Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-12-29
HIS WESTERN KATHARINE
IEua r. Church in Appeton's. ]

lA%'ft ~ tittftb tH [tPlHtloH
Two o. clock D. m and the wind at Ranch
town was out on its daily bender" 1t was
altogether a vicious and ill-regulated wind de-
lighting in mischief and bent on confusion:
and IL came sweeping down through the mar
row valley like the wolf on the fold. Down il
came through the deep Colorado caIOns ear
rying all before it in its mad career piles of
Old frultcans. crlnOline and paper and rags in
every stages of dirt, all the nameleSs articles
which go TO make up the picturesque bulk of
suburban debris. had started with giddy Teck-
1eSSnesS on a mad dance through the town.
The inhabitants were not yisible-experience
having taught them 10 avoid the wind if pos
Slbe, when on its diurnal tour. RanchtOwn
streets were quite deserted and only few al
mondeyed Cele>tialS, digging with aspect of
thoughtful melancholy in the gulch near by
represented humanity i'm the entire region
What was wind TO them? What was rain.
What was discomfort generally? There were
Shining nuggets buried deep, there were
sparkling grains of precious ore to be had for
the digging; and they dug on stolidly. and let
the wind take its course.
RanchtOwn i not pretty place : il is moth
ing. in fact, but an appendage to Golconda
mine. The town is ugiinesS itself: collection
OF nOndeScript houses, some Just put up-oth-
ers just tumbling down; but with no attempt
at the rural harmony that can beautify even
logs. These poor dwellings stretch of singly
into the dim distance-makingO one shudder for
the fTightful loneliness of those whom fate has
Set solitary in such uncanny places.
The beauty Of the distant view stands out
against these fOrsaken-lOoking houses in bold
relief, and seems 10 rebuke the irreyerence of
with such unsightly eXcrescenceS. turbu-
lent mOuntain-stream cleaves the canon just
beyond the town: and the dark mrs fringing
Its brink. and chnglng for support TO the frOwn-
ing crags, are bent like tense bows beneath the
continued assaults of the fierce winds. On the
left side lies a chain of hlls-their southern
slopes already gay with the faint dawning life
OF bud and blossom while their northern TANKS
and crest are white with snOw-a living pie
ture of May nesting at the feet of December.
No outlet from this mountain fastness seems
visible at first sight; but the caStellated rocks
are parted high in air, and through the cleft
there CLEANS against the pure horizon the
deeper azure OF The remote plains shimmering
like the sea IN sunlight.
But what care the Chinese gold-diggers. or
the better class OF Mammonseekers that
thrOng RanchtOwn Tor the sake OF the money
to be made there. for sea or canon sunlight or
shade? They are all blind but the artists.
One of them. Chase Carroll by name, is not
an artist prOpeTly-hiS wonderful gift Of brush
and palette being only worn as a sort of Orna-
mental appendage. last charm, like that of
the angel to the mosS-roSe; to one whom for
tune had already favored To overlooking.
There seemed no earthly reason why Chase
Carroll should be an artist He hid fortune,
family. friends, everything To recommend him
and Strew his path with rOses and he might
never have been good for anything, as he Ger
tainy never would have become acquainted
with RanchtoUn, had he not fortunately been
visited by what il popularity known as a dis
appointment
whom he poured forth all the love of deep
nature she was dainty. so ethereal in her re-
fnement. that when the blow came of her
elOpement with a popular opera tenor, huge
mass of Italian flesh and fat, he was utterly
stunned. 1t was 80 extremely novel a sensa-
fion 10 Chase Carroll TO be deprived OF any
thing he Misunderstanding from babyhOod al
ways had the moon when he cried Tor lt-that
he could only realize the astonishing fact by
slow degrees. When the truth finally came
home To him he felt that life was over: at least,
all that part Of IL that was worth having. He
was not living al all in the world he had thought
himself init had turned out quite another
planet: and al present his one desire was TO
In il Astonishing how readily forgotten or
neglected friends will rise 10 the surface of
ones memory when there Is any particular
need for them: and, in one OF his many reye-
ries over his wrongs and sorrows, the deserted
lover suddenly bethought him OF certain
John ROllins-an excellent fellow al college,
who had folded his tent like an Arab and gone
into exile i'm Colorado two or three years ago,
whence he had sent numerous invitations TO
Chase To follow him but, being a poor CORE.
ikese attentions. Now, however, while won
dering what To do with himself, John Rollins
virtues stood out in very prOmlnent ngnt;
and RanchtOwn, Colorado, appeared the one
spot left ON the earth that was worth going to.
John was always raying about the views, the
grand eafons, the gorgeous wild flowers and
his somewhat neglected pencil and work with
Will
twas OF the clock, on a March afternoon,
and RanchtOwn Zephyrs were In full blast,
when Messrs. Rollins and Carroll were seated
in the law Office Of the former, discussing Col
Orado life in general You have not seen
Kate Carneth yet" observed Rollins to his
friend; "she has been away on visit. You
are sure TO meet. however, and L only hope
that may be there Ia see it'll would not miss
the expression Of your face for fortune"
The artist had just opened his mouth to ask
for an explanation, when the easements
seemed to rattle more furiously, the door was
burst open as though by the irrepre ssible fury
OF the wind and there on the threshold stood
an incarnation of the tempest itself
Angry and beautiful exceedingly was the
apparition-her heavenly blue eyes were fuil
OF wrath; her complexion OF softest peach
crimson. like the sunset i'm her fury. An ex-
quisite mouth that seemed forced only To
drop pearls and diamonds shot forth thunder