The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-04-08
and its darker misgivings, and fancy PIC
tured dead man far down the hillside

| tured dead man far down the hillside
| perhaps this spot, or this, or this, had
Witnessed the first false step, and such
| sobs broke through her lips that they
came to agony just of themselves. Her
! thoughts were wild animals feeding at
her heart, and hundred times almost
she leaped from her saddle at something
that was like o human moan. Calls
from north and south and east and west
I whispered in her ear, smuggled in under
a creaking branch or q dashing stone,
like letter under an apron
''Rosie, my girl! Rosie Mcguire! here
I am, Rosie, woman; down In the gulch,
a-crying. I was mocking ye, Rose. and
it's here lam, not over there. 0 Rose,
Rosel I'm on the hill now, watching the
horse dance. No, Rose, no; its crawling
at your stirrup I am, walting the lift of
your hand. Rose, Rosie darlingr'
But, like hero fighting in battle, she
struck them down, lowering upon her
saddle out of very fear, and shrinking
first to one side and then to the other,
uncertain as to where danger lay. A
young girl, full of her shiverings, her
fears and her fancies, in thick, dark cut
of the frightful moon rays, miles and
miles from any abode; what if some bold
fellow sheuld hear her mares gallop and
ride to her side now? Is it wonder
that she put her hand over upon her
horses neck, just to make certain of
something that was really alive and
friend?
But hurrah! my brave little Rosie, my
brave bay marei What is that really
down in the gulch this time, its fore
wheels in rut, and the water playing
like null race through them? As you
live, six horses, weary and worn, stand
patiently in harness, and 10! q man on
the ground with broken leg, and his
reins round his hand, waiting the pain
full night through till day and help shall
come. Nay, never scream, my girl, nor
jump from your saddle SO. You've
found him, Rose, you've found him,
spite of road and rain and night, and
your two slender, wet arms frantically
clinging round his neck are like angel
touches to him.
Now, chirrup to your horses, Johnny
Win, and get your stage out of the rut as
you lie on the ground; then up, man,
over the wheel, dragging your leg after
you. Wouldn't that brave girl by your
side make the heart of the very mountain
leap to its mouth?
Slowly and cautiously along the road
they went, the tired mare following be-
hind. Through the shadows and the
hills, and the voices of the night, robbed
of their terrors now, went Rosie and
Johnny, and the stage, and the pretty
mare, across the treacherous streams, and
the thousand ravines, and the stones
that lay by the way, and the shadows
that had sprung like wolves to the dain-
ty stirrup Slowly and carefully, the
horses ears hanging from very weari-
ness; but behold the breaking OF the
day brought them to the highest peak of
all, and the fair down grade was all that
lay between them and rest. Then the
horses pricked up their ears, the wheels
spun, and down they whirled, with
Rosie's own little foot helping on the
brake.
Well, well, but it was glad they were
to see the houses, though not a soul was
stirring; what with Johnny's broken
limb, and Rosie's cheeks feverjsh with
excitement, the night she had spent, the
deed she had done, which must go to
the world, and the bushes of her own
ashamed and confused love!
Astonished the hostler was when he
came running. half asleep; aud there
was Tim Mcguire staring aghast from an
upper window, and dozen others round
the numbering stage. But Rosie's ride
was ended, and down she stepped and
slipped away to hide her face in her own
pillow. It was ended, but the noise OF
It went abroad through the mountains,
and though that was year, come the
the nineteenth day of January, the folks
have never yet done talking about the
ride she took in the night over the noun
tain roads.
s.Sir, congratulate you on the bride
that is to be-" cried I, warmly, turning
to the driver.
ssThank ye,' he answered pleasantly.
ssShe1l be eighteen coming the twentieth
of September.