The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-11-25
Margery's Ride
4 Story for the Children.

/
| forests between.
| TIE farmers and woodsmen led hard
lives, many of them working day
after day on land beneath which lay
the great fountains of oil that were
one day to mean millions of dollars.
| William Garrett turned and called
Goodbye" but the noise of the
heavy cart wheels drowned the an
swering shout. He had never before
taken the necessary journey to the
market town thirty miles away, with
such sinking heart. To leave mis-
wife and two little girls alone on the
isolated farm seemed almost impossi-
BILE.
Margery and Doris, with no
thought of fear, tripped into the
house after their mother. Little
Doris busily dressed her dolls while
Margery washed the dishes, helped
her mother put the house in order,
and then sat down to her lessons,-
for even the luxury of school was
| denied her. Mrs. Garrett spent two
hours of every busy day teaching
Margery, and the little girl of twelve
with ..er few books, might surprise
the public school children of today.
Lessons over, Margery ran out to
feed the horses, for there We're "all
round girls in the early days. There
were play times, too; often in the
/ ''tree-house" as the children called
ia real house high up in the
, branches Of an old apple tree.
Careful. Dorris.' called Margery.
Father said you mustn't climb out
on the branches
Yes ! CAM" answered the small
person, who looked like a plump
robin in her red coat. She crawled
farther out to show her bravery,
looked around for admiration-an
with a sudden lurch fell crashing
through the branches to the frozen
ground below
Margery Slid down the steps at the
same time shrieking for her mother,
who came rushing from the house.
Together they picked up the horribly
quiet child and carried her TO the
house. Skilled in first aid to the in
jured, Mrs. Garrett soon revived
Doris. who screamed and cried at the
slightest touch.
Her leg is broken! What shall
we do" groaned the frantic mother.
Il can so for the DOCTOR an
swered the girl quickly and quietly.
Its only ten miles and Jerry can
make it in short tines
Child, child! ] can't let you
you can possibly get through the
woods
Don't worry, mother dear"
soothed Margery. Il will come back
with the doctor"
Without another word she seized
her warm Goa and mittens. flew to
the barn, threw the well-worn saddle
upon Jerry, and leaped into it.
The pony seemed almost to under
stand the need of haste. for she shot
down the road, which soon lost itself
in the woods.
Even fear and anxiety could not
keep Margery from feeling delc-
ious eXhilaration as she sped over
the smooth pine needles and beneath
the sweeping boughs that brushed
her hair as she passed. Over mile
after mile Jerry kept his pace. Once
Margery watered him at wayside
spring that dubbed from beneath
messy rocks. The rays of the sun
slanted through the trees, showing
white birches cleaning in the long
vistas
Soon the edge of the woods was
reached -t..en came another dash in
the open,-and the doctors house at
hp fitu q n
the cold, slid from the saddle and
hobbled to the back door. Kind
hands soon cared for her and for
Jerry and the hurried story was told.
The doctor, dear child. He's
gone out to Johnson's corner and |
. don't know as he'll be back for
hours
Margery's face sank do you
think he'll come over as soon as he
gets back? Doris is crying with
pain and we're all alone
why, certainly, dear Doctor is
always ready to go. You must wait
for him; it will be dark in half an
hour"
!. But truly ! can't leave mother all
alone. She would be frightened to
death
There was no stopping for argu-
ment. Marsery, now warm again.
tore herseil away and started back
on the willing Jerry.
When she came to the edge of the
woods the sun dropped behind the
hills. How dark the road looked!
The same road that had seemed SO
bright and friendly. The birds and
squirrels We're making ready for the
night and the air was filled with
strange sounds Margery shuddered
a little and began to sing cheerfully
TO keep up her spirits. The darkness
settled down quickly as ii does in the
land of hills-blacker and backer
grew the woods until the road was
barely distinguishahe.
Jerry. as If fearful. too, quickened
his trot. Margery, at last unable to
see at all, held the reins loosely and
trusted entirely TO Jerry, who kept
the pace straignl on and on.
Suddenly a piercing scream echoed