The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-01-13
@. o.o.c @.
1he Cr0hning 0f Dolly


that look in his eyes which made me l remember so well what he said: | What is man that Thou art mindful l of him." he spouts. "Thou madest him l a little lower than the angels to crown l him with glory and worship. Here we have
 the explanation, my men, of all lifes s l trials and its sorrows. God Almighty tests our fitness for His kingdom. Nothing
 will discourage us. no difficulties perplex l If We remember it-nade a little lower | to be crowned
 And l did remember it. I never found I myself in a tight place but that little | chaps face didn't shine out like vision l in the darkness, and l hear him say aa | plain as if 1t were only yesterday Made a little lower to be crowned " I'd like to have told Bill Slocum tha. but he'd have said d., and that's all there'd be to it.
 So things were in bad shape when Charlie Cuthbertson drove into Sloeum Creek; coming down the main street with | q peting chatter which sent everythina which way. We didn't know who Cralo was then and we didn't care man with a mare like that was friends with the universe, and we made them vel come. She was little beauty, 1 can tel you; dark bay with white hoofs and a white star in her forehead like a sign of baptismal grace. Switchtail, he called . her, from a trick she had of nerVously whipping her tail from side to side with
 an energy that never ceased. At Rem ington's that night the arrival of a new chum made discussion more bibulous than usual, and before the evening was over some mighty good claims were offered
 for the mare. But Charlie declined them all with his deep, hearty laugh that made a man love him to hear it. He was a doc tor. he told us. and the mare was part
 of his stock in trade.
 He was a self-contained young fellow. with an impression about him of lots of force in reserve and pair of steel blue eyes which took every ones meas
 ure in a glance settling Cuthhertson' <
 likes and disliSes at the first interview.
 And Dolly Britton was no exception.
 She came swinging along the street the
 second evening after he arrived with that
 derisive air of proprietorship in the whole
 Creek which made her the idol of the
 place. There was a group about the post
 office. and Charlie was telling a yarn
 about the mare. when he suddenly
 stopped, flung one of those steel-clad
 glances of his over his shoulder. and as
 suddenly went on again. I saw Dolly, and
 looked across at him and he looked
 at me, but we said nothing. Not then,
 that is: but we understood each other,
 and afterward, when the crowd was gone,
 he came over to me.
 'Who is she. chum?" he asked
 ''Dolly Britton. the little school mis-
 tress. Ain't she a pictureY'
 He laughed low. deep chuckle. The
 laugh of a man who sees earth holds more heaven than the skies. l wanted to tell Charlie about Bill, but I couldn't do 1t that night and I didn't have to afterward.
 . The next day the little mare was teth- cred outside fhe school house, petted by the children, while Charlie made friends inside. Pretty successfully too, I imagine. for it wasn't long before one or any other of us. prospecting up the mountain, would see the little mare flying along the valley or up Old Crows Pass, or across the Big Cascade, with more than Charlie Cuth- bertson behind her. But none of us said nothing. We loved Dolly and we liked Charlie, and we were mortally grieved for Bill What was. seemed best. We kept quiet. hoping Charlie would get her away before Bill made a fuss. But Bill heard of it some way-Freddy Fanshawe, prob ably. red-headed rat with sneaking itch for mischief and grudge against Dolly for a dismissal more peremptory than complimentary. and a good deal more soornful than kind. Anyway, Bill was very ugly one night.
 It was up at Remington's. A nasty, drizzling evening with heavy mists creep ing along the ground. sodden with the, all-day downpour Reningtons was un1 crowded: the hoys wanting com pa nionship and amusement. coming in one by one with great staihplng of feet and shaking of sou-westcrs. luntil only a few of the married were 1issing. some of them turning up a littlA later Reming-