Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-10-19

l :. WV NY HuhiiiitI NutdtiO0 10 n tour
in Europe.
| m.
Equipped with bag and hammer.
\ August found me making modest ri,n
tour Of Switzerland, with a special view
/ To the study of it, glacial system and
| lithOlpgy. | avoided the well-trayoled
ways, thus escaping the society of all
other tourists, and | was therefore nj
terry amazed when one evening. as 7
drew near the little house which was
my temporary abiding place, tall
form strobe toward me out of the dark
mes ana hearty voice cried out.
Jim! Jim Hill"'
What is it?' replied, with a half
nervous start
"Ah! thought il was my old friend.
Have YOU forgotten Tom Byrne?"
OF course not, for hal met him oc-
caSionally since we were boys. and I
wa heartily glad u see my former
comradc, always one of the best of COM
paniOnS.
Il saw your name on the book at the
inn, he exclaimed; ''was sure il must
be YOU. At any rate thought would
start out To meet YOU"
''But how came you hcre?" / in
quircd, ''in this out of the way corner
Of the world?"
''Bccause it is out Of the way. Mabel
AMI are making a trip in search of the
p cturcSque. You know she is quite an
artist
30 Mabel was with him. Nv heart
gave curious thump, and for n mo-
mcnt | could hardly make Il sensible
reply.
eyes he went on; "She Is so devoted
To her art that II seems to quite absorb
her life. Sh, has not thought of mar
rage, and does not care i'm the least for
the ordinary run of society. She will
be glad To see you, though" he added.
conSollngly, las you are man of
science"
We walked back together To the little
inn, and presently was shaking hands
with beautiful and stately woman.
whose bright, dark eyes flashed with the
strange intensity and fire that I had
never seen in any other eyes but those
of Mabel Byrnc.
She greeted me very cordially. and
after we three had taken an evening
meal together there followed n delight
ful evening in the1ittle parlorth that Tom
and his sister had secured.
For once in my life felt myself unite
ut eaSe in lady's society. In the frs,
place there was Tom To- keep me in
countcnancc by n prcdOminance of my
own sex in the company, then Mabel
did not expect me To talk Of airy moth
ings, that light foam of the social whirl-
pool which never vet had been able
To skim. She spoke first of my scientific
pursuits; she showed so much knnwl-
edge Of the subject that really found
myself talking with earnestness and
enthusiasm of the formation of the
country. and especially of the glacial
system and the curious marks OF its a.
ton borne by the specimens had coll
lcctcd.
She, in her turn, contributed 10 the
evenings interest by telling me of her
work. and showing me her sketches.
which were really Of very high order
of artistic merit. There was no school
girl weakness in her handling of the
brush, but force and poetic thought
that had won her already honorable rec
ignition i'm the world OF art.
And you have never heard nF,Ma-
bells paintings until now?" asked Tom.
"No,' | confessed You know |
have been quite absorbed in my special
studies"
Yes, and you have not seen Mabel
for ever so long. have you?'
ono. y replied. mot since that sum-
mer ten years ago, when | was at my
grandmother"
Jolly times we had. too" said Tom.
rciiectivcly. Remember that party at
Mrs. Edwards'?"
a sudden rush of blood TO my face
utterly confused me. stammcred n
reply, and Tom, to my relief. went ON
with some rambling rcminis,e nccs. n
was some seconds before / dared TO
look at Mabel. Surely she was blush
ing, too.
The next morning we all went on a
trip up the slopes of the mountain.
Mabel in short, gray suit, alpine hat
and stout boots; Tom carrying her
drawing materials. Thus we made
this any many another delightful expe-
dition.
Life took on new colors for me.
There was u radiance aud glory about
II that | had never dreamed of before.
Every day found fresh reason for adj
miring my beautiful companion, and
our walks through the deep valleys and
up the rough mountain sides were TO
me like enchanted journeys through a
realm of fairies. In this loveliest coun-
try in the world. with this most
glorious woman by my sile, | was. in
deed, as one TRANSPORTED BY the light
of the grand passion that took possession
of my soul.
At first knew not what had befallen
me. thought only that my pleasure
in Mabers society sprang from SINH
larity of tastes and pursuits and the
charm of her conversation; but gradu-
ally i woke TO the overwhelming fact
that loved her with the one great love
of my life, that seemed TO me now to
date from the days Of long ago, to have
been always with me. and TO stretch
out into the future TO make il transcend
emily glorious, or long despair.
And yet as soon as had learned nv
own secret, my former bashfulness came
back upon me with tenfold intensity.
and found myself often embarrassed
IN her presence, while at the thought of
telling her my hearts story, though NV
brain was smitten through with dazzling
delight at the dream Of successful WOO,
ing. yet was so overwhelmed that ut
terance would, as was sure, lie an inn
possibility.
And MabelP Her eyes were very
kind TO me. They turned to me with q