Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-05-17
rContinued from first peee.l

a rContinued from first psge.l
must ride to the Wallamet to see after my
girl. But | was not in the hurry over it
that had been before. This is all very
dull. you viii say. bat there II be some
stir presently.
1T is moi at all dull.
Zone Sunday afternoon-how did /
know il was Sunday. you ash Because
| had kept a count OF the DAYS all along
kept my diary regularly. One Sunday
afternoon, | was slting outside writing,
j, when shadow fell across the paper; and
= looking up, there stood skeleton Ac-
'custonled AS was To lonely encounters
with strange men of all kinds, my hair
stood Oh end a stared at the spectre
before me- lie was the merest boy in
wears, pretty and delicate 10y nature, and
evidently reduced to this shadowy state
by starvation. His story was soon told.
lie had left Boston on board a vessel
bound for the northwest coast. had been
wrecked at the mouth OF the Cmpaqua,
and been wandering about III the noun
tains ever since. subsislnc on roots aud
berries
'sHe was
NO, | assure you" interrupted Elam.
with an amused look at my wife, ''the boy
was not young woman in disguise, il
that's what you are thinking. He was
lust poor, weak, hall-starved lad, named
Edwards. fed and nursed him until he
was able to work tor himself, and then
got Sam Chong Sung to let him take up
claim alongside Chinese camp, promis-
ing to favor the Chnaman in beef con
tract if he would be good To the boy. |
still continued to see a great deaf OF him.
And did Edwards succeed?"
Yes. he got on. Ode dav two China
men stole some OF sam Chong Snng's
horses and he offered tour hundred dol
lars to Edwards ii he would 90 after the
thieves and track them. Edwards asked
nv advice, and encouraged him to 90,
telling him where | ancied he would lind
the men So he started in pursuit. and
confess | missed him.
Again Elan paused. We did not inter
rupt him.
"A man came to my fort one day who
was naked and starving. lie was bad
looking fellow, very but you will say Il
man naturally does look bad when his
clothes are nowhere and his bones pro-
trude through their skin. | clothed him.
fed him, cared for him kindly until he was
able to travel, and then he went away.
The next Sunday | was sitting outside my
fort, as customary on that leisure day,
reading some translations from the Greek
poets-for dare say you remember could
never make much OF Greek itself-when,
changing to 10 X # my book heheil A
vision"
"a what P"
"A vision Avsion of a lovely woman.
And can tell you should as soon have
expected TO see vision there rs u woman.
had seen neither for Il year or two. She
was riding up the approach to my fort on
fine horse; riding gracefully and very
slowly, as il to give me time to get over
nv surprise and ! believe | needed it.
The picture she made is in my mind now;
see the very flicker OF the shadow AMI
the sunlight across the road and the
glitter of some steel that fastened her
horses trappings as he arched his neck in
impotence of her restraining hand Are
you tired, old friend '
Never less SO in my life
"You see | had been alone So long; and
| think must be susceptible That vison,
breaking in suddenly, as it did, upon my
solitude. gave me the queerest sensations.
| was just spell-oound. No. SO She Rein
ing In her horse at my gate she squared
round on her saddle and looked at me- 81
lently asking my assistance to dsmount
| helped her down-what else could do ,
and then, at her request, gently prefer
red, went TO put mp and feed her horse :
Had she dropped from the clouds p did
not know
"Wellp"
''lf you will believe me, when returned
indoors. my guest had got her habit Off
Evidently she meant TO make herself at
home. A tall, Young, beautiful, we'll
dressed woman just a goddess she looked
TO me. Her eyes were large, black and
melting. her hair was grand, her manner !
easy. She was hungry. she said would
/ give her something TO eat p? And while !
was making preparations 10 give her of
my best, she read aloud one OF the Greek |
translations, an ode TO Diana, commenting
upon it herself. That she was woman
OF culture and education, whatever might /
have brought her into her present strange
position, was obvious. "Well now" CON
tinued Liam. you can guess whether
young man, isolated on the mountains.
ruined by the grasshoppers, and Tilted by
the girl uf the Wallamet Valley, was be-
wildered or not. Entertaining goddesses
was not in my line"
show long did she stay ?"
"Wait bit. What with reading and
eating. our acquaintance improved fast
She offered TO sing song. and gave me
Kate kearney.' might have lost my head
to her, perhaps, to say nothing of my
heart, but for certain inward doubt. /
did not care that my girl should ride about,
elegantly attred, on prancing horses, and
drop down Unexpectedly upon hermits
Still 1t was pleasant feeling to find one
self near her, and certainly novel one.
i asked her history, and she told it me
She was of good New England family,
reared in affiuence, well educated and ac-
complished, but by freak OF fortune she
became reduced TO poverty and to be an
exile from home"
"What was the freak of fortune, Elan ?"
"Ah. what indeedP The old story, II
suppose but did not ask her She had
made her way to California, resolved to
get on and get money-and she had got
1t. She went about from camp to camp of
the miners and others with stationery and
various articles needed by them sold them
these things, wrote letters for them, sang
N han ~.