The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1872-03-07

nifying at the same time, that she wished
me to attend to stripping and feeding her
horse This gave US mutually an oppor-
tunity to prepare for the coming interview.
When l returned to NJ guest, she had
laid aside her riding habit, and close gun
bonnet, and stood revealed young beau
tiful, elegantly dressed woman. To my IN
accustomed eyes, she looked a goddess.
Her figure was noble; her eyes large,
black, and melting; her hair long and curl
ing; her manner easy and attractive. She
wa. hungry, she said; would l give her
something to eat And, while / was on
hospitable cares intent, she read to me some
of my Greek poems, especially An ode of
one of the votaries of Diana, with COM
ments by herself. She was splendid
reader. Well, now said Ella, slowly,
with furtive glance at me, and in his pc
culiar nasal tones, you can guess whether
young man, used to the mountains, as |
was, and who had been disappointed and
Tilted as l had been, enjoyed this sort of
thing or not. 1t want in my line, you
see, this entertaining goddesse.; though,
doubtless, in this way, before now, men
have entertained angel. unawares. You
shall judge whether l did.
What with reading, eating together,
singing-she sang Kate Kearney' for me,
! and her voice was glorous-our acquain-
lance ripenel very fast. Finally, | con-
quercd my embarrassment 40 far as to ask
her some questions about herself, and she
told me she was of a good New England
family, raised in aftluence, well educated,
accomplished, but, by freak of fortune,
reduced to poverty; that she had come to
California resolved to get money, and had
got it. She went from camp to camp of
the miners with stationery, and other tri-
fling articles needed by them; sold them
these things, wrote letters for them, sang
to them, nursed them when sick, or carried
letter. express to San Francisco, to be mail
ed. For all these services, she received
high prices, and had also had good deal
of gold given to her in specimens. l ask
ed her if she liked that kind of life, SC
contrary to early training. She answered
me: It's not what we choose that we Sc
lect to do in this world, but what chooses
US to do it. l have made competency
and gained rich and varied experience
If life is not what | once dreamed it was,
am content But she sighed as she sai(
it, and | couldn't believe in her content
You have not told us yet what brought
her to you,' REMARKED, in an interval OF
silence.
No; she hadn't told me herself then
By and by, | asked her, in my green kint
of way, what brought her to see me.
never shall forget the smile with which sh,
turned to answer me. We were sttin.
quite close; it never was in my nature
when once acquainted with woman, t.
keep away from her. Her garments brush
ed my knees; occasionally, in the enshusi
aSm of talk, leaned near her check You
know how it was. was thinking of tn.
useless pegs in my house down in the val
ley. You will be disappointed, she said
when you learn that | came to do YOU {
real service And then. she went on t.
relate that, having occasion to pass tn,
night at certain place not many mile.
partitions of the house, the description O
my fort, an account Of my wealth, real o.
supposed, and plan for my murder an,
robbery. The would-be murderer was 81
described as to make it quite certain tina
it was he whom | had fed, clothed, anC
sent away rejoicing only few days previ
Gus. was inclined to treat the matter a
a Jest; but she awed me into belief and hu
millty at once by the majesty with which
she reprovcd my unbclief. "A roma,
does not trihe with subjects like this; nol
90 out Of her way to tell travellers tales.
warn you. Goodbye
After this she would not STAY, though
| awkwardly expressed my regret at her 20
ing. BY her command, l saddled her
horse, and helped her mount him. Once
III the saddle, her humor turned, and she
reminded me that | had not invited her {,
return. She said she could fancy that &
week of reading. talking, riding, truut-fsh
ing, ana romancing generally, up there il
those splendid woods, mi ght be very charm
ing. Was | going to ask her to come ?
| didn't ask her. A young man with .
reputation to sustain up there in the noun
tains, couldn't invite young ledy to come
and stop week with him could he? | must
have refused to invite her now, mustn't 2
The perfect righteousness with which
Ella put these questions, and the plaintive
appeal against the hard requirements of
I social laws in the mountains, which was
| expressed in his voice and accent, were so
/ indescribably ludicrous that both my hus-
| band and myself laughed convulsiyely. Il
never tell my wife that part of the story,
for fear she might not believe in my regard
for appearances, knowing how fond am of
ladies' society. And the struggle lras great
| assure you it was great
So she went away. As she rode slow
ly down the trail, she turned and kissed
her hand to me, with gesture of such
grace and sweetness that | thrilled all
| over. I've never been able to quite for
give myself for what happened afterward
She came back, and | drove her away !.
| Usually, when tell that to women, they
call me mean and ungrateful: but a young
man living alone in the mountains has his
reputation t. look after-now, hasn't he
That's what | ought to have done-now,
wasn't it what | always say did do.
1t was the right thing to do, under the cir
WASN'T ~ -