Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 326: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

DOLLY ‘He coolly picked up his umbrella and did run—but toward me, not from the beeves. The herd was almost upon me when he arrived, and he plumped down on one knee in the alkali dust and commenced opening and shutting that umbrella with a rapidity that was won- derful. ‘An instant before I would have been willing to swear that nothing under heaven would have broken that line of charging cattle; but they did break, with loud bellows of terror, and fled to right and left, leaving us. there untouched, the fluttering umbrella proving a safeguard for us both. ‘They passed us like the wind, and then Chumley rose to his feet, brushing the dust carefully from his coat and trousers. “* You see that my umbrella is—aw —good for something, sir,’ he remarked coolly, and walked off to where his GRAY. 317 frightened groom sat on his own horse, holding ‘his master’s steed, which he had captured after a mad race in the opposite direction as that taken by the cattle. “Bill and Terry came back and picked me up, and I was laid up at the ranch for a fortnight with my ankle. ‘“ Everybody’s opinion of ‘ His Lord- ship’ immediately rose, especially my own, but we couldn’t get near enough to the fellow to thank him. He was as cold and stiff as ever. “ But’l tell you what it is,’ continued the colonel, tossing the remains of his cigar into the grate, “I ceased from that time forth to trouble myself about the eccentricities of people I met. In fact, I don’t consider it any of my busi- ness how many peculiarities a man may have, for I have discovered that their possession doesn’t necessarily make a man either a fool or a milksop.” “DOLLY GRAY. TWAS a winding woodland way, Where I met you, Dolly Gray, And you passed me with a glance Of your hazel eyes, askance. But you never blushed nor turned, While the heart within me burned; Oh, you knew not how I yearned, ' Dolly Gray! Just a year ago today, Since I met you, Dolly Gray ; And the slightest word I speak Paints a rose upon your cheek, As we wander ’neath the shade Of the winding woodland glade. What a change a year has made, Dolly Gray ! James Buckham. GOH GOOO CO