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


teresi kept him dumb: the feeling that
Panchita was there kept him happy.
He took her to parties aud dances
and TO church He tried-oh, no man
ever tried so hard TO be young as Dry
Valley did He could not dance, but
he invented smile which he wore Oh
these joyous occasions. smile that
In him was as great concession &c
mirth and gayety as turning hand
springs would be IN another. He be
gan to seek the company OF the young
men In the town. even Of the boys
They accepted him as decided dam
per. for his attempts at sportiveness
were so forced that they might as well
have essayed their games In a cathe-
dral. Neither he nor any other could
estimate what progress he had made
with Panehita.
The end came suddenly In one day.
as often disappears the false after
glow before November sky and wind.
Dry Valley was TO call for the girl
one afternoon at @ for walk. An
afternoon walk In Santa Rosa was a
feature OF social life that called for
the pick Of ones wardrobe. So Dry
Valley began gorgeously to array him
self; and so early that he finished
early. and went over TO the O'Brien
cottage As he neared the porch on
the crooked walk from the gate he
heard sounds Of revelry within. He
stopped and looked through the honey
suckle vines I'm the open door.
Panchita was amusing her younger
brothers and sisters. She wore a
mans clothes-no doubt those Of the
late Mr.. O'Brien. On her head was
the smallest brothers straw hat dec
GRATED with an Ink striped paper band
On her hands were Tapping yellow
cloth gloves. roughly cut out and sewn
for the masquerade. The same ma
terial covered her shoes. giving them
the semblance Of tan leather. High
collar and flowing necktie were not
omitted.
Panchita was an actress Dry Val
ley saw his atfectedly youthful gait.
his limp where the right shoe hurt
him. his forced smile. his awkward
stimulation Of gallant air, all repro
duced with startling fidelity. For the
first time mirror had been held up
to him The confederation of one OF
the youngsters calling, Mamma, come
and see Pancha do like Mr.. Johnson
was not needed.
As softly as the caricatured t8ns
would permit, Dry Valley uptoed back
to the gate and home again.
Twenty minutes after the time ap-
pointed for the walk Panchita tripped
demurely out her gate in thin. trim
white lawn and sailor hat She stroll
ed up the sidewalk and slowed her
steps at Dry Valleys gate. her man.
ner expressing wonder at his unusual
delinquency.
Then out Of his door and down the
walk strobe. not the polychromatic
victim OF lost summertime. but the
sheepman rehabllltated. He wore his
old gray wooden shirt, open at the
throat bis brown duck trousers stuffed
into his overrun boots. and his white
felt sombrero ON the back Of his bead.
Twenty years or flfy he might look,
Dry Valley cared not His light blue
eyes met PanchIta's dark ones with
cold fash In them. He came as far
as the gate. He pointed with his long
arm to her house.
Go home" said Dry Valley. go
home to your mother. wonder light
MIN don't strike a fool like me. Go
home and play In the sand. What
business have you got cavortin' around
with grown men; | reckon ] was
locoed to be maxim he poIl.parrot out
OF myself for a kid like you, Go home
and don't let me see you no more.
Why done II. will somebody tell met
Go home and let me try and forget H."
panchiia obeyed and walked slowly
toward Der home. saying nothing. For
some distance she kept her bead turn
ed and her large eyes tlxed intrepidly
upon Dry Valleys. Al Der gate she
stood for a moment looking back at
him. then ran suddenly aud swiftly
into the house.
Old Antonia was building a IRE In
the kitchen stove. Dry Valley stopped
At the door aud laughed hashly
I'm a pretty looking old rhlnoceros
to be gefln' stuck on a Kid. sin't l.
'Tonia r said he.
"No, verree good thing" agreed An
tonia ssgely. for too much old man 10
likee muchaehn"
you bet II sln't." said Dry Valley
vrimly IT'S dun fooiishness. and.
besides II hurts"
He brought al one arfnful the regalia
n bis alteration. the biue tennis suit
shoes. bat gloves and all. and threw
hem In a Pile At An,onis's feet
Give them 10 Jour CID mad" said
be, 10 hunt antelope In"
Just as The srsi star presided palels
5ver the twilight Dry Valley got BIS
biggest strs berry book and sat on tbs