Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-02-23
D7zo
S SCARLET PLAGUE
q JACK !, K: Nd! N!

by the board of magnates. It must
have been one Of the last coins minted,
for the Scarlet Death came in 2013.
Lord! Lord!-think Of It! Sixty years
ago, and am tho only person alive
today that lived in those times. Where
did you find it. Edwin?"
The boy. who had been regarding
him with the tolerant curiousness
one accords to the prattlings Of the
feeble-minded. answered promptly:
Il got it off Hoo-Hoo. He found
it when we was herdin' goats down
near San Jose last spring. Hoo-Hoo
said it was money. Amt you hungry,
Granser?"
The ancient caught his staff in a
tighter grip and urged along the trail.
his cid eyes shining greedily.
II hope Hare-Lip's found a crab :.
or two" he mumbled. They're good
eating, crabs. mighty good eating
when you've no more teeth and you've
got grandsons that love their old
grandsire and make a point Of catch
lUk CIdUS lOl WHICH, W do q
boy
But Edwin, suddenly stopped by
what he saw. was drawing the bow
string on fitted arrow. He had
paused on the brink of crevasse in
the embankment An ancient culvert
had here washed out, and the stream.
no longer confined, had cut passage
through the fill On the opposite side.
the end Of rail projected and over
hung. It showed rustily through the
creeping vines which overran it. Be
yond, crouching by bush, rabbit
looked across at him in trembling hesl-
fancy. Fully fifty feet was the dis
lance. but the arrow flashed true;
and the transfixed rabbit. crying out
In sudden fright and hurt. struggled
painfully away into the brush. The
boy himself was fash Of brown skin
and flying fur as he bounded down
the steep wall of the gap and up the
other side. His lean muscles were
springs of steel that released into
graceful and efficient action. A hun
dred feet beyond, in a tangle of BUSH
es. he overlook the wounded creature.
knocked its head on convenient
tree trunk and turned it over to Gran
ser to carry.
RABBIT is good, very good" the
ancient quavered, but when 1t comes
to toothsome delicacy prefer crab.
When l was boy"
why do you say so much that
amt got no sense?" Edwin impatient
ly interrupted the others threatened
sarrulousness.
What want to know" Edwin con-
tinued, lis why you call crab tooth
some delicacy'! Crab is crab, amt 1t?
No one l never heard calls it such
funny things"
The old man sighed but did not an
swer, and they moved on in silence.
The surf grew suddenly louder. as
they emerged from the forest upon
stretch of sand dunes bordering the
sea. A few goats were browsing
among the sandy hillocks. and a skin.
clad boy, aided by a wolfish-looking
dog that was only family reminiscent
Of q collie. was watching them.
The old man, accelerated his pace.
shifting eagerly as he neared the fire.
"Mussels!" he muttered ecstatically.
"Mussels! And amt that crab. Hoo
Hoo? Amt that crab? My, my.
you boys are good to your old grand.
sire"
Hoo-Hoo who was apparently Of the
same age as Edwin, grinned
All you want, Granser. got four"
The old mans palsied eagerness
was pitiful. Sitting down in the sand
as quickly as his stir limbs would let
him. he poked large mussel from the
Goals. The heat had forced its shells
apart, and the meat. salmon colored,
was thoroughly cooked. Between
thumb and forefnger. in trembling
haste, he caught the morsel
and carried it to his mouth But 1t was
too hot, and the next moment was vio-
lently elected The old man spluttered
eyes and down his cheeks.
The boys were true savages, posses
sing only the cruel humor. Of the saw
age. To them the incident was excru-
ciatingly funny, and they burst into
loud laughter. Hoo-Hoo danced up and
down, while Edwin rolled gleefully on
the ground. The boy with the boats
came running to Join in the fun.
"Set 'em to cool, Edwin, set EN- to
COOL" the old man besought. in the
midst of his grief, making no attempt
to wipe away the tears that still flowed
from his eyes. "And cool crab. Ed
win, too. You know your grandsire
likes crabs"
From the Goals great sizzling,
which proceeded from the many mus.
sells bursting open their shells and ex.
uding their moisture. They were large
shellflsh, running from three to six
inches in length. The|boys raked them
out with sticks and placed them on q,
large piece Of driftwopd to cool.
when was a boy we did not laugh
at our elders; we respected tLem."
The boys took no notice, and Gran.
ser continued to babble an incoherent
Tow Of complaint and censure. But
this time he was more careful. and did
not burn his mouth. All began to eat.
using nothing but their hands and
making loud mouth noises and lip
smackings. The third boy. who was
called Hare-Lip, slyly deposited . pinch
of sand ON p mussel the ancient was