The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-02-20
Red Saunders
HENRY WALLACE PHILLIPS 'H'
COPYRIGHT 1902 BY MCCLURE u COMPANY

SO he can crawl out through the codI
hole, as is sometimes done. Now, ev-
erybody run away and have a good
time, for | don't like 10 talk this yappl
any more than you like 20 hear IL
Kola geus. By-by.'
1t was very successful picnic.
They spent the afternoon in wander
ing around in the usual picnic fashion,
developing appetites, until II occurred
to Red to liven the performance by
showing them the art Of roping as
practiced upon an old cow found in
the woods. AS a spectacle il was q
failure. The combined efforts OF all
the hooting small boys could not make
that COW run. She even stretched her
neck toward Red, as though saying:
Hurry up with your foolishness. |
have cud TO chew and can't stand
here idle all day" SO Red golloped
by and threw the moose over her head
as all exhibition of how the thing was
done rather than how ii ought 10 he
done. Nevertheless picnic parties are
not hypercritical In the matter Of
three encores. The last time he missed
his cast through Overconfdence. where
at the old COW tossed her head and tail
In the air and tore off ut an elephan-
tine gallop. with bawl that sounded
to Red nightly like derision.
burned II she amt laughing a t me-
he cried. But as a matter Of fact it
was hornet and its unmistakable
sting that injected this activity into
her system.
1t was all very pleasant to Miss Mat
tie. as ones first picnic In may years
should be. She enjoyed the crisp green
sod the great trees standing around,
parklike, with the sunlight falling be-
tween their shade like brilliant tat
tiers of cloth Of gold, while from the
near distance came the tiny shouting
Of cool waters. They had a camp fire
at night. making the moonlight still
more mysterious and remote 10y con
trast. The quartet Of strings played
for the ears Of those who cared TO
listen and for the legs of those who
chose to take chances on tripping their
light fantastic toes over tree roots in
the grass.
Red loved music, and he loved the
night. The poetic side of his memo
ries of watching the Dipper swing
around Polaris while he sung the COWS
to sleep came back to him. In his
mind he saw the vast prairie roll on to
infinity. saw the mountains stand out
a world of white peaks, rising from a
sea Of darkness. Again he heard thu
plaintive shrllling Of an Indian whistle
or the song of the lad down creek
lance.
Having good time, MattieT' he
asked, with smile
1.-THE best l ever had, Will" she an
swered. smiling back unsteadily.
Poor lady. The size Of an occasion Is
SO many standards. whether the stand
ard be inches or feet or miles. Miss
Mattie's events had been measured in
hundredths of an inch. and II took
good many of them To cover so small
an action as Il successful picnic on Il
beautiful night. Her eyes Were hui
mid; her mouth smiled and dropped at
the corHers alternately. Red felt her
happiness with a keen sympathy. and.
as he looked ut her, suddenly she
changed in his eyes. Just what the
difference was he could not have told.
nor whether it was In her or in him
A sudden access OF feeling undetin-
able, unplaceable, but strong. pos
sessed him. There is critical tenn
perature in the life of man. when
no amount Of pressure can ever make
the more expansive emotions assume
the calmer form of friendship. There
was something in Miss Mattie's eye
which had warmed Red to that de-
gree. but he didn't know it. He only
knew that he wanted TO sit rather UNI
necessarily close beside her. and that
he would be sorry when it came time
to go home And he was very silent.
During the drive back To the house
he spoke in monosyllables; he went
straight To the barn with Lettis after
ward, and made no attempt TO ta.1e
the usual frank and hearty good night
kiss.
"You're as glum as an oysterw said
Lettls, when they reached their quar-
tiers. Whats the matter, old MANI
IL don't know. Let: | feel Kind Of
quiet, somehow"
sick? Or something go wrong:'
"No; nothing of the kind. It's just
sort OF ain attack of, stiffness. but |
feel dunn good"
Lettis laughed. "If it wasn't you.
Red, I'd say you We're in love" he
said.
1t was well the barn was dark, or he
would have seen change wonderful
to behold come over the ex-puncher's
face. "The lad has hit it," he said
to himself in establishment; aloud he
grunted ''hunh" scornfully. and
aroused himself for an unnecessary
joke or two
Miss Matte had noticed the attack
OF stiffness" and Immediately tried 10
fasten the blame upon herself What
had she done? She couldn't recall
anything. She remembered she had
said something about the way his hair
looked with tho moon shinino o, a.