The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-10-01

away sho shi0'ihS hAn0Ss Az Was W |
such vigilance that Elizabeth had, each
year, crop that was the wondar Of her
neighbors.
But this year the days followed one
another with none Of tho white figs
preserved in ginger, or the purple ones
with lemon. The aprieots had yellowed
the ground, the peaches fell bruised
while the fruit shelves went empty.
This was the reign Of the automobile.
The sprengerei ceased to send out its
quick growing fronda The begonia
leaves curled and lost their luster; the
pergola changed from cool retreat to
common, homemade clutter; the wal
nuts lay upon the ground ungathered,
while the museat grapes refused to be-
como raisins, but mildewed on the roof
for the lack Of Elizabeth's care.
Yet there were ridesl They sped
through the white moonlight; over the
prone, purple shadows Of tho eucalyp-
tus -bordered roads. They whirled past
acres and acres Of oranges where fitful
far breezes came winnowing through
the smells Of the many fragrant groves
They rode to the very base Of tho mar
velous Sierra Madres till the time when
the snow fell on the mountains. Then
tho amethystine glow of the peaks grew
white-they were alabaster steps lead
ing through the azure to the throne OF
the Most High
No matter what the Joy upon the
road, the homecoming was never quite
the same as it had been in the fugitive
spring days which they remembered
with Jane and jerry.
"How can w help missing themf
We loved them o." Elizabeth said.
"Why, we began loving them - soon
a. we were married when We took our
wedding trip after them down 10 Ban
Diego. The first time Beth ever left
the house whom she was . baby vss to
ride after them. They wore always the
best sort Of company.
can summer whom have frightened
away the birds, tho first friends / saw
in the morning were Jane and Jerry.
Every morning till they wont sway
they would stick their dea, old noses
through the bars and show mo that
they were As glad to see ms ~ I was
to see them. Jane would nieksr up to
me on tho sleeping porch and say
Good morning as plain a. could be.
But now that dead, ugly auto stands
there and does nothing, just Like an OLD
dummy. Even when we ride tn It, 1t
is not as cozy as our little road wagon
used to be with Jane and Jerry in front
Of Us three. Beth and bump around
on that big back seat like two popcorns
in pepper. Jane and jerry are alive,
aliyel An auto is nothing but dead. .
Elizabeth ended passionately, and a
purpose crystalized in Georges mind.
A short twilight was already shading
its gray into the black dark Of early
winter. The fog was drifting In, ban
daging the trees like cotton gauza- The
lamps Of the automobile must oe hgnt,
ed before Glennen started. Like great
black beetle, the machine 1t first
crawled from under The pepper tree
then took wings and flew down the
r avenue Of innumerable peppera
Elizabeth watched its flight through
, the marshalled trees Off-bIooms OF
valencias waited their fragrance
I through the homo door; yet home
q sickness that is part Of the Dying sea
:. son wherever it is, overeame her. INT
n scent reminded her of spring nd'
with Jane and Jerry to the Puens'
o Hills where the maidenhair ferns wef'
l like . carpet to tread upon in IN
a small canyon. There tho yellow vioaets
;. shooting stars and lupine studded tn
slopes as thiekly as stars in tho mnk!
i, Wav such a wealth Of beauty 70 brina
home for their garden and feEnery.
"We can never 60 50 far up int
a tho hills with q now auto; for we mign
k get it scratched" she said TO Beth
who was just coming in from pay
i "No," was the mournful reply, "an'
next spring we can't 60 up tho hi
X roads where the mustard blooms, nor Il
the washes where there are miinon
and millions Of flowers. Wen Jus