Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-07-29
OUR SUMMER IN BOHEMIA,
BY EsTELLE THOMSON.
"itthers's heaven upon this earth
In B0hemiatt lies."- Loagfs!lsp,

"Itthers's heaven upon this earth
In Bohemiaft lies"-LoagfslIsp
We reached Bohemia-our Bohe
mia-by rail. If you study you
maps tor its locatian you may be de
luded into believing it to be one o
those glazing red corners OF Austria,
divisions, wedged in between tn,
green outline of Bavaria on one side
and the yellow boundary of Prussis
on the other, with Saxony done il
pink stretching across the northern
limit. But there you will err: al.
though 1t is far from my purpose tc
divulge its whereabouts to the multi.
tude seeking for some quiei spot Of
summer rest. The daises were JUS,
beginning to whiten the grass when
we went out TO it; asters and gold.
1n-rod and the hammered spires n,
the sumach set all the lanes aLiaLu
when we returned.
We were an eager, expectant par.
ty when we went-longing to get
away from heated city pavements, to
breathe the fresh air blowing over
clover beds, to wander In forest
shades, to rusticate where and as we
liked. We numbered but five, all
told. Philipinea Blocksom, spinster,
was sallow in complexion and bony
in figure herr cheek bones were
prominent, her teeth were unmistak.
ably false-so was her hair-and her
age uncertain. In addition, she had
a heart. 1t was unfortunate Cat least
tor the LADY, that this heart of hers
had never been bestowed upon some
aspiring applicant, for it was really a
source OF great discomfort, and was
so the afflicted damsel assured me
with due solemnity-liable to carry
her Off at any minute. The leading
lady, as they put it in play bills, was
a yellow haired girl in a gray water
proof and jaunty walking hat, with
saucy turned up brim and white
feather; her name, Gretta Daven.
shire. Her companion was small
boy in knickerbookers, who carried
| the lunch basket, to the imminent
danger of demolishing its contents in
his wild races over sticks aud stones
as we left the close car, and trudged
up the road through the Bohemian
wilds. The small boys name was
Johnny, which Gas he was NECESSARY.
y oftener addressed than any other
member of the parity was very fortu
nate, seeing it was SO easily remem-
bered. The remaining characters
were Duke and myself, who engi-
neered the excursion, and did duty
Cat least that was the supposition) as
sensible, elderly people, and as pro.
teetors-in trust only-ot willful Miss
Gretta andy natural right-of
Master Johnny. Miss Blocksom was
simply an honorary member OF our
Summer family.
None of the natives met Us at the
station. We had not expected they
would. They never do in Bohemia.
As we went leisurely up the road
where grass was growing luxuriantly
in the very wagon-track, we noticed
various personages, who were doubt
less Bohemians like ourselves, anus.
ing themselves in sundry ways.
Sometimes hammock was stretched
invitingly under the shade of cou.
pie of trees, and the occupant swung
in careless grace, totally unmindful
OF the outside world. Sometimes an
easel peered up out OF the grass, and
gigantic straw hat and a paint
brush Indicated that the owner was
trying to catch the fleeing glory of
sunset, or the beauty of a moss.
grown rock in the distance. Chill
dren romped and shouted in the
greatest glee; young men leaned in
idle attitudes over meadow bars and
chatted with pretty girls in pictur-
esque costumes, who were pulling
the daises and reading their fortunes
| therein.
We sauntered aimlessly along,
swinging our knapsacks and taking
in all the beauty of the scene, when
Johnny brought US unceremonlously
back to reality.
I'm awfully hungry, ma! Won't
we come to hotel pretty soon?'
We had forgotten hotels in the
pastoral surroundings but Johnny's
appeal was not to be disregsrded.
Duke approached a blonde artist
in velvet blouse, sketching away at
mole hill of mountain.
Can you direct US to a good hotel,
my friend 2 he asked.
Instantly the artists brush dropped
from his fingers.
"a hotel !? he queried, looking up
at US In amazement with great, inno-
cent blue eyes. "A hotel ? You must
have mistaken the place. There are
no hotels here.
NO hottest Our entire quartette,
with Johnny joining In the chorus in
blank dismay, echoed his words.
None =
And then he laughed softly, a
good-nstured laugh, as though it
was all fine joke and several 9TH
er artists in blouses, who had come
up while we were talking, laughed
too.
Send them up to St. Dingee,' said
one, tall, handsome fellow with a
pleasant face. That youngster is
hungry and the young lady-per.
haps she would not refuse a glass OF
raspberryade,' dOffing bis hat re.
specially, and hurrying off before
could tell him that the young lady
was not in half the need of 'ade' that
Miss Philipinsa was, for her hear,
| $50 she assured me confdentially)
was going on just dreadfuIly.'
Now, do be seated .
! The blonde artist vacated bis
stool. and preferred it to me with q
flourish, while two others brought
forward camp-chairs for Miss Block
som and Gretta. Before we could
have declined their hospitsble atten
tons, had we wished to do SO, The
tall host was back with glasses aud
pitcher of iced beverage which
must truly say excelled anything o
the kind ever before tasted. John
ny tossed his eff with keen relish
and, before / could remenstrats
handed up bis tumbler to be filed
and ! was greatly relieved to hea
NJ y