The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-10-13
4 STRETCHING ADVENTURE.

" ISN'T il a beauty?" was my greet
q as ! strolled one morning into the
loon of our little inn.
1" Isn't what n beauty" answered l.
"This pistol. Elliot bought it in Bay
hne yesterday for my birthday pres
ht. think it's the very prettiest lit
thing of the kind ever saw in my
fe; isn't It, Mr.. Campbell?"
I" NY dear Mrs. Hardingc," l replied,
nazed, "what in the world put it into
our head to want n pistol? What non
Ense! who do you suppose is going to
urt you?"
"I don't know, maybe no one, nor
othing, and / daresay it's very silly;
ut when Pm out sketching or walking
y myself miles away from home, |
hncy shall feel more comfortable If
ave some sort of protector with me,
Though I don't suppose I shall ever
neet with anything dreadful, of course,
r i shouldn't go alone"
~Well," said I, after minute exam
nation, it certainly is perfect little
fiair. Take care you don't shoot your
elf, that's all :" and with laughing
Promise on her part to "try not" we
kent our different ways for an hour or
wo, to prepare rs usual for the cNpedi-
ions of the day.
What blind moles We are! How lit
lie did either she or imagine that be-
ore another day dawned her life would
hang on the way she used that little
revolver; that In few hours her fate
Would be to meet that something
lreadful," so lightly spoken of just
Row, to conquer it, or die one Of the
host horrible deaths possible to be con
eeivedl
We were a very happy pdrje quaJfee
Elliot HardinGe and her wife |, John
Campbell, and mino. We had got tired
BIZ the coast of Biscay, where we hat
spent the early part of the Winter, and
taken to the little villages among tho
Pyrenees, where there was very gool
Fishing, and occasionally plenty of shoot
ing besides. Our wives sometimes ac
companed us on our excursions, bu
Very often mine, who was rather an iii
valid, remained at home, while Mrs
IInrdinge, perfect slave to her color
box, would go out alone, skctching
leaving Elliot and me to our own dcNi
ces.
fJ,l,,,c ~ l,,J koop nrro ppnI for tln fln \
In question. Elliot, his wife, and l start
ed all together; but we two left the Ia
dy ut the entrance of n small vale.
which ran ut almost right angles wit
the tract of country we intend shootin
over, in passing which one day she ha
fancicd some particular view or anothe
would make good subject for pic
ture, and determined to take advanta2
of the warmth of this unluci;y Frida
TO have Il long days work there. AZ
cordingly, We babe each other goOd-bN
and wcnt our separate ways. She, c
course, went armed with her rcvOiYl
and plenty of ammunition; " for VIII
Knows" quoth she laughing, " but thi
may have to kill giant or two bcfoi
] return."
at this point Of my story | mu
change places with Mrs. llardinge, an
lot her tell her own tale rs III told
to us long aftcrward, when she had
rsome measure recovered from the horn
Ale effects Of this terrible day.
"The weather." said she, "was
delicious, and the scenery so beautitu
that, instead of sitting down at once
any work, | wandered on, always belle
ing could cap the present view vii
the one | should get by just climhil
the brow Of the next hill; this o
led to another, and this one to st
another; and | had only just beg'
10 find out that | had straycd mu
further than | had intended, or tina
indeed, was quite safe ut this time
wear, even though | had grand nt
pistol to take care of myself Wit
when | awakened to the very Il
pleasant fact that the sun was rapid
disappearing behind the high mou
tains to the west, and that | shot
soon have only moonlight to help
find my way back again. Of coWr
.sketching was now quite out of
efuess%on, aud turned round sOmeWl
nnxiously to see what way-mark.
could remember to have passed in
morning. Luckily, though long,