The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-11-20
MYSTERY OF THE MOUNTAINS.
From the MONTPELIER Patriot.l

From the Montpelier Patriot.1
IAN along the mountaiD! Impossible -
ack, you see those deer skins lying
I there on the ground g
That's what | should call them without
+ fnr'far examination
Just ~ distinctly as you those / s. "
footprints all along the mountain sid. nd
/ up 70 the very fountain head OF "a Httfe
stream that flows down through yoa!e
valley"
"A womau's footprint- did you sav?7
YES, woman's. small aud beautifully
/ formed"
some OF those lowland berry girls, in
search of biueberrieS.'
That is good logic, Jack. but don't sec
1t IN that light. In the first pl+ ace. there are
no blueberrles within three miles ct ths
mountain: in the second, no girl, unless
| lost. would venture so far alone ia the dense
! forest p"
Very strange, indeed ;"
"To-mOrrow, if you lave no objections.
III 90 up, and we viii Investigate this
mountain nymph's footprints. And VINO
| knows bur we may catch the fairy creature
| by some OF th Jse Little cascades, hsr dainty
feet buried in the whine foam. combing
down her long, dark tFe-ses!"
"Now, Harry, 10 tell the truth, I'd sooner
expect 10 fad meetiu 9-house up there
than woman. Were the tracks newly
made p
Yes; il had rained very hard only yes
ferday. and re swollen stream had washed
the sand over the ground in many places
They were made after the rain. =
Now, Harry, Amt you mistaken. We're
they not deer tracks =
perhaps; it she l. As beautiful as her
footprints she must certainly be somebody's
dear
Have If your own wav Harry: only
give Us light for this Havana, and call it
ven"
The two speakers in the above converse
ton were Jack Daniorth and Harry Little
ton, two college students spending their
vacation in the quiet town OF LinsJalr
long uuted for its wild, romantic scenery
and rich hunting grounds. The beautiful
level surface of the town, from distance.
! res mbled a pretty green ioor stool for the
proud old mountain towering above t..
HarTy'- handsome face OF late vas often
marred with sad expression look % in
quIrF tuaL none could read Perm D he
was not feeling vii; sad ne~s TO a uome,
OF likely enough he had not reveal. q all h..
had seen on the mountain. JIck was all
life ana jOliJy. ready Jo ii al or 10 m Ike fun
our of everything that came along.
Hunting and fishiog IA Id, an endless
charm few can understand we'll as b
young SUDDEN just from the scuUol-reom.
With the additional excitement rh.s last
excursion was doubly tegestiug They
took an early start next morning. with
knapsacks. guns and three days rations.
Long ere the sun had withdrawn its long
golden fingers that pointed in here and
there. through the heavy Jree-topS drop
ping bits Of gold and sapphire over the
beautiful NOISY surface beneath, J lc< was
FULLY convinced of the truthiu!pe-s OF Ha-
RS statement. They even found pieces OF
fabric clingiug to The uuderbrush i'm several
places. Once, where the earth mad been re
moved in search OF ground Is, thew saw
distinctly the print of a wumau's hand.
Throu IN all the pleasant month OF Octo-
her. Jack and Harry tished the mountain
streams trapped the careless bruin. shot
| the gentle deer. but could never solve the
mystery of the N curtains.
The last day came, and a lovlier one none
need ask for. Indian summer had bound
with a speII and emptied her vi,ls OF
| beauty over earth and sky. blending them
together in one great whole. a daY when
| flowers nod and smile al every passer- by,
| when hastng books tell tales aud laugh.
! and all the leaf spirits silently commune
| one with another, and the heart of man is
| flied with Joy and love and praise to tie
| God of nature for life and all its surround
| in9s.
| Jack and Harry were not blind to all this
| Inveliness and concluded 70 leave the noun
tain etrly in the day aud erjov the open
| field scenery. They were TO. Senarate and
! feavc the mountain in two different dIrec-
| tons just before starting they built fire
at the foot of very high ledge, roasted
| their fish. ate their hard biacuir, lighte !
their cigars and sprawled out. boy fashion,
| or the ground.
The smoke soon wreathed about their
| nPAGS. rOFltus anu IOllctl til dtu up ANU -
| the trees
| Harry gave an extra puff. raised his eyes
to watch it mount the air. when he caught
| a glimpse Of the most beautiful face he had
ever seen, gazing down upon them from he
perpendicular rock some forty feet directly
above them.
.sBy Jove, Jack, look up"
GOOD heavens. Harry, who and what
and where did she came from?'
I'VE must know. we must find her
NvuuDh or nqi6pu that was roo fair for tbi
wild place.
They clambered up the ragged rocks will
| all possible speed until they reached TIN
summit No one there, no trace-ves, her
, across bed OF fine, damp moss are tn
-elf-same footprints. That and no more
All the afternoon. until uishttail, thew ira
, v-rsed the mountain tar and near. All thei
efforts, "a before, proved fruirless. Tn
next day Jack and Harry willed their hunt
j. inp apparel TO the farmers two GROWN
sons, and returned to school four week
! older, if not wiser
Fourteen years previous TO the com
4 mencempnt of this narrative. in qnie
Quaker village il the town of M--,migh
| be seen a pretty white cottage, with plai
| white curtains. an open-work porch owe
the front door. covered with wootbine an
scarlet runners. On a rustic seat. beneat
the old elm in the yard might often be see
two young parents cnverSIng together an
looking very happy. while their little four
9 wear Old bue-eved and gOlden-E aireC
= chased the butterflies DER the green, G
n gathered bouquets of blue-belis and honey
4 suckleS, all stemlesS and tightly pressed i
u dim pied baby hands for papa aud nam M
} Baby Lottie, as she was called. WAS chill
V Of great promise. aud the pet of the viliag,
n Every Sunday found Baby Lottie seate
!, with her parents at church. dressed in h.
l. little plain drab gown and tiny Quake
II bonnet In the seat Just back sat anotht
j. family. with a black-eyed, roguish littl
f fellow, two years older than Lottie. VII
often grieved his parents, and Jared I'll
: eeufIibriHm of those silent meetings b
Y reaching his foot through under the -ent
r front and kicking the little slipper-shC
/ foot Just peeping in sight. causing the lit
: Quaker bonnet to bob around.and reproact
u full glauces from beneath bonnets of
Il larger size.
9 Nevertheless the SUNDAYS came and wen
l. with them Willie Landseer and Lott
n Danvers, 70 the old brown church az
home again The months gathered an
e numbered MANY. The years were file
70 and counted off while the little Quake
n maid slowly and sweetly blossomed in
> wemanhood. William was a handsom
promising young man, with the eXceptio
u one great chronological falling, a lack
q firmness which often put ali his GOOD res
q buttons to route. and left him TO drift dow
the stream helpl g and alone. He offe
wished to break from the restraint tn
er held him within the lines of the calm ar
in peaceful Quaker discipline. From h
of childhood he had loved the fair Chariot
- and now that they were betrothed, she ":
&c dearer than ever. He would leave h
=, home for her. the home of his childhoo
re and seek his fortune. He would 60 70 We
o. mont. purchase a large tract of unclear'
:. land, fell the heavy timber, build a log Cal
a. in, item return TO his native State. al
In claim his beautiful bride.
With these resolutions he repaired to &
home of Charlotte, where his found b
singing and spinning, seated at the lit
fiax-wheel out under the old elm. 1t w
nigh the close of day. The rays of the So
ting sun tinged with gold the soft brow
IN tresses that fell in heavy ringlets over n