Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-07-15

No son Of Powhatan could have stood
there with more dignity, and young
Harry Dafe's face broke into a smile
of welcome. His father being indoors
he went forward with hand out
stretched. H., I'D.
IT am your cousin Harry" he said.
and taking him by the arm he led,him
on tho round Of presentation.
Mrs. Willoughby, may l present my
cousin from Kentucky"
This is your cousin, Miss Katherine
Dale; another cousin, Miss Mary: and
this is your cousin Hugh"
And the young ladies' greeted him
with frank, eager interest. and the
young gentlemen suddenly repressed
patronizing smiles and gave him grave
greeting, for If ever a rapier flashed
from a human head. it flashed from
the piercing black y of that little
Kentucky backwoodsman when his
cousin Hugh, with a rather whimsical
smile, bowed with a politeness that
was a~>trif1e too elaborate. Mrs. Cen
eral Willoughby guessed how the lads
heart was thumping with the effort to
conceal his embarrassment. land when
a tinge OF color spread on. each eide
of his set mouth and his eyes began
to wavcr uncertainty, her intuition
was quick and kind.
Barbara she asked, have you
shown our cousin your ponies?'
The little girl saw her motive and
laughed merrily:
why, 1 haven't had time to show
him anything. Come on, cousin."
The boy followed her down the
steps in his noiseles moccasins. along
a grass path between hedges Of an
cient box, around an ell, and past the
kitchen and toward the stables. At
the gate the little girl call "a. imperi-
ousky:
"Ephraim, bring one of my,ponies!"
And in a moment out cameIa sturdy
little slave whose head was all black
skin, black wool and white teeth. lead
ing two creamy-white little horses
that shook the lads composure at last.
for he knew ponies 80 far back as he
could remember, but he had never
seen the like of them. His land al
most tremb,ed WREN he ran it over
he dropped into his Indian speech and
did not know it until the girl asked
laughingly:
why, what are you saying to my
ponies""
And he blushed, for the little girls
a-tless prattling and friendliness were
already beginning to make him quite
human.
That's 1njun talk"
Hugh had followed them.
Barbara, your mother wants you"
he said, and the little girl turned
toward the house. The stranger was
i'll at ease with Hugh and the latter
knew it.
ut must be very exciting where
you live"
"Oh, fighting Indians and shooting
deer and turkeys and buffalo. 1t must
be great fun"
Nobody does it for fun-it's mighty
hard work"
my luncle-vour father-used to
tell US about his wonderful adven-
lures out there"
He had no chance to tell me-"
But yours must have been more
wonderful than his"
The boy gave a little grunt that was
a survival Of his Indian life. and
! turned to go back to the house.
But all this. l suppose, is as
strange to you?"
More"
Hugh was polite and apparently sin
vaguely disturbed and he quickened
his step. The porch was empty when
they turned the corner Of the house.
but young Harry Dale came running
down the steps. his honest face allgI:t
i and caught the little kentuckian by
the arm.
Get ready for supper. Hush--conoe
on. COUSIN he said. and led the
stranger to his room and pointed ~
the clothes on the bed.
; Don't they nt?" he asked. smi'in: :.
~ don't know don't know how Ii
git into EN-"
Young Harry laughed ~:oyoIziy.
"Of curse not. l wouldn't know
how to put yours on cith"r. You ~.
wait" he cried. and disappeared III
return quickly with an arniful OF
clothes.
Take off YOUR war-dress," he sail.
land I'll show you"
With heart warming to such kind.
ness. and helpless against it. the lad
obeyed like a child and was dressed
Ike a child.
Now. Ive got to hurry said Har-
~. "Ill come back for YOU. Just
look at yourself he called at the
door.
And the stranger did look at the
wonderful vision that a great mirror
as tai as himself gave back. His
eyes began to sting. and he rubbed
! them with the back of his hand and
looked at the hand c~uriously. 1t was
moist. He had seen tears in a wom-
ans eyes, but he did not know that
they could come to a man and he felt
ashamed.