Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1910-08-12

the fruit trouble In the first free grass
pasture.
THAT was how | acquired cordiali-
ty for the proximities of Miss Willella
Learight. and the disposition grew
larger as time passed. She was stop
ping at Pimienta Crossing for her
health, which was very good. and for
the climate. which was 40 per cent
hotter than Palestine. l rode over to
bee her once every week for awhile.
and then | figured it out that II | dou-
bled the number Of trips l would see
| her twice as often.
zone week slipped in a third trip.
and that's where the pancakes and the
pink eyed snoozer busted into the
game.
That evening while I set on the
counter with a peach and two dam
sons in my mouth asked Uncle Ems
ley how Miss Willella was.
why says Uncle Emsley, she's
gone riding with Jackson Bird. the
| sheep man from over at Mlred Mule
Canada
81 swallowed the peach seed and the
two damson seeds. guess somebody
held the counter by the bride while 1
got off, and then | walked out straight
ahead till | butted against the mes
quite where my roam was tied.
"'She's gone riding l whispered In
my bronc's ear. with Birthstone Jack.
the hired mule from Sheep Mans Can
ada. Did you get that, old Leather
and GallopsT
''That bronc Of mine wept In his
way. He'd been raised COW pony.
and he didn't care for snoozers.
81 went back and said to Uncle Ems
ley, Did you say a sheep manY
"T said a sheep man. says uncle
again. You must have heard tell Of
Jackson Bird. He's got eight sections
of grazing and 1900 head Of the finest
Merinos south Of the arctic circle
81 went out and sat on the ground In
the shade of the store and leaned
against a prickly pear. | sifted sand
into my boots with unthinking hands
while l soliloquized quantity about
! this bird with the Jackson plumage
| to his name.
'T never had believed in harming
sheep man. | see one one day reading
a Latin grammar on hossback. and I
never touched him. They never irri-
tated me like they do most cow men.
And because I'd been lenient and let
'em live here was one going around
riding with Miss Willella Learight!
IAN hour by sun they come Looping
back and stopped at Uncle Emsley's 8
gate. The sheep person helped her off,
and they stood throwing each other
sentences all sprightful and sagacious
for awhile. And then this feathered
Jackson flies up in his saddle and
raises his little stewpot of hat and
trots off in the direction of his NUT
ton ranch. By this time | had turn
ed the sand out of my boots and un-
pinned myself from the prickly pear,
and by the time he gets half mile
out of Pimienta | singlefoots up be,
side him on my bronc.
81 said that snooZer was pink eyed
but he wasn't. His seeing arrange
ment was gray enough, but his eye
lashes was pink and his hair was san
dy, and that gave you the idea Sheep
man? He wasn't more than lamb
man, anyhow-a little thing with his
neck involved in yellow silk hand
kerchief and shoes tied up In bowknots
Afternoon says / to him. You
now ride with an equestrian who Is
commonly called Dead dMoral-Certain
ty Judson, on account of the way
shoot. When | want a stranger tc
know me | always introduce myself
before the draw, for | never did like
to shake hands with ghosts
"'Ah.' says he, just like that-'ah
I'm glad to know you. Mr.. Judson
I'm jackson Bird from over at Miret
Mule ranch. 1t looks like rain
"'Willie,' says l. riding over close tC
his palfrey, your infatuated parents
may have denounced you by the name
of Jackson, but you sure molted int
a twittering Willie. Let us slough of
this here analysis Of rain and the
elements and get down to talk tina
is outside the vocabulary Of parrots
That is bad habit you have got o.
riding with young ladies over at Pimi
enta. I've known BIRDS says l, II
be served on toast for less than that
Miss Willela,' says l, don't eve
,a1t 1f Oh art
wool by a tomtit of the JacksoniaI
branch Of ornithology. Now, are yol
going to quit, or do you wish for Il
gallop up against this Dead-Moral
Certainty attachment to my name
which is good for two hyphens and a
least one set of funeral obsequiesr
jackson Bird flushed up some, ant
then he laughed.
"'Why, Mr.. Judson,' says he, 'you'v,
got the wrong idea. I've called OF
Miss Learight few times, but not fol
the purpose you imagine My objec
Is purely astronomical one.'
81 reached for my gun.
"'Any coyote says l, that woult
boast Of dishonorable'-
"'Wait minute says this Bird, It'll
/ explain. What would do with {
wife? If you ever saw that ranch o.
mine! do my own cooking and mend
Ing. Eating-that's all the pleasure
get out Of sheep raising. Mr.. Judson
did you ever taste the pancakes tha
Miss Learight makesT
"'Me! No. told him. I never wa
advised that she was up to any Gull
nary maneuvers.'
"'They're golden sunshine says be
honey Drowned by the ambrosial fire
Of Epicurus. I'd give two years of m,