Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-30

axe to grind, are in favor Of Free
Trade; but they cherish the convic-
tion that Protection will bolster up
the agricultural interest, and enhance
the value of their land. They detested
Joe. until he promised to add to their
incomes. Now he's az sound as they
are"
81 wonder that you are asked to
dine at the Park"
I'm a kinsnan; that counts. And
Joy can do anything with Sir Giles
except to make him part with mon
ey. l say, Charters, you were rather
a churl this morning"
Sorry
George Vennable hoped you would
make a fourth at bridge"
There was a pause; then Hugo
said slowly:
"He is very kind, but | didn't come
here to entertain or to be entertain
ed" He rubbed his chin, adding gen.
tally: I'm not going to carry an I'M
shaved face into Miss Vennable's
drawing room"
You'd enjoy talking to JOY"
"I'd sooner listen to YOU"
"If you really knew her-'
rs SuilS lAilPoooAOiS hioA w
know, really, any woman"
Burgess laughed with the compla-
cency of youth.
She's fresh as foam and crystal
clear"
You're green as grass if you think
you see through her"
I've studied her pretty we'll" He
laughed, and then, blushing, said alb
ruptly: "Of course you know how it
is with me-"
yes"
81 could lie all night upon the
door ma outside her room"
II believe you could and would"
Hugo spoke calmly, but he was
thinking with passion: my God!
How l envy you! To be as you are
fresh, ardent, clean and to fall in
love with such a creature" Then,
aloud, in the same quiet tone, he con-
tinued: You're fortunate, Burgess;
you're keen about your work, and
you've fallen in love with the right
woman"
With that he got up, and, bidding
Burgess good night, e out of the
room.
Next morning, when they met at
breakfast, Hugo spoke of nothing but
their prospects for a days sport. LII
nse are allowed to hunt in cou-
pies. Two men, joining forces, each
contributing a beater and a dog, are
not only likely to kill more game, but
to kill time much more amusingly.
Moreover, Burgess had discovered
that Hugo had an astonishing knowl-
edge of the habits and habitat of wild
things and a willingness to lmpart
that knowledge to a pupil. The long
tramps, the good or i'll fortune of the
day, the intimate hours spent in dis
cussing the sport these had ripened
acquaintance into friendship in less
than a fortnight.
At ten o'clock they met Tom Hen.
best and Jaspar Mowland, Burgess
beaten, at the Gibbet. Years before,
the gibbet had been cut down by q
drunken sailor, but the hole in which
it had stood still remained. Upon It
had swung the skeleton Of the last
Englishman hanged in chains. Toms
grandfather, 1t seemed, had known
the scoundrel, who had robbed an old
woman, and then set fire to her cot
tage.
idulc uSCu w zap Tx Snui, he
did, and aIlus he'd say: How bee'st
JIM And then the tits 'ud fly u o
the eye sockets. Never no more than
that: How bee'st, Jim?'"
"Ugh!" said Burgess.
There's a many wouldn't come
nigh here now" said Tom. "Jaspar
wouldn't, would zee Jaspar?"
sid as lief go around t'other way,
admitted Mr.. Mowland. He also, like
Henbest, was a true forester, a gath
erer of bracken, a taker of odd jobs
with gypsy blood in his veins, and
gypsy superstition in his long, melan
choly head. Mowland refused to soar
his face on Good Friday POSSIBLY OF
other days. because there is a legend
among Forest gipsies that Christ
upon the day of his cruci1xion, hac
, some soapsuds thrown in his face.
!, It was a still December morning
The Forest, so much as could be seer
of it, wore it's beautiful winter liver!
: of blue and silver. Against the pal'
amber of the southern sky the top
of the Scotch frs looked like exquis
, lite point lace. Distant woods were o
: palest cobalt, the yews and hollies IL
| +, tllC " lCSi Il otoou u III SSAiN iAo
60. Between these two tints were re
' vealed the subtlest gradations of col
or. Much rain had fallen during TIN
$ preceding week and out o fthe alder'
in the bottoms a woodcock woult
i surely be flushed; farther on one wa
likely to get a shot at a jack-snipe.
They passed through a noble WOO
i of oak, planted by William III for tn
}, purpose of making battleships. No
very far away, the first clump of frs
set out about & hundred years later
d stood boldly against the sky. Burgess
was familiar with the history of tn
Forest of VS.; and Hugo, for his par
pointed out a hen barrier beating tn
ground like a setter provided wit
wings. Henbest now and again cor
s tributed some curious item. He Gale
Hugo's attention to the innumerabl
]! thornbushes growing beside the youn
oaks.
"They thorns keep the deer an
cattle from the tender trees he sale
g. pvt u,bap tho oaks hip enough I