The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-19
IMPOUNDED.

SuuSeb hOCh-0AlAOouu AA 4NOW IA6 A0nu
villages can boast of Sunset Rock
was low, gray tumulus, browning the
top of the long hill on whose eastern
slope lay the hamlet of Teverton. Ham
let, called it, but it called itself town,
even as a dwarf may call himself an old
man by virtue OF the years he has seen;
but for all its century of experience,
Teverton was. for size and importance, q
hamlet still Standing on Sunset Rock
and looking westward, the first thing
that met the eye was a low stone wall,
pierced with iron doors, above which
rose the headstones and long uncut
grasses of neglected graveyard. Be-
yond lay tract of meadow land, on
whose surface granite boulders were
more conspicuous than was the crisp,
stout heritage that imbedded them.
Further still, the land dipped Tito an
orchard-hung valley, beyond which rose
q group of nobly formed hills, belted by
forests, and raising sharply defined
pointed crests to the sky. To north, to
south, stretched a far blue expanse of
distance, clothed with villages, with
here and there tracks of dark woodland,
and in one or two places the silver
CLEAN of distant ponds. 1t was beau
tiful landscape, especially in the after
noon light of golden September. and the
wonder was that only two persons had
cared to take the easy walk for the pur-
pose of enjoying it. These persons
were girls, Of about the same height and
age, who, as they climbed the long hill,
side by side, kept close together, as
though contact was dear and desirable to
them.
OF the same age and height, yet moth
ing could be more dissimilar than the
types to which Judith Adams and Kitty
Roach respectively Belonged dissimi-
larity which, however, rather helped
their friendship, as differences in type
often do. Judith was strong and fair,
with honest blue eyes, and steady, SEN
sible face, which, without beauty, had
the attraction of womanliness in its
every line and curve. Kitty, vivid, i'm
pulsive. quick. tongued, with the dew of
feeling and the CLEAN of fun always
ready to leap to her brown eyes and mo-
bile mouth, possessed alike something Of
the charm and the defect which is pop.
ularly attributed to the artistic tempera-
ment Without claim to absolute genius,
she had undisputed talent, and of YER
satile character Attempting many things
she, up to certain point, succeeded in
all. Her quick, deft, nervous fingers
found nothing difficult; but this facility
was disadvantage and o danger, and
held her back from real proficiency. To
Judith, whose mind and body were of
slower habit, Kitty appeared miracle
OF cleverness. Kitty herself knew bet
ter, and had moments in which she de-
spised her own shortcomings most
heartily This afternoon she was in es-
pecia. : dispiI ted mood.
$50. as 1 am sure to make q mistake
either way, and do something l ought
not, and which l shall repent of after
wards. l have decided to CO." she was
saying TO Judith.
"But why, if you feel SO badly about
it?" persisted her friend.
Give told You already. go because l
am afraid to stay. If do, I shall get
into some sort of an awful scrape, am
convinced. Either shall say yes and
be sorry, or else l shall say mo and be
sorry still. The only safe way is to say
nothing till my mind is made up, and
can't do that without going away; but,
oh dear, it's great bother, when We are
so comfortable here, and do so hate the
idea of joining Susan, and getting in
with the Ribbons and all that set!'
well. l must say again that do not
understand it, persisted the practical
Judith.
"You don't want to say yes and you
don't want to say no, and all the time
you like Benz am sure you do. If
was in your place, think l should
know my own mind better, and what
wanted to say, Kitty"
"Of course you would, you wise old
Ditha If it was your Ben instead of my
Ben, don't I know exactly how things
would be? You would weigh the matter
duly, taking the afternoons for it, SO as
not to interfere with your nights rest;
you would take it to church with you,
and pray over it, or perhaps open the
Bible at random, and read passage for
direction, as Aunt Persis used to recon-
mend, then having made up your mind,
you would bring Benjamin up here some
fine day, sit down on that rock there
taking the precaution to spread a
blanket shawl first for fear of dampness),
draw off your gloves, fix your eyes on
Middle Mountain, and utter pensi' .
yes. And you would come down the
hitl on Ben's arm, and be happy ever
after, and what is more, deserve it. But,
oh dear. me and my Ben"
Kitty, for shamel Well, what about