Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1919-03-28

saw it.
1t was coiled right at Miss Amanda's
back. She did not see it, for she was
quite as intent upon keeping her face
turned from Mr.. Stage as he had been
determined to ignore her presence.
Carolyn May was shaking and help
less. Not SO Prince. He repeated his
challenging growl and then sprang
at the vibrating head. Miss Amanda
uttered stifled scream and jumped
up from the log, whirling to see what
was happening behind her.
Joseph Stage dropped Carolyn Nays
hand and leaped forward with his
walking stick raised to strike. But
the mongrel dog was there first. He
wisely caught the blacksnake behind
the head, his strong, sharp teeth sew
ering it's vertebrae.
"Good dog" shouted Mr.. Stage ex.
citedly. "Fine dog!"
"Oh, Miss Amanda I" shrieked Caro-
Ign May. I'll thought he was going
to sting you'll did"
She ran to the startled woman and
chung to her hand. Prince nosed the
dead snake. Mr.. Stage looked exceed
ingly foolish. Miss Amanda recovered
her color and her voice simultaneously.
"What brave dog yours is, little
GIRL" she said to Carolyn May. "And
I do so despise snakes!" Then she
looked directly at Mr.. Stage and
bowed gravely. II thank you," she
said, but so coldly, SO Carolyn May
thought. that her voice might have
come 'just off an iceberg"
"Oh, didn't do anything-realIy
didn't" stammered the man. ut was
the dog"
Both looked very uncomfortable.
Joseph Stage began to pick up the
scattered chestnuts from the over.
turned basket. The lady stopped and
whispered to Carolyn May:
"Come to see me, my dear. want
to know you better"
Then she kissed Carolyn May and
slipped quietly away from the brook,
disappearing quickly in the under
growth.
Joseph Stagg and the little girl
went on across the stepping stones
while Prince splashed through the
water. Carolyn May was thinking
about Miss Amanda Parlow and she
believed her Uncle Joe was, too.
"Uncle joe" she said, would that
bad old snake have stung Miss
Amanda?
"Huh? No; reckon not" admitted
Mr.. Stage absent-mindedly. "Black,
snakes don't bite. A big one like that
can squeeze some"
"But you were scared of it-like me
and Prince. And for Miss Amanda
said Carolyn May very much in ear
nest.
Il guess most everybody is scared
by the sight of snake, Car'lyn May
but you were scared for Miss
Amanda's sake-just the same as ]
was" repeated the little girl decidedly
"Well?" he growled. looking away,
troubled by her insistence.
"Then you don't hate her, do your
the child pursued. I'm glad of that
Uncle Joe, for like her very much
l think she's beautiful lady,"
To this Uncle Joe said nothing.
Il guess" thought Carolyn May
wisely, "that when two folks love each
other and get angry the loves Their.
just the same. Getting mad doesn't
XIII 1t; 1t only makes 'em feel worse
poor Uncle Joe! Poor Miss Aman
da! Maybe II they'd just try to looh
up and look for brighter things they'd
get over being mad and be happ,
again."
When Uncle Joe and Carolyn MAY
returned from this adventurous wall
Mr.. Stage went heavily into his owr
room, closed the door and even locked
1t. He went over to the old-fashionet
walnut bureau that stood against the
wall between the two windows ant
stood before 1t for some moments IL
an attitude Of deep reflection. Finally
he drew his bunch of keys from his
pocket and opened one of the two
small drawers in the heavy piece OF
furniture-the only locked drawe,
there was. He drew forth tintype
picture, faded now, but clear enough
to show him the features of the two
individuals printed on the sensitized
plate
His own eyes looked out of the pho |
tograph proudly. They were much |
younger eyes than they were now.
And the girl beside him in the pic |
ture! Sweet as a wild rose, MANDY
Parlow's lovely, calm countenance |
promised all the beauty and dignity
her matured womanhood had achieved
MANDY! Mandym he murmured
over and over again. "Oh, Mandy
Why? Why?'
He held the tintype for long, long
time in his hand. gazing on it with
eyes that saw the vanished years
rather than the portraits themselves
Finally he hid the picture away again.
closed and locked the drawer with n
sigh and with slow steps left the
room.
II Carolyn learns from simple
Chef Gormley some things about