The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-08-14
A Western Romance
BY MRS. ELLA CIV EnS.

| shall always remember that day
among the glorious woods Of Western
Washington. | had known my COM
panion, John Williams, for years, and
hitherto he had charmed me b. the
genial Kindness of his manner, but on
the particular day of which | write he
3eemed lost in fit of abstraction, and
as all my efforts failed to rouse him |
left him to his apparently gloomy
thoughts, while ! admired the beauty
nature spread around us. The stage
road wound through tiny valleys, cool
and green with waving foliage, and up
steep hills where the slanting sunbeams
checkered the yellow road with waving
shadows. Up, up we went, our stout
horses painting at the steep pulls, and
stopping often to rest, then whirling us
on over the rocky way until another hill
came in view In few hours we began
tot descend the mountain, not all at
once, but by gradual inclines, sometimes
passing quiet little lake sleeping among
the trees, with the Summer beauties of
its surroundings uncovered deep in its
bosom, then along little ridges with
sweet, pale. wild flowers, nodding dainty
bells on either side, or rafting down
nto cool, dark depths where starry dog
wood blossoms stared at US, and foamy
ocean spray nodded greeting. All at
once we came upon a deserted mouse
that stared blankly at us with open
doors and windows. No smoke curled
from the chimney. The well sweep
pointed plaintively skyward. All
seemed vainly beseeching some one to
stay and give life to the lonely place.
Set between two hills by still stream
with the marsh grass growing rank and
green around it the place seemed singu-
larry desoate No sound of animal life
broke the stiffness. We crossed the
stream on IL bridge made Of split logs
Beside it an older bridge half torn up
was decaying slowly. / wondered
vaguely when the old one was built and
who had tried to make a home in the
depth of this wilderness. The silence
was broken by my companion asking
the driver if the old road to Big Skoo-
KUN was open.
81 don't know no old road. replied
that worthy "Tbis yeres been the
road for six year past, and he spit con-
templatively on the wheel
"Twenty years ago. said John, half
to himself, "the trail ran two miles west
Of here. | built that old bridge" he
added, turning to me.
"You," I replied in astonished in
crcdulity "Buit that bridge Did
you do it alone r with half sarcastic
emphasis.
NO flush deepening in his brown
face 81 had some help; | lived there
in that cabin two years" And he
turned and looked at the desolate place
until a turn in the road hid it from
sight.
/ was astonished at my friends asser-
tons had never heard him speak of
being on the western coast before. But
| was forced 20 content myself with this
meagre statement for he vouchsafed no
further information at that time. Our
road now lay across a thinly wooded
plain for several miles, then again
plunged into dense woods. We had
gone but a short distance when the road
sloped suddenly downward. AS we
came to the edge of the hill a glorious
scene spread out before u.s. At our
fest the tossing waters of Puget Sound
sparkled in the evening sun like some
huge jewel set in circles of dark green
hills that faded into azure against the
glowing horizon An exclamation as of