The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-06-25

ne 0aQ suspected Ill 1Or some Time, Dut
he had just begun to think that possibly
Grace was in some danger.
I did not see but their mutual bushes
were just as becoming to them as to
younger lovers-for lovers they are most
certainly now, whatever may have been
their relation in the youth that is forever
left behind them.
| CHAPTER ".
Ferns and MOSES well worthy of the
name did Hi. pilot us to that day. Che
mile moss, more elegant than all the
chenille art ever produced.
Soft, crispy MOSES soft, velvety
MOSES; ichens of all kinds and descrip-
| tions, upon trunks of trees that looked
sound and rich with verdure, but into
which one would sink untold depths il
they ventured to attempt foothold upon
its treacherous surface.
The lovliest of rock ferns upon boul-
ders of tons weight, which rested firmly
against the side of the mountain as if
maintaining their position by mere force
of their rocky will, in opposition to the
laws of gravitation.
How daintily we selected from the
wealth around us, scorning and rejecting
more beautiful moss and fern than we
had ever before seen.
But we forgot that; and, now we had
an opportunity, we were as fastidious as
though to the "manor born" This was
not perfect enough; that was rather
coarse, and yet all of those daintier than
any we had ever saw before; wealth and
good fortune makes critics of us all.
Grace outdid us all in fastidious seek
ing, but even she found that one lovely
cluster of ferns was beyond her power.
The doctor admiringly watched her
| perseverance, assisting her until even
| with his help she had to acknowledge
| she could go no further.
''I thought woman could do anything
man could do; how is that ? You have
failed; will succeed" and he began to
Chamber toward the coveted cluster; he
reached it, waved his hand proudly to us,
placed one foot upon a fallen trunk that
was one fairy mound of ichens; as he
turned triumphantly to return, his foot
suddenly sank through, and, without a
moan, he lay as still as death. How to
reach him was the next question. Grace
for a moment nearly tainted; then, like a
woman, was calm and ready for any
emergency.
HIS long experience in the woods was
invaluable then.
Following his advice and with his help
the two gentlemen at last reached the in
sensible doctor. It was no slight work
to bear his still form down to us, and
even then there was the greater question,
how to get him home.
No carriage could come through the
forest to us; nothing could be done now
but to bear him forward until we reached
the mountain road, when we could send
forward for some conveyance.
A litter must be improvised from the
boughs of the forest. First, Hi. cut sew
eral limbs from the supple birch; then
took two of the longest, and laying them
side by side a short distance apart ne
proceeded with the eyer-present Yankee
jack knife TO cut off four short pieces be-
sides. He then emptied the contents of
his pockets, and SO did John and James;
and never again will I laugh at a mans
propensity for putting all sorts of things
in his pockets.
What should we have done in this
emergency without those strings, nails
screws and tacks?
Then there was wrapping-twine, large
cord, small cord, and even bits of rope!
Sixpennys, tenpennys, and various odd
sizes; patent knife of Johns proved
equal to small tool-chest; nice piece
of granite served grandly for hammer,
and soon good slat-bed was ready for
mattress of tammarack,' spruce and
fir boughs; the large bags full of moss
made an excellent pillow, and the doctor
was carefully laid upon it. and our sad
journey toward home was begun; once
the doctor murmured something about
''Grace's FERNS" and moved his hands
vaguely, as if seeking something.
Then we noticed for the first time that
Grace was tenderly caring for the ferns,
for which so much had been risked. The
slender rootlets dropped mournfully, as
if conscious of all the trouble they had
indirectly wrought.
CHAPTER v.
The doctor proved no light burden,
and the slight help of us three weak wo
men was gratefully accepted in bearing
him onward, and none limited that it was
or indicative of strong
Our assistance was freely
ask and given, regardless of our femi-
ninity.
The poor doctor was unconscious of
his helpers, or he might have apologized
for his previous sarcasm at our expense.
At last the road was reached, and Hi.
anu JONI lclU OhC W ~ W baO IlOUCl
to seek a surgeon, the other to get the
nearest possible conveyance. Dreary
was the waiting, but more SO after the |
doctor regained consciousness of his suf- |
ferings.
Bravely he exerted himself to learn
what was the matter, and he assured us
that he had only injured his knee
slightly; no bones were broken. His
suffering was intense, and it was small
comfort to know that the bones were not
broken.
The doctor from the hotel and the
wagon arrived about the same
line. He verified DIR. Malbone's own
opinion; the knee was badly sprained,
but that was probably the only serious
part of the accident.
He chaffed his brother doctor about
being borne home by the ladies; but to
10 this he did not delay placing him in
,he wagon, which proved sufficiently
arge for all the party; and somehow, I
Know not how it was arranged, yet Grace
supported his head during the homeward
lrive, and despite his extreme pain he
carefully held those ferns that had cost
10 much.
At last we were at home, and DIR. NAL
bones knee was properly attended to,
put he was told that it would need
,,1rsino for a 1onc time