The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-09-16
ing up wreaths of white spray that

| "Nh ChohuoidStlC gaze, WHEN hOX
took it into her venerable head to star
in the most unaccountable fashion at
tremendous pace down the hill.
Frantically clutched the whip. hold
ing it as rigidly upright as our bouncin,
career over the stony road would per
nit. lest by a wave of its lash the spee,
of the incomprehensible Roxy shoul,
be accelerated; and, expecting notbin,
else than instant destruction, / held m;
breath until, as suddenly as she bai
started, our animal had landed u
whole and undamaged in front of ,
high gate which barred our furtbeI
progress.
Then l looked at Adele. Her face wa.
white, and the reins were of a yerit,
over the dashboard, since only the ex
treme ends of them remained in he,
tightly closed hands; but her confidence
in herself as Jehu had evidently re.
mained mistaken, whatever she NAV
have suffered physically in that way, fol
she answered my look with the utmost
gravity. saying:
/" If l had not held her we'll I'D. Daisy
ous."
Words failed me, and / turned nv at.
culties besetting our path.
The gate, we concluded, was the en-
trance to the grounds of certain un-
known gentleman who owned all the
lands hereabouts, and who had built
himself retreat in this wild and beau
tlful spot which, of late years, we had
been told he seldom visited. and after
due discussion we decided to tie Roxy
frrtc ~ 60
to ind the somewhat unstable beast
there upon our return, and to climb tbe
fence with our basket, when, after view
ing the falls, we would select suitable
place in which to rest and eat our
luncheon.
We found nosebag under the seat of
the chaise, which the squire, with due
consideration for the welfare of his
horse, had providently supplied with
oats; but the adjustment of this portable
manager was the most trying piece of
business, in which we were likely not
to be successful, we thought, until. in
our maneuvering, Roxy got a sniff of
the grain, and lowered her head in a
way highly satisfactory to two medium.
sized young women, intent upon slipping
a strap over her ears.
The next difficulty was the fence.
which was very high, and ornamented
at the top with row of most malicious
picketS, but at the cost of sundry gar
ments torn and some bruises we scram-
bled over, and straightway found our
selves in paradise of grass, trees and
flowers, growing in the wild luxuriance
OF neglect, to be sure, but place never
theless to rest the very soul of weary
humanity, and in which to lose the very
memory of the pushing, turbulent world
in the roar of the bright waters dashing
down its stony fall, and dipping its
foamy tide beneath the mirror like cur
rent of the river below.
w hen we had explored the place to
our hearts content, we soughta lovely
little glade shaded by immense elm
trees, quite near the house. which was
rather a commonplace affair, consider
ing its romantic situation, where we
spread out the contents of our lunch
basket, and with much nonsense and
laughter proceeded TO enjoy ourselves in
a manner to horrify the fashionable cir
Gle in which we were supposed to be too
we'll bred ever to do anything in a thor
jughly natural and girlish way.
There was rowan tree on the out
skirts of the little park, in which we
lad established ourselves, the unripe
berries of which looked a pale, pretty
Yellow in the sunshine, and, dragging
Town Adele's long, waving, black hair,
dressed it fantastically with such ar
owy leaves and berries as l could pull
rom the low-hanging limbs.
While we were engaged in this pretty
BUSINESS, there came through the still
ess long, low cry, half human in its
ound. yet altogether unearthly.
What can that beP" questioned
dele, startled look widening her mag
ificent black eyes, and just then l
aught a glimpse of an immense black |
ody, out of the mouth of which hung a
reat red tongue, and the eyes OF which |
,oked to my frightened Imagination
Ike balls of fire, and shrieking: "Run,
ldele," set off myself as fast as my feet,
lat seemed palsied with terror, would |
AIRY me in the direction of the gate,
with an agonized sense of in. |
Efficiency, of those horrible pickets atop |
t the fence, and never doubling that |
Idele was close at my heels, until again |
nd again believing "View halloo"
anne ringing down the wind after me,
hecking my heaclong flight and giving
le the sustaining sense of human as
Stance, which induced me at length to
alt and look back.
1t was a shocking sight that met nv
axe as l did so.
Upon the grass where she had sat
'hen l stuck the berries into her
,osened hair lay Adele, her head sup
orted in the arms of strange man WHO
melt beside her, and around the two a
igantic hound careening in wild circles.
More ashamed of myself than l had
yer been in my life before, / turned to
etrace my steps, Just in time to see the
ranger lift Adele up in his arms, and
love rapidly toward the house, fol-
wed by the big dog.
In vain did | hasten my steps.
ould not overtake them, but, shaping
~ course by the direction OF their dis
ppearance, l found myself presently in
pretty morning-room, in which Adele
y upon the couch, with a shriveled
ID fairy OF woman bending over her
nth camphor' bottle in hand, but
sign OF either man or dog that /
ould detect.
" Leo is as gentle as lamb" said the
Tue OLD woman, apologetically. "But
e mas come near being the death of YOU
nth fright, young ladies'" For by this
me Adele had opened her ewes and
to look around her.
" 1t is shame to allow such mon
Ter to run at Target" cried, more ener-
etically than politely; and then
dele lifted her head and, peering into
n opposite mirror, said nothing more
,nsible than, "What fright / must
,ok. Daisy!" at which evidence of re-
lrning life the old attendant nodded
er head approvingly, and hustled away
, prepare us some tea, for which
lnnpht at least was pratefnl