The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1884-12-03

lov, and whose shores even this
early gloSed with autumn color.
oar nights we're spent al hotels,
which we reached la.e and left
ea1y onr days, in rowing and
''carrying,p Almost lost under the
inverted boai, our guide led us
through The rich vegetation Of the
Carries without wandering even
when the iire, stillfaging, had OBJ
liberated every trace Of d trail to
our nnaccustomed eyes
I Occasionally we hedra tie incop-
gTnous sound Of human voices 9th.
er Than our own and came upon a
similar boating party. Now and
then We heard the bayingof dogs,
and knew thassome poor deer was
indistress, or we saw an uncom.
mon bird, aud listened to It's wild
noie bni for lhe most lart, there
we're few signs Of life Of any kind,
and the silence was complete; the
sense of Loneliness intense.
What wonder, then, that Maud
seemed almost fairy.like to eyes
long unaccustomed to such beautyI
As we catffe out upon Raquette
lake we felt US if we were approach.
ing civilization; clearings, with
back shanties or ttiore pretentious
cottages occupied many of the
points; and, bark! what sound is
that2 No heron's screams, or wild
ducks screech, but a veritable steam
whistle; and, in the distance, we
can just distinguish a little tug
standing at tie dock. Presently,
coming nearer, we had a view of
the passengers, among whom, with
the September sun gliding her
brown hair, we first saw Maud.
Isay tive" for Toms subdued
whistle told me that bis heart had
been smitten By Ills nut-brown
maid as we'll as mine. She was
chatting merrily with her brother
and father, who stood close by. We
could hear their voices, and distin-
guish the names. Maud and Jack,
by which the brother and sister
addressed each other, but nothing
more. ApparhHtly, however, they
were talking of US; for, the little
tug having started just as we came
alongside, our plucky little guide
determined on a race. The wind
was against him, bu. he held his
own; and, though the steamer
passed ahead Of US into the narrow
Marion river, the cheer of the pas.
sengers showed that they consider.
ed him victorious, while Maud
beamed upon him in q way that
made US both wish that We held the
oars.
She stood in the bow Of the little
steamer with the venerable woods
behind her. but their green
branches and shadowy spaces were
for me only a background to inten-
sify the picture of her youth and
beauty, With the sight of her l
felt that. | had had enough of lone.
illness, and a longing came over
me, such as | had sometimes felt in
college, when the soft tone 6f a wo.
mans voice reminded he Of home,
AS we sped among the lily-pads,
rich with the same autumn colors
which the naples wore, we had the
god luck to find several belated
blossoms. The tug was making its
way slowly, for the channel was
narrow and winding; and as we
were quite near, l fancied that
Maud looked enviously at my treas.
ures, Lifting my hat, l tossed
them at her feet.
She did not blush, she did not
scornfully cast them into the wa.
ter, nor ask her brother to throw
them bsck to me; she simply nod.
ded her thanks with evident dc.
light, and, with the utmost grace,
she fastened the lovely lotus flow.
ers in her belt,
Does this strike any one as a bit
of flittationP What man could
keep d flower with a lady near on
whom he might bestow it2 The lii
lies sought their rightfal owner,
and I simply helped them on their
rightful way, while Tom booked at
the three he had gathered as if un.
willing to initiate me, and equally
unwilling to keep them. II! was
a shame to pick them, he said, and
laid them back upon the water
The steamer now shot ahead, and
our guide told US that its passen.
gers would "carry" across to Eagle