Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-25

j eral sentiment, he must have been somewhat
chilled by the really glacial reserve Whicn
greeted his arrival i'll Agular; but II he fancled
that the little Colorado town always manifested to
strangers attitude so exclusive and 1ofbiddng' nc
was quite as far afield i'll suspectng himself to be
the object of exceptional social dstavor In point
of fact Aguilar had nothing against Jason Gilmcr;
what it would have called his record was entirely
unknown; it merely wished to demonstrate by means
of a frigid indifference to him, its loyalty to Coiopel
Wiggin.
signed charge Of the Companys store, but this
circumstance did little to temper his admirers reso
lutte aversion for the newcomer. !hc Colonel was
a man of exceeding popularity, and when after eX-
aiming certain specimens of from the Red
River country, he announced his design OF putting
his fortunes to the test OF proof IN the new camp
deep gloom fell on the town which had so ungrudg-
nply paid tribute to his social gifts.
Il hate the worst kind to leave y'all-but when
mans got stuff in his veins like got, a lie or
adventure is Just naturally all he's fit to-, SAID the
Colonel in that rich Southern dialect which, together
with his title, he had acquired during years So
journ in Georgia.
The Colonefs little pretensons in this sort were
quite innocent, being grounded in nothing more
reprehensble than his chdllke admiration Tor lie IN
the State of his adoption But tor that twelve montn
in the South, and the food of romantic tradition with
which it had nurtured the ColonePs starved Con-
nectout fancy, there is no telling whether AguiaF
would have found its idols fascination SO rresiSt-
ible Certainly his rectals must have lacked some,
thing had they been shorn OF the magnolas and
1noonshne and mint julcps which gave them so
much local color And to the elegant protgacy
and mpassione love episodes furnishing lie and
movement TO the Colonels stories of himself, these
things presupposc, it will be seen, a tervor OF the
blood most probable in a land not only favorable in
point of climate but having time for the cultivation
of fine behavior. ,
onels romanticism had been too rare and exquisite
thing not to be widely appreciated When, there
fore the town realized that it would hear no more
of those "dar-eycd daughters of the South who had
figured so sweety in the Colonels narratives, VOW
ing fealty in burning accents to gentleman whose
pa chy figure and bald head did not seem ever to
from his
indeed there was nothing for Aguilar to do, except
10 stand with pocketed hands and souching chin
refusing any comfort save such as lay IN hostity
In this attitude Jason Gmer found the of
his new labors and regarding it, seemed unaware OF
anything queer in the moral atmosphere Inc per
ceoton of que e.rness indeed appeared shortly to be
on the part of his reluctant neghbors for assuredly
there was among them so dull-witted as NOT
to catch at something decidedly odd III the ne"
clerk e,
nothing was known, except that nc had kept c9un
try store somewhere in Kentucky. No glowing hint
of this State, however, clung to his pale gray per-
sonality. His eyes were vague and wide' ana mere
was in his face strangely impressive vacancy that
was like the ghost OF fear and sorrow foredohe
He told tales sang song, drank no drinks gave
no credit Yet, as days went on, though ne won no
hearts all the rancor which had been reserved tor
him SLOWLY vanished and those who had most Loyalty
denovlced him lowered their accent to tone OF at
least passive friendliness =,
When it became known that GIlmer had wite
and daughter who shortly to join HIM in Colo
RADIO the last lingering OF resentment in Colonel Wig
gins adherents departed forever Girls excepting
heavy Mexican variety, were remarkably scarce
in Aguiar; if a real Kentucky maiden were about to
come to town, nothing in way OF gallant attention
would he withheld from her her kinsfolk. Tor
Kentucky though not Immediately contiguous to that
"South" which Colonel Wiggin had painted them IN
large scenic effects, nevertheless removed by
rivers breadth from the absolueand hopeless soclal
,aoidtv which he had figured forth as inevitable to
the North 1t had besides, in certai well known de-
tails a picturesque and enivenlng pre-emmence'
,x,an i1rGprS OH hV
added Il a little the fervor of excitement prevail
ing r town the day announced tor the coming OF
Gilmers family.
about French Giuseppes place. which, commanding
an unob 5tructed view OF the station at Lynn, Two
miles away by the winding prairie road had IN TINS
instance a tremendous advantage OF ITS hve COM
petitors The men stood scanning with VIVID eX-
pectancy the seake stretch of grana, III which like
Dainted buoy the distant red station seemed to be
anchored. When presently, with the effect OF YES
sci below the horizon, fluff of smoke curled above
the northern levels, general exclamation burst
forth,
"Shcs right the dot"
"To the secondly Gee--and road-bed an
ALL" Then the Denver express could be seen drag
qing its tiny wormlike length from the edge OF the
way station and moment later black speck on the
plains resolved itself into the rapidly approaching
mail wagon with its two eTy broncos Co.'s 70 meet the
folks" remarked man. Hi, there, Ramon! stick
vour head in the stc.e and tell Gilmer the folks er
come Tell him he wants to git a move OH him.
Az this Mexican boy rushed to the porch OF the
sxc;ted shout, Senior! Ohe senior the family is
arrive! 1t will reach the bridge even by now!
Sci i senorl it is that you shall rustic" and as
Cline. came FORTH blinking little in the giaring
1;aht the boy moderated his tone to a confidential
note, note adding: "You behold Ap.odac2's wagon eh3
He will haf two passenger, eh? Look senor,
sonora of much fat"
"Heh, Ramon!-ah, that's my good wife. She is "a
little Aeshy, yes. My good wife, Ramon, who comes
to make me a home in the desert" He rubbed his
tbn hands and kind of tender smile ckered in the
o''Te'I "oh the wfc- -and the other3 There will be
'"H SHehf Oh yes. The-the other is-he other is
my-dauRhter."