Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-02-13
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/ Valiancy of Pretty
Callie 'Thaxter
BY CHARLES SLOAN REID
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DROT. AARON WILTSHIRE wore
L large, tortoise-shell trimmed glasses.
He was near-slghted, even with the
aid of his glasses, else he would not
have scaled the rail fence that In
closed the small meadow where Bum
gamers shorthorn bill mad his exclu-
sive range. There we're not more
than four acres In the little pasture;
and the professor might have gone
around the fence with little loss OF
time. and with considerably more safe
ty. Iiut he had chosen to cut across
the meadow toward the BuZzard- Roost
Rock where he hoped to find some
mineral specimens which might prove
worthy of his attention. Bumgarners
bull had no more respect for col
lege professor than for belligerent
poodle; and the aged man had not
reached the middle of the pasture be-
fore the shorthorn had charged down
upon him from the shade Of a single
chestnut oak which grew short dis
lance from the fence at the right.
Just behind Professor Wiltshire, as
he had come down the trail toward
the meadow fence, had come Callie
Thaxter Callle was eighteen, with
face as sunny as May-day morning,
with her glowing cheeks, white, even
teeth, and eyes of the warmest brown.
Callie had paused. with a quick In.
take of breath, when she saw the pro-
lessor mount the fence. Once she was
on the point Of shouting warning to
him; but II occurred to her that he
must have known the bull was there,
and doubtless had his own ideas about
evading an Onrush. Then, wher she
saw the huge animal preparing for
the charge, she realized that Mr.. Will
shire could not have known Of the an
imal's presence. She shouted with all
of her lung power. The professor
looked about him. AT that instant a
terrific roar fell upon his ears-and
he saw the avalanche of horns, heels
and animal bulk bearing down upon
him. The old man turned about to
make as hasty a retreat as possible.
"I.ord," exclaimed Callie, hits
tibet nice young mans dad, as stays
over to fuckers"
Young Wiltshire had talked to Callie
a few days before, for long while,
about birds and butterflies, trees and
flowers. Now, the nice young mans
father was In danger. A stout hick-
ory pole lay a few feet away from
Callie. 1t had been cut for a wagon
brake stick, and evidently thrown
away for better one.
Callie's gaze lighted upon the stick
in the first instant Of her sweeping
go to Professor Wilshire's rescue.
With the club In her hands she was
over the fence In an instant Of time,
and with the improvised weapon up
raised In her stout young hands she
sprang forward to meet the oncoming
torrent OF eighteen hundred pounds of
animal yiciOusness. There was a
whir in the air, rs Callie's cudgel de-
scrlbed a circle above her head The
next instant the rough and heavy end
of II had come down directly across
the muzzle Of the enraged animal.
From the side of Black Rock. half
mile away. Tom Wiltshire had been
training his field glass upon the 1.-THE
figure Of Callle Thaxter, rs she made
her way toward Bumgarner's bull pas
ture
"A pure mountain lily" he ex.
claimed; innocent of every vile. and
pure as the air she breathes. Why
deny myself the Joy of loving herr
With a little coaching In her English
and In the art Of dress. she would
grace palace
So Tom was muslng. when the field
Of his vision suddenly developed new
features Tragedy had stalked In.
The whole situation of II had been
revealed In one sweep Of the lenses.
He had seen the girl leap the fence
with the club 10 her hands. and had
seen her deliver the blow upon the
bulls nose. The glass clattered from
Tom Wilshire's hands, and he fled
down the mOuntalnside In long leaps.
His heart seemed striving to escape
through his throat. The most madden.
ing fears assailed him, and most Of
these were not on his fathers account.
As Tom leaped from among the
shrubbery adjacent to the meadow
fence, he found an old man. trembling
from shock, sitting upon some moss
outside The fence. A young girl stood
beside him apparently unrufIied by her
very narrowing experience.
81 reckon yuh'll he all right time
yuL rest up bit" she was snying;
"an' tibet varmInt'll remember the
whack he got for long time. Yuh
see, eff yuh can land crack like thet
right across a bulls nose bone, it'll
make him sick enough to die for
awhile"
Tom Wiltshire halted in front OF
Callle Thaxter. Suddenly he seized
her hands. my dad owes his life to
you, girl !" he cried. ALREADY, I was
in love with you. Now. want you
for my Ownw
Callie found herself hnlf smOthered
against Toms shoulder. Professor
Wiltshire staggered TO his feet and
came forward.
Boy" he exclaimed, ~ am proud
OF you-your heart and brain are
working well together"
C0llie looked up shyly into the eyes
beaming down upon her 40 lovingly,
then buried her glowing cheeks once
more against Toms shoulder.
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