Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-25

stone on the road of progress. The
first came on that day, when with
~ the rest of the settlers in a South
western hamlet, he went out to view the arrival
of the United States Governments camel herd
advocated and sponsored by Secretary of War
Jefferson Davis to overcome the difficulties in
the transportation of war materials to isolated
military pos.s on the Western plains.
Jem was so small that he did not scorn the
support offered by his mothers draggled calico
skirt. as he stumbled along beside her over the
deeply rutted road to the edge of the town.
Al always, his mother paid no attention to mis-
breathless endeavor to match her headlong
speed. Meg Brown was generally alluded to
by the men of the settlement with the lenient
adjective of f1ighty; the women were not so
tolerant.
Commented Storekeeper Smith to his wife:
"Quit pickin' on Meg. Sallie! She can't help
it that she amt bright!'
"She's bright enough to get along without
dom enough real work to keep her blood cir
~culatin',' replied his wife, grimly-and spoke
the truth. Mrs. Browns methods Of gaining a
livelihood were as vague as her explanations
concerning her former habitation, her widowed
state. and Jem's paternity.
She can't remember her own Stories" Mrs.
Smith had asserted more than once when her
husband attempted to laugh away Meg Browns
cratic behavior.
well, I reckon Jem's pa must a-been q
pretty good sort, cause Jem had to take after
somebody-an' he's too steady to favor his ma.
Have you ever noticed how crazy that little kid
is about mountains?"
Childless Mrs. Smith nodded and wistfully
voiced an old wonderment: How come such
q triflin' woman to have such a good hild?
She wondered it again on this morning when,
with the rest of the townsfolk, she awaited
the arrival of the first camel train. Jem had
sided shyly over to her, slipping a small grimy
hand into hers. His mother, lost in the en-
joyment of vociferous argument concerning
the camels origin, had completely forgotten
his existence.
bill Smith told me they come to America
on a navy ship from foreign parts. an they
got a parcel o. black drivers with emf Meg
Brown quoted, shrilly. Bill says as how they
couldn't never build a railroad cross the coun-
try, count of the desert, an it bein' too far
between waterin' places-but camels don't need
no water!"
'There amt nuthin' livin' that don't need
some water y commented Mrs. Bill Smith with
IN emphasis entirely disproportionate to the
subject under discussion.
Meg Brown instantly agreed with her adj
versary: That's what I told Bnl-but you
know how he isl"
ENSUED a silence, broken by some ones dis
covery of the first glimpse of the approach
ing camels, and as they came slowly nearer
silence again descended. Jem Brown, observ-
ing four dark-skinned Arab drivers, strength
ened his grasp upon the hand of his friend,
The storekeeper's wife, as he watched the
cameleers dismount.
Meg Brown boldly approached the blond
Texan in charge: Hello! Glad to see you!
Say, what're they achieving?
Amt they proud-lookin'?" She smiled with
angratiating friendliness.
tn man in charge recognized her type.
"Sure, sister! They've been naughty an set
up ever since We branded 'em!"
She welcomed his pleasantly with loud
Laughter. Say, wasn't there no new camels
where them came from? These look so kinda
rough an ragged-didn't they have no sleek
ones"
You're smart, amt you?" His tone was re-
sentIul. THESE Is the pick of the camel crop!
That big Teller there was a present to the
United States from the King of Tunis-and
kings don't give away no secondhand camels!"
He paused to glance down at the fascinated
Jem. Say. young Teller, how'd you like for
me 10 INT you up on one of the camels?"
Then, as the little boy drew back, the camel
man addressed the storekeeper's wife: your
kids shy, ma'am."
Meg Brown had no intention of relinquishing
any advantage she might gain with the mas
terful stranger: amt hers. He's mine!"
well, bein' shy, he sure don't favor youl"
commented the Texan, and turned away to
give some directions concerning the care of
the camels for the night.
Having looked their fill. the people began
70 disperse. Meg Brown stayed on. The man
N charge had attracted her yagrant interest: