1t swarms with
game-with wolves and bears, deer and
bears. To the end Of his life have
heard that the great king loved this
district, and would sigh, when years
and state fell heavily on him, for the
beech-groves and bo~x-covered hills OF
South Bearn. From the terraced steps
of Auch you can sec the forest roll
away in light and shadow, vale and
upland, to the base of the snow-peaks;
and, though l come from Brittany n
love the smell of the salt wind, | have
seen few sights that Guido this.
1t was the second week in October
when 1 came to Cocheforet, and. drop.
ping down from the last wooded brow, |
rode quietly into the place at evening. |
I was alone and had ridden all day in
q glory of ruddy beech-leaves, through
the silence of forest roads, across clear
brooks ard glades still green. had
seer more of the quiet and peace OF the
country than had been my share since
boyhood, and l felt a little melancholy;
it might be for that reason, or because
| had no great taste for the task before
me-the task now SO imminent. In good
faith. it was not a gentleman's work,
look at it how you might.
But beggars must not be choosers,
and I knew that this feeling would pass
away. At the inn, in the presence OF
others, under the spur of necessity,
or in the excitement Of the chase, were
that once begun, l should lose the feel
ing. When a man is young, he seeks
solitude: when he is middle-aged he
flies it and his thoughts. made with
IL ado for the Green Pillar, a little inn
, in the village street. to which a
been directed at Auch. and, laundering
| on the door with the knob of my rid
ing-switch, rallied at the man for keep
ing me waiting.
Here and there at howell doors IN the
street-which was a mean, poor place,
not worthy of the name-men ana
women looked out at me suspiciously.
But l affected to ignore them; and at
last the host came. He was a fair
haired man, half Basque, half French
man. and had scanned me well, | was
sure, through some window Or peep
hole; for, when he came out. he be-
trayed no surprise at the sight OF a
well-dressed stranger-.a portent in thai
out-of-the-way village-but eyed me
with a kind of sulien reserve.
81 can lie here tonight, | s%uppose?'
| said, dropping the reins on the sor-
rel's neck. The horse hung its head.
II don't know he answered stupid
1y.
pointed to the green bough which
topped a post that stood opposite the
door.
This is an inn, is it not?' | said.
EYES," he answered slowly; ut is an
inn. But
But you are full, or you are out OF
food, or your wife is i'll, or something
else is amiss," l answered peevishly'
"All the same, / am going to lie here
So YOU must make the best OF it and
your wife too-if you have one
He scratched his head, looking at me
with an ugly glitter in his eyes. Blu
he said nothing, and l { ismounted.
Where can I stable my horseT
asked.
"I'll put it up" he answered sullen
; ly, stepping forward and taking thu
; reins in his hands.
: Every WELL" | said; "but go Will
: you. A merciful man is merciful to hi!
beast, and where-ever go I see m,
horse fed"
at will be fed" he said shortly. Ant
: then he waited for me to go into tn
house. "The wife is in there" h
continued, looking at me stubbornly.
"Imprimis-if you understand Latin
my friend" I answered. 1.-THE horse il
' the STALL"
AS he saw it was no good, he turne'
u the sorrel slowly round and began t.
. lead it across the village street. Their
was a shed behind the inn, which
had already marked and taken for tn
stable and | was surprised when
found he was not going there. Blu
u I made no remark and in a few min
. utes saw the horse well stabbed in
~ howell which seemed to belong to
= neighbor.
= This done, the man led the way bac
to the inn, carrying my valise.
"You have no other guests?' | sal
with a casual air. l knew 4.e wa
watching me closely.
NO" he answered.
This is not much in the way t
anywhere, I %suppose?"
NO"
That was evident; a more retire
I place l never saw. The hanging woods
rising steeply to a great height, S
shut the valley in that | was puzzle
\ to think how a man could leave
! save by the road | had come. Tn
cottages, which were no o tina
mean. small huts, ran in a stragglin
double line, with many gaps-throug
fallen trees and ill-cleared meadow
Among them a noisy brook ran IN an
out. And the tnhabitanD-Aarcna
burners. or s%winenerus. - peM pes
] pie Of the like class. were no bette
than their dwellings. | looked in val
for the Chateau. 1t was not to /
4 seen, and | dared not ask for 1t.
. The man led me into the commo
room Of the tavern-a low-roofed, Joe
place, lacking a chimney or axe
j, windows, and grimy with smokv al
use. The .fire-a great half-burnt tree
smouldered on a stone hearth, raise
- q foot from the floor. A huge blac
30 pot simmered over it, and beside or
:, window lounged a country fellow tall
- - Hi - rN1Jxgf1 ~ Tn thu 1ttc