Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1920-12-16


Il say" said Brother, 'why couldn't
Sister and I take them over today?
We know the way"
''YOuN are too little to go so far
alone" replied Cousin Nell.
mo, we aren't. We've been over
there three times. It would Just be
fun for u.s."
Cousin Nell thought about it, and
then she said that after all she didn't
suppose there was any good reason
why the children shouldn't go. She
herself couldn't go, because she had
to bake. And she was anxious that
her sister should see such good photo
graphs as soon as possible. So she
said they might go. 1t was one o'clock,
and they had already had their din
ner. They. could be home for supper
by six.
Cousin Nell wrapped up the photo
graphs in a nice parcel, and tied it
with blue baby ribbon, and Brother
put it in his saddle bags.
Saddle bags, as you probably know,
are leather bags meant to hang on
CctNh 1S44G VI u loE-OuG Oh GuCU
shoulder. The two bags balance each
other.
Brother had lent his pony the day
before to a Mexican boy who worked
on the ranch. The Mexican boy had
put something into the saddle bags.
Brother looked in to see what it was.
In each saddle bag was a can of
tomatoes.
"COusfh Nell ~ called Brother.
Cousin Nell came running out, and
Brother held up one Of the cans.
"What do you suppose these are in
here for? Did you send for them"
no." laughed Cousin Nell. "That
is some of the Mexican boys work.
He took them along to drink"
"To drink2"
Eyes, to drink. He went down into
the desert yesterday, and he is so
afraid of getting lost that he always
takes some tomatoes along"
Il shouldn't think anybody would
want to drink canned tomatoes"
Neither should l." said Cousin Nell.
But the ranchmen often carry them
for drink. Let them stay in the bags.
You might get lost yourself"
Brother laughed at this, but he let
the tomatoes stay. Also he put in
some dog biscuit for Aristotle.
The children started Off in great
spirits, and had fine ride for about
two miles. Then they let the ponies
walk, because the road was narrower,
just bride path. There were a good
many bride paths, but Brother was
sure that he knew the right one He
went ahead
Although they were not side by side,
they got to talking. Aristotle was rum
ming on ahead, and they got to talk
ing about him. They talked about his
hunting the lame duck that time they
found the schooner. Then they talked
about many other things that he had
done, and all about him. They kept
watching him as he trotted along, and
talked about his good points. They
were so busy talking about him that
they followed him into the wrong
bride path without knowing 1t. They
went up and up and all the time
thought they were going right They
must have gone wrong for about two
miles more when Brother refined up
and looked around.
'This place looks queer to me-" he
said. 81 don't remember it."
They looked all around very care
fully and made up their minds that
they were off the track. So they turned
round and rode back.
After riding back about a mile they
came to another bride path.
Here we are" shouted Brother.
'4This is the right way. Crickey Pm
glad we came back, for we might have
got lost again."
The new path led down the noun
tain, as / said before.
Down they went. quite sure that
they were right this time. But they
weren't. They were going straight |
down to the desert, and they didn't |
know it. They went down the side Of |
a great gorge, where they could look
ever so far downward to the bottom.
Then they turned to the right around |
the slope of the mountain. 1t was
getting dark now, but they were sure
that presently they would come to the
house.
II guess we shall have to stay all
night" said Brother. "but we can tele-
phone"
In ten minutes they gallOped into
the open desert, and were so aston
ished that they could not say one
word. AS far as they could see In
the gathering shadows there was a
plain. with no houses or trees on It.
Finally Brother said:
did you ever see such luek"
'NO, never did" said Sister. Lets
turn right around and 80 back" l