Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-03-13

mlgnt IOrSct hio CushSiJ' ~.
grown weary by waiting. But regular
ly he would halt by boulder, or reap
near from sorne chimisal. where he had
patiently halted. was beginning TO
hate him mildly, when at one Of those
reappearances he drew up to my side,
and asked me how l liked Dickens!
Had be asked me my opirion Of Hux-
lev or Darwin, could have been more
a,tonished. Thinking itwere possible
that he referred to some local celebrity
of Lagrange, 1 said, hssitatingly:
You mean"
Charles Dickens. Of course you've
read himP Which Of his books 90 you
like best?'
Irepled with considerable embarrass'
meat that liked them alas GER
tainly did. He grasped my hand Tor a
moment quite unlike his usual phslgm'
and said, That's me, old man. Dick
ems ain;t no slsuch. Youcan count on
him pretty much all the tine.'
With this rough preface, he launched
into a criticism Of the novelist. which
for intelligent sympathy and hearty ap-
preciation | had rarely heard equaled.
Not only did he dwell upon the exuber-
ance Of his humor, but upon the power
OF his pathos and the all-peryading ele-
ment OF hi, poetry. I had considered
myself rather diligent scholar OF the
great master of fiction, but the stranger
felicity of quotation and illustration
staggered me. 1t is true that MS
thought, were not always clothed IN
the best language, and often appeared
in the slouching, slangy undress OF the
place and period, yet 1t was rustic or
homespun, aud sometimes struck ME
with its precision and fitness, Consld-
erably softened toward nim' l tried him
with other literature. But vainly. Be-
YOU'D a few OF the lyrical and emotional
poets he knew nothing. Under the In
fluence and enthusiasm of his own
speech, he himself had soflened consId-
crably; offered to change horses with
me, readjusted my saddle with proles-
sional skill, transferred my pack TO his
own horse, insisted on my sharing the
contents of his whiskey flask, and o.
tjcing' that was unarmed. pressed upon
me a silyer-mountcd Derringer. which
be assured me he could warrant. -
These various offices Of good will andthe
diyer,lon of his talk beguiled me from
the fact that the trail was beginning to
grow Obscure and unacceptable. We
were ev dently pursuing a route unknown
before to me. pointed out tile fact to
nv companion little impatiently. lie
instantly resumed his old manner and
dialect.
We'll. I reckon one trail is as good
as another, and what hev sc got to say
about itI'
pointed out with some dignity, that
preferred the old trail.
'Mebbs you did. But you're jss now
takla' pasear with me. This yer trail
will bring you right into Indian Spring
nd unnsticed, and no questions asked
Don't you mind now, I'll see you
through
1t was necessary here to make some
stand against my strange companion
| said firmly, yet as politely as / could
that had proposed stopping over night
with q friend.
'What?'
+ / hesitated. The friend was an &C.
centric Eastern man, well-knOwn in the
| locality for his fastidiousness .and his
habits as rccluse. A misanthrope o.
ample family and ample means. he had
chosen picturesque but secluded val
1ley in the Sierras. where he could raj
against the world without opposition
Lone Valley or Boston Ranch as
il was more Familiarity called, was the
Que spot that the average miner both
respected and feared. Mr. Sylvester
its proprietor, had never affiliated with
the boys nor had he ever lost then
respect by any active opposition tn thei'
ideas. II seclusion had been his object
he certainly was gratifed. Neverthe
less in the darkening shadows OF the
night, and on a lonely aud unknown
trail, | hesitated at repeating his name
to stranger of whom l knew so little
But aly mysterious companion took the
matter out of my hands.
Look yar,' he said. suddenly, thai
amt but one place 'twixt yer and In
dian Spring whar you can stop, an'
that's Sylvester's.'
I assented, a little sullenly.
well, said the stranger, quietly, an'
with slight suggestion of coaferrins
favor on me, 'Ef you're pointed 10
s,lvester's-why-I don't mine stop
ping thar Nth ye. It's a little of tn
road-I'll lose some time-but takin,
it by and large l don't much mind
1 stated, as rapidly and as strongly a
J, could, that my acquaintance with Mr.
Sylvester did not justify the introduction
of a stranger to his hospitality-that h
, was quite unlike any of the people her
lin short that he was a queer MAJ
| &C., &c.
To my surprise my companion an
swered quietly: 'Oh, that's all right
! pvc heard of him. Ef you don't tee
t like cheering me through, or you'd rattl
| er put C. o. D. on my back, why it
all the same to me. pll play alone
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