Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-08

DAY. Octoper D. 1910. 8
endurably near, one and another would
break and wheel, and trot with high
head, whinnying, around the corral
close to the fence. Then, when Perez
had one fast, one end Of his rope
around the glossy neck. and slowly
working toward him, hand over hand,
finally touched the velvety head, how
the creature started, swerved tried
to back, and felt the jerk Of the halter.
It made me think of the way the pris-
oner had started when the policeman
touched his arm. At first their nervous, I,
proud, FESTIVE airs reminded me con-
stantly OF that strange person; and .
MT only the colts, but some times it
was some drifting shadow OF cloud. !
some color or some sound, that mex .
plicably brought him up to mind; and
I would plague myself with wondering
what was going on In the city, and ],
what was to become of him. But as the !.
days passed and no newspapers came
from the city-at least I saw none
and no letters to remind me of what
was happening there, / recalled him
less and less distinctly. He remained
in my mind but as sort OF dream;
things about me reminded me only OF
themselves, and became absorbed In
picking out new saddle horse, and
searching the meadows over to see It
the Mariposa lilies were coming up
this year in their accustomed places.
Splendid fields in early spring filed
with wild flowers stretched down to-
ward the bay, but close around the
house were the somber and, to ma,
EEL ~ o0lr Nj
wander away until had lost sight OF
saw nothing around me but dark
trunks, crooked elbows OF boughs and
sweeping leaves, was my delight
loved to crown myself with their white
boards of moss, and fancy was walk |
ing through cathedral aisle, a prin-i +
cess going to be married. But. where!
as had never needed to imagine al
bridegroom before-myself and the
crown had been enough-now my imag1
ination insistently placed figure walk,
ing beside me, or coming to meet me-
under the solemn roof Of branches
had to abandon my crown, and run
races with myself before could leav0l
the figure behind. .
On the whole 1t was safer, founf,f
just now not to imagine too much, but
instead, while father was there TO take
long rides with him into the San |
Mateo Hills; and. after he had genes
shorter excursions In the vicinity OF
the town. Or else to walk with Abby In
the morning down. the broad Embar-l
cadero Road to the little wharf on the
bay. It was charming enough there
when all was idle, with white ndobei
huts, and dark faces sleeping in the /
sun, and the lap Of the tide on ths'
breakwater. But when ship xasi /
coming in, or was loading to get ont. /
the Embarcadero filled the eye-cavts
backing up with vegetables; casks be-
ing rolled out OF the wharf with q hol-s
low reverberating sound; hallooings
from the boat; and then round sho
would swing, with tremendous snap
ping of canvas, while the shadow OF
her brown sails. patched with red.
lOated over all. !. sg$s
/ The country, ana especially the conn
try in spring. seems to have q way Of
making the place where one has lived
before very unreal and far distant;
Two weeks OF such dreamy living
drifted thes city, and the violent things
that had been done there SO far be-
hind me that / could think OF them
without a tremor could even think
of my own part in them as Il It had
happened in play.
Then one evening, just before dark.
a boy on heavily .lathered horse rode
| up to the piazza steps, and. like the
messenger In. novel, handed me Z
letter. It was from father. Have
everything in readiness to start to- !
morrow morning. he wrote. I shall
expect you at the house at six-thirtyl
tomorrow night without fail. : This let-i
ter threw me into q fiutter Of excite-i
ment was accustomed to short notice |
orders from father, orders that carried
no explanations; but they had always
been sent through the mails. A messen.s
ger meant great need Of haste. rect
ognozed him as fathers ONCE boy. Was
my father i'll, asked.
No. he was in excellent health.
(To be Continued.)