The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1921-11-18


Its substance being fully In the con-
sciousness Of the writer, he tenderly
folds 1t up and returns 1t to the pack
age-yellow and brittle and faded and
having that curious fragrance of pa
pers that have lain for scores of years
In the gloom and silence Of locked
mahogany drawer. SO alive are these
letters with the passion Of youth In
long forgotten years that the writer
ties the old ribbon and returns them
to their tomb with a feeling Of sad
ness, finding a singular pathos In the
contrast of their look and their con-
tents. They are turning to dust, but
the soul of them has gone into this
little history.
The young man and woman mounted
their horses and resumed their jour
ney. II was after two o'clock. The
Grand Prairie lay ahead of them. The
settlement of Plains End was twenty
one miles away on its farther side.
They could just see Its tall oak trees
in the dim distance.
1--WE must hurry, II we get there
before dark" said the girl. above
all, we must be careful to keep our
direction It's easy to get lost down
in the great prairie"
They heard cat-blrd singing In
n near thicket as they left their camp.
1t reminded BIN of her favorite bal
lad and she sang 1t with the spirit of
old:
my sweetheart. come along
Don't you hear the glad song
AS the notes or the nightingale flow?
Don't you hear the fond tale of the
sweet nightingale
As she sings In the valleys below?
As she sings in the valleys below"
They went on. shoulder-deep in the
tall grass on the lower stretches of
the prairie. Here and there II gave
Harry the impression that he wars
SWIMMING his horse In NOISY, Vivid
green water" They startled "a herd
of deer and q number of Wild horses.
When they lost sight OF the woods
at Plains End the young man, with
his cavalry training, wars able to ride
standing 'esn his saddle until he had II
located.
1t reminded him of riding in the
Everglades and he told of his adven-
lures f1ere as they went on, but very
modesfly. He said not word of his
heroic fight the day that be and sixty
of his comrades were cut Off and sur
rounded in the "land Of the grassy
from other lips.
Lafe In the afternoon the woods
leomed in front of them, scarcely a
mile off Near the end Of the prairie
they came to road which led them
past fhe door Of lonely cabin. 1t
seemed TO be deserted, but its win
dows were clean and a faint column
Of smoke rose from its chimney. There
we're hollyhccks and sunflowers In its
small and clearly dooryard. A morn
ng-glory vine had been trained around
he windows.
BROAD creek is just beyond" said
BIN. 81 don't know how the crossing |
VIII be-"
They came presently to the creek, |
swollen. A man stood |
m the farther shore with some seventy |
eet of deep and rapid water between
lin and the travellers.
THAT man looks like Stephen
yuckles," said Harry.
~It is Stephen Nuckles," BIN an
wered.
-Howdy, Stever' the young soldier
allied.
~Howdy, boyf" said the old minis
er. That ar creek is bilin' over. i
eckon you'll have to swim the hosses."
They tried, but Bins horse refused
, go beyond good footing.
"You kim light at that ar house an
pend the night, but the folks have
one erway,~ the minister called.
81 guess you'll have to marry us
ght here and now" Harry proposed.
Night is coming and that house is
IT only refuge"
Poor boyl There seems TO be no
'cape for your BIN exclaimed with
sigh. do you really and honestly
ant to marry me7 IL there's any
,ubt about 1t I'll leave the horses
it'll you and swim the creek. You
,uld put them in the barn and swim
It'll me or spend the night In the
bin" 4
ats cool evening and the creek
very wet," he answered. I'm GO (
g to. take this matter in my own
nds."
He called to the minister. "Steve,
is is the luckiest moment of my life
d you are just the man of all others n
would have chosen for its most i'm "
'rtant job. Can you stand right b
lere you are and marry us?
'You bet, i kin. suh," the minister Il
swered. I've often said 1 could OF
TRY any one half a mile erway II
" would only talk as loud as kin. lo
e got the good book right here in b,
pocket, sub. My oil woman is b,
MIN. She'll be hyah in a minute "a
70 xx-ffnaco tha parroaIfnsc