Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1879-01-22

mo up like . bottle of physic and l
have been the better Il. But
whether on foot, or horseback, or In bis
ancient gig, he was oF In . morning,
and frequently was absent all day. His
patients were scattered, and his rounds
extended.
/, having no occupation for hands OF
energies, feeling myself something apart
from the rest, was of and away up the
hillside to the lonely margin of
the lake, or into the most secluded glens,
my only companion my faithful dog;
and where there was only the wind to
answer me, l poured forth all the pent-
up feelings of my heart; and oft my
gusts of passion found utterance In a
song. At times I took q pencil and
~sketch-book with me in those wander
ings, but there was ever one figure in
of the most picturesque
scene, and often enough the picture was
there alone; the adjuncts all forgotten.
At frst Bella or Winnie had borne me
company, but I think they saw my
longing to be alone; and l had my way,
not without many cautions from my
aunt.
What were perils to me, chatting
against the restraint of my fathers will,
crying from the depths of my Utmost
heart for the banished love, who would
' find me in those solitudes, and
longing for wings to traverse land and
sea until | found my home on his faith
full bosomi
Lost in distractions, all danger was
forgotten, and I had paid the penalty
but for q guardian angel little dreamed
of.
My first peril Wa from the mountain
mist, which came down and around me
with bewildering ~suddenness, plotting
out the landscape far and Q
Still / thought / knew my way and
was stepping onward, though with eau.
ton, when my dress was clutched from
behind, as I fancied BY some bush; turn.
ing to disentangle it, / was confronted
with what seemed an awful apparition
looming through the misty veil, and
with q suppressed cry, l stood still in
alright.
saw a woman's form, bent with age,
face Interested with lines and wrinkles
like . man, from which nose and chin
stood out like mountain peaks, and the
sunken eyes cleaned like fiery depths Of
two volcanic craters.
"Stop, my leddy!" she cried, "the
gates Of death are open before YET TAX
my hand and let me lead you; thank
God, my bairn, that Elspa was near you
in your peril"
l had heard Of Elspa as a woman who
dealt in herbs and simples, but l had
heard of her as one with an uncanny
reputation. She vas spoken of ~ the
wise woman" but her words were ut
tered as if they meant Switch"
/ confess l was half afraid to accept
her guidance, but she stamped her foot,
aud by gesture strong as words gave M
to understand that I had been walking
towards q precipice, and three steps
further would have horne me to de-
struction.
What landmark she had l know not,
but 1 think she seemed to feel her way
with her feet. At all events, after about
an hours cautious stepping, we stood
below the mist, the blue lake cleaning
like q mirror still further down, and my
uncle's house within sight. Conscious
of the service she had rendered, I did
not confine my thanks to words, but wa
liberal with my coin.
As she took "the %siller," she scanned
my face curiously, then seized my hand
and peered into it closely, while a sort
of creepy sensation (excusable in q girl
l9) stole over me.
"Once, twice, thrice! Three perils,
my bonnie Teddy. One is past. The
ithers lie before. Perils of your ain
seeking. The gates of death stand in
the path of your true love. Open them
not with rash or needless hands before
the year be out, or love may mourn for
love that couldna bide. The air OF
mountain and of lake is ma guide for yc,
BARN. Keep mair at hame and dinna be
misdoubtin'. There's a guide God above
al Remember One danger is ovsrpast.
Tae' heed ye seek not the ithers; and
dinna scott at old Elspa's warning words"
.NNhe old woman trotted of with heI
basket on her arm, q rusty black bonnet
on her head, garments poor but clean,
and only q small check wooden handker'
chief to protect her from the chilly
mountain mists.
l had scarcely decided whether Ia
laugh at her maunderings or to yield to
the superstitious feeling. she had awak'
ened when / opened the house door tc
find all within in a state of excitement
1t was long past the dinner hour, and
my absence had alarmed them. Of course
l explained the cause of delay, and il
was only by Aunt Ritson's agitation that
! fully comprehended the danger l had
escaped. l think her motherly concern
made me more communicative thar
usual.
We we're still speaking of Elspa wher
my uncle came in.
"Ah!" said he, as Winnie helped him
of with his ~overcoat, "Ahl my dear
you might thank your stars Elspa wa
on the mountain side. l dare say sht
had followed you. The old Scotch wo'
man is shrewd and f~ar-seeing; she ha,
turned her eighty years experience Il
good account; has a good practica
knowledge of common ailments anC
curative simples. I should lose my owl
credit or l might do worse than take bel
as an assistant" and he laughed. ether
she q read character with any physi
ognomist in the world, and the silly foil
think her prophetic, when she is only
clear-eyed!"
l think my uncle was using an invisi
BILE probe. / know I colored and h.
laughed again, but said nothing-nor /
The excitement had not all been OF
my account. Bella had received an in
vitation to spend some months with 8
newly-married friend in London, and
good-natured Winnie was in high glee
Even aunt acknowledged it vas "s
chance not to be missed, if possible; =
and l saw her glance furtively in Uncle
Ritson's face, which / fancied wa gravel
than usual. Still, possibilities were moi
discussed in my presence. 1t was moi
until l had retired to my own pretty
room for the night that l overheard the
sisters discussing the problem, unmind'
full of the thin partition between the
head of my bed and theirs.
/ found that money-or its scarcity
stnod In tho vav and heard tha chance,