The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-12-26
A NIGHT IN THE MOUNTAINS

A NIGHT IN The MOUNTAINS.
-~ Tom Sewer, finding that his wife
Betty did not recover health of body or
mind after the death of her only child,
Lou, took her up to the mountains. He
had strong, light wagon, suited to the
dangerous roads in the gaps, and cou-
pie of stout Canadian ponies. He him
self drove. DR.. Fred Keyes, Mrs.
Sewers cousin, went with them, partly
as companion for Betty. Tom Sewer
hardly felt that he could claim to be
called companion or intimate friend of
his wife, dear as they we're to each other.
"You're younger than I, Fred" he
said. "You read the same books as
Betty. You can fall into her ways of
thinking, eh? I've always been busy
man in the country-fond of fishing. or
caucuses, or dance, or anything that
brought folks together"
"But you've given that all up since
you were married?" eyiBg him keenly.
Tom pulled his scrubby beard.
eyes, of course. 'Twasn't her way.
But it had coarsened me, no doubt.
Well, you'll look after Betty, Fred, on
this Journey? Try and cheer her up a
bit?"
Nobody must, think that this history
is to be REPETITION of the old play of the
trusting husband betrayed by his wife
and friend. Fred Keyes was most sus-
ceptible fellow, as far as plump, tender
young girls were concerned but he was
not likely to meddle with the affections
OF a woman old enough to be his mother,
lean and hungry-eyed to boot. Tom
Sewer humored her like spoiled child,
in q way that disgusted his cousin. He
had, indeed, no patience with the habit
of indulging women as though they were
helpless babies. Fred had half mind
to bring this one to her senses by sharp
pull Of common-sense. Yet he had q
strong curiosity to know thu meaning OF
those hungry, demonstrating eyes OF
hers. Sometimes be had caught an un-
guarded look in them that reused in him
an eager pity, and gave her for moment
stronger power over him than The most
beautiful woman.
They left the low bottoms of the Salu-
da River where the Sewer plantations
lay, and, crossing the Nantahela Noun.
tains, reached the high table-lands OF
North Carolina. For two or three weeks
they passed slowly through Che mightiest
peaks of the Appalachian chain; now
going down into some fertile vallev, with
it's solitary, dilapidated farmhouse now
into some vast canon or succe esslon OF
eorges, Businesses inhabited only by the
bear or wolf; or up into the heights,
while the clouds wrapped the base of the
mountain at their feet.
Tom himself, as Keyes soon found,
was an incompatible comrade with whom
to 20 vagabondizing. He was alive, zeal
ous, full of practical good sense and in
formation. Whether it was politics,
mica-mining, bear-baiting, or weed or
bird by the wayside that attracted Fred,
Sewers knowledge of it was full and &C
curate. Fred spoke of this to his cousin
Betty one day.
She nodded indifferently.
"Mr. Sewer has been closer student
than is usually supposed" she said, in
her thin, pleasant voice.
"The sweetest-tempered man, too.
that Lever knew" pursued Fred, watch
ing her iealously.
She nodded again, smiled civilly, and
turned her eyes again on the lofty peaks
above her, the inexplicable questioning
look rising in her face slowly.
"You take very little interest in facts ?"
Fred persisted. "I observe you seldom
listen to Sewers explanations"
She did not answer for a moment.
"When travelled over these noun
tains before. other meanings were given
to them than profitable timber-lands
or investments FOR capital in mining. '"
That afternoon Frei and Sewer walked
on ahead.
"You brought Cousin Betty here on
your wedding iourney?" Keyes asked
"No. She never was in the mountains
before. It is all new to her."
DIR. Keyes made note of this point
Here was chapter, and. he suspected, a
chapter full of meaning, in Mrs. Sewers
life, of which her husband had been kept
in total ignorance.
After this Fred used to watch with
wrath and pity Sewers behavior to his
wife. Day and night his guardianship
was unceasing, anxious, deprecating.
Tom was the most frank, hearty human
being in the world; but with his wife he
was never at ease chill in body and
soul seemed to fall on him whenever she
looked at him. Yet there we're little in
cidents now and then which made Keyes
laugh to himself. There was something
absurd to him in the spectacle of man
vehemently in love with his own wife,
and she both middle-aged and homely.
One night the men occupied the same
room in mountain-cabin. and, as Sewer
undressed, long tress of red hair fell
from his breast. Fred. as he handed it
to him. saw that it had belonged to his
dead child.
eyes" stammered Tom. II try to
keep little Lou near me. It's horribly
empty world since she went, Keyes."
lyon have Betty"
"Betty She died to me years ago -
he said, passionately. There was an
awkward silence. Even Fred. curious
az he was, was sorry for this outbreak.
Tom came to him the next morning.
"I must explain what I said to you
last night, Mr.. Keyes."
"No, not a word. I shall never think
Of it again."
"But I prefer to set you right. The
trouble is but a trife, after all. The
truth is, Betty and I we're married hasti.
". I had been waiting on her long
time, but with no hope and she sud:
denly changed her mind and married
me. She is verv fond of me. 1 don't
want you to think, Keves, that she is
not fond of me-the most amiable, care
full wife-and capital housekeeper
there's not duty she has neglected.
But there is not that sympathy between
us, in taste or opinion. which I could
wish. I have tried. too, to accommo.
date myself to her I've tried ever since
the day we were married. But I can't
Il can't hit the keynote, somehow.
shall some day. though, please God"
They had gradually ascended range
after range, until the vast spurs of the
Blue Ridge and Nsntahela swept down
ward from them, and the clouds lay bill.
lowed like q sea at the base of the
heights which they had reached. Late
one October afternoon they came to the
little village of WaynesvilIe, drowsJ
hsmlet hunr upen the edge Of lofty