Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1907-01-18

@HHERE was soft, warm, yel-
low glow to the world when
Beverly Calhoun next looked
upon it. The sun from MS
throne in the mountain tops was shll-
ing down upon the valley the night
had ravaged while he was on the other
side of the earth. The leaves OF the
trees were a softer green, the white or
the rocks and the yellow Of the road
were of gentler tint. The brown
and green reeds were proudly erect
once more.
The stirring of the mountain men
had awakened Aunt Fanny, and she III
turn called her mistress from the sur
prisingly peaceful slumber Into when
perfect health had sent her not SO
many hours before. At the entrance
to the lmprovised bedchamber stood
buckets of water from the spring.
I'VE have very thoughtful chamber
maids" remarked Beverly while Aunt
Fanny was putting her hair into pre-
sentabe shape. And an energetic
cook" she added as the OdOr Of broil-
ed meat came to her nostrlls.
"Ah cain see nothin' O dat beastes,
Miss Beverly, an Ah-Ah got nah sus-
picions," said Aunt Fanny, with sepul-
chral despair in her voice.
They've thrown the awful thing
into the river" concluded Beverly.
"Dey's cookin' hitp' said Aunt Fanny
solemnly.
Good heaven, nor cried Beverly.
go and see, this. minute. l wouldn't
eat that catlike thing for the whole
world" Aunt Fanny came back few
minutes later with the assurance that
they were roasting goat meat. The
skin of the midnight visitor was
stretched upon the ground not far
away.
"And, how is he?" asked Beverly,
jamming hatpin through helpless
bunch of violets.
Hes ve'y specially skun, yo' high
ness"
'I don't mean the animal, stupid"
"Yo mean at Misteh Goat Mani
He's settin' up an chattin' as II nothin'
happened. He says to me 'at we staht
on ouah way jes' as soon as yO' all eats
yo' b'eakfus'. De hosses Is hitched
up an -
"Has everybody else eaten? Am
the only one that hasn'tP cried Bever
ly.
"Ceptin' me, yo' highness. Ah'm al
hungry as a poah mans dawg, an -
"And he is being kept from the hos
pital because l am a lazy, good fol
nothing little Come on, Aunt Fanny
we haven't a minute to spare. If ht
looks very i'll, we do without break
fast"
But Baldos was the most cheerful
man in the party. He was sitting will
his back against tree, his right arm
in a sling of woven reeds, his blacl
patch set upon the proper eye.
you will pardon me for not rising,
he said cheerily, "but, your highness
l am much too awkward this morning
to act as beftting a cOurtier in tn,
presence of his sovereign. You hav,
slept well"
"ToO we'll. / fear. So we'll, in fact
that you have suffered for it. Cam
we start at onceT She was debating
within herself whether it would b
quite good form to shake hands wit
the reclining hero. In the glare Of tn
broad daylight he and his follower
looked more ragged and famished thai
before, but they also appeared NOR
plcturesquely romantic.
'When you have eaten of our humbl
fare, your highpess-the last meal q
the Hawk and Raven"
"But Pm not bit hungry"
ut Is very considerate of you, bu
equally unreasonable. You must ca
before we start"
Il can't bear the thought of your sui
fering when We should be hurrying t
a hospital and competent surgeons.
He laughed gayly. "Oh, you needn
laugh. | know it hurts. You say W
cannot reach GanlOOk before tomol
row? Well, we cannot stop here
minute longer than We Oh, than
your A ragged servitor had placed
rude bowl of meat and some fruit b,
fore her.
"Sit down here, your highness, an
prepare yourself for long fast. W
may 20 until nightfall without foot