The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1910-09-08

crunched a luscious berry beiween her
white TEEN. Then she turned and
walked slowly 20 the fence with
swaying. conscious motion. such as
duchess might make use OF IN leading
a promenade There she turned again
and grilled Dry Valley johnson once
more In the dark hame OF her auda-
clous eyes, laughed tribe schoolgirl.
ishly aud twisted herself with panther
lsh quickness between the pickets TO
the O'Brien side OF the gourd vine.
Dry Valley picked up his whip and
went into his house. He stumbled as
be went up the two wooden steps. The
old Mexican woman who cooked his
meals and swept his house called him
TO supper ms he went through the
rooms Dry Valley went on. stumbled
down the front steps, out the gate and
down the road into mesquite thicket
NJ the edge OF town. He sat down In
the grass and aboriously plucked the
spines from prickly pear one by one.
This was his attitude of thought. &C
qured In the days when his problems
were only those of wind and wool and
water
A thing had happened 10 the man
thing that, II you are eligible, you
must pray may pass you by He had
become enveloped In the Indian sum
mer OF the soul.
Dry Valley bad had no youth. Even
his childhood had been one Of dignity
and seriousness AT six he had viewed
the frivolous eambols OF the lambs on
his fathers ranch with silent disap-
prevail His life as young man had
been wasted Aud now in his scar
aud yellow leaf one scornfu look from
the eyes Of Panchita 0Brien had food
cd the autumnal landscape with
tardy and delusiye summer heat
but a sheepman Is hardy animal.
Dry Valley Johnson had weathered
too many northers TO turn his back on
late summer. spiritual or real. Old?
He would show them.
BY the next mail went an order te
Sar Antonio for mn outfit OF the latest
clothes, colors and styles and prices no
object The next day went the recipe
for the hair restorer clipped from n
newspaper, for Dry Valleys sunburn
ed auburn hair was beginning to turn
silvery above his ears
Dry Valley kept indoors closely for a
week except for frequent sallies after
Youthful strawberry snatchers. Then.
few days later, he suddenly emerged
brilliantly radian, In the hectic glow Of
his belated midsummer madness
A jaybird blue tennis suit covered
him outwardly almost as far as his
wrists and ankles His shirt was OF
blood. his collar winged and tall. his
necktie floating ori1amme; bis shoes
a venom0us bright tan. pointed and
shaped on peultentia lasts A little
nni straw hat with striped band des
ecrated his weatherbeaten head. Lem
on colored hid gloves protected his
oak tough hands from the benignani
May sunshine This sad and optic
shifting creature teetered out OF Its
den. smiling foolishly and smoothing
It's gloves for men and angels to see
To such q pass had Dry Valley John
son been brought by Cupid. who al
ways shoots game that Il out OF season |
with an arrow from the CULVER OF |
Menus. demonstrating mythology. be
had rised prisma,ic macaw from the |
ashes Of the gray-brown phoenix that
had folded It's tired wings to roost
under the trees Of Santa Rosa.
Dry Valley paused In the street TO
allow Santa Rosans within sight OF
him 20 be stunned and then deliberate
ly and slowly, as bis shoes required. |
entered Mrs. 0'BrieD's gate
Not until the eleven months drought /
asa Santa Rosa ease talking about |
Dry valley Johnson's courtship Of Pan
rhiia orBrien II was an unclassia.
able procedure something like a com
slnation 81 cskewalklne. deaf and
dumb oraiory. postage stamp Irritation
and parlor charades. II lasted two
weeks and then came 10 a sudden end.
or course Mrs. 0'Brien favored the
match as soon as Dry Valleys in,en-
tons were disclosed. Being the moth
CT Of a woman child and therefore q
chsrter member Of the Ancient onief
u the Rat Trap she joyfully decked
Dui Panchita for the sacrifice. The
sirl was temporarily dszzled by hav.
ng her dresses Heightened and Der
hair piled up 90 her head and came
near forgetting that she was only Q
slice Of cheese. II was nice. too. TO
have A. good match a. Mr.. johnson
aging you attentions and to see the
1ihcr girls nuirerfng the curtains at
heir windows 10 see you 80 BY with
ain
nry ysiley bought a buggy with yei
low wheels and fine uottcr In San
Antonio Every DAP be drove out with
pAHchi,a He was never se~n 10 speak
d Der when they were walking ar
irving The consciousness OF his
.lgshes Eeg' Biz mind busy The tnowl