The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-06-30

"Mine !" I cried out "I have none
you little goosep
"You has, Uncle Harry; you take i
out to keep the sun off when you go tc
draw pictures and to paint"
"Oh," said 1, ''I see you mean m,
artists umbrella, little LADY, That il
not parachute at ALL"
cts not an umbrella p cried Dollie
Indignantly. 'It's big, and strong, ant
heavy, and you put it in pipe, ant
stick it in the ground. I got it, ant
first got on the fence and jumped
down, and I bumped so hard it mos
took the breff out of me. Then mem
bered Uncle Harry said the air mus
get under it and so climbed up the
arbor and jumped off, and-and I didn't
go at all. Just look at my hoopskirt
mamma-it's all Uncle Harry's fault
just look p
Mamma did look, so did the much
abused uncle, and both fell into fresl
commissions Of laughter.
1t was the fashion in those days fol
the little feminines, as we'll as the big
ones, to wear stiff, rattan hoopskirts
Dollie had been very proud of hers-the
first of its kind to her-and now, alas
having served as hook to suspend its
owner in mid-air, it presented q woe
begone appearance-rattans twisted anc
broken, and trailing behind in decided
peak.
Altogether, it was too much for my
gravity, and lay down on the grass tc
laugh at my ease, while my sister car
ried off the much-ofiended Dollie tc
restore order to her dilapidated cloth
ing.
1t was some time before I recovered
sufficiently to go to the rescue of my
impromptu parachute, which, mean
while, was reposing quietly in black
berry bush.
The next day was like many of its
predecessors-warm and beautiful-al
most too beautiful, in fact, for we were
getting tired of the hot sun and cloud
less sky, and felt that we could heartily
join in the cry of the dropping plants
for clouds and rain.
We had had three weeks of oppres
sively hot, dry weather, but to-day was
considerably cooler; there was brisl
breeze, and few floating, feecy clouds
gave some hope that change of weather
was at last approaching.
'Lou," said l, to my sister, as We
stood on the porch together after break
fast, "it really looks as if it might rair
some time, and perhaps I had bette1
notpostpone my sketch any longer. FL
go now and while 1 saddle Fleet, ani
get my portfolio and Dollie's parachute
ready, do you put me up some lunch
Like the dear, good sister you are.
shall not be back before night"
And thus it happened that an houl
later found me riding over the broad
prairie that lay on one side of the beau
liful lake near which my sister dwelt.
There was a little town there, the be
ginning Of one of those Western trans
formation scenes where the wilderness
becomes city as by the stroke of {
wand.
The lake, as I have said, was beau
tiful thing to look upon; it's shore
were bold and abrupt, in some place
rocky, and more like O. precipice thai
the banks of a peaceful sheet of water
on the side opposite the town, fror
which point 1 desired to make m
sketch, a rank, dense growth of virgil
forest extended to the very verge of tn
lake, forming a sharp contrast to tn
scantily-wooded prairie that. stretche
far away behind it, and in fact, O.
every side, leaving the lake and tn
narrow belt of forest encircling it lik
an oasis in the desert.
It was long ride around to the poin
I had in view, but finally arrived there
and with gentle sigh of satisfaction,
tied Fleet to tree, and settled mysel
to the pleasant task Of transferring t
paper, as best might, some faint like
ness of the beautiful scenery.
l was an artist, not only by natur
but by profession, and I had come frol
my far-away home not only to visit m
sister and her husband, but to carr
back with me materials for an ambition
landscape painting that was to appea
on the walls of the Academy of Fin
Arts.
In a fit of laziness, induced by th
oppressive heat, 1 had put off my wor
until now, and found myself nearing til
end of my visit without having take
one step toward the chief object of m
journey.
Now, therefore, finding myself at la
on the spot l had selected for my gran
sketch, l fell to work in all eagernes
absorbed utterly, as was my wont, {
that soon became oblivious of ever
thing, save my task.
1 forgot poor, patient Fleet, waitir
for his dinner; 1 forgot my own luncl
forgot that the hours we're creepir
on-until at last L returned to ear
sufficiently to rail at the heavy TO
which had latterly been settling dov
over the lake, obscuring my view.
Next, 1 became alive to the fact tn
Fleet, my favorite horse and my pc
was snorting loudly and paving Il
ground in a way that plainly inc
Gated something amiss with him.
"Well, it is time to start for home
thought 1, as 1 rose and stretched Il
cramped limbs. "The fog is shuttil
out the view. Whew some one
burning brushwood hereabouts; I
nose shifts it, my eyes weep at it."
l turned my face away from the lal
and, good heavens fog, brushwood
neither of these harmless things was
= that had gradually darkened the atmt
phere, and was causing my eyes a
, nose to sting and smart. No wonC
> that pool Fleet snorted and paved t
= ground, wild with impatience and fea
The forest was on fire-on fire in
r most alarming sense of the word
' 1t was not slow, languishing fl
5 creeping along the ground at mod
ate rate, but fierce roaring army
= fiery demons, leaping and dancing, a
rushing onward with almost lightni