The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-06-06

stable with them.
There was nothing left for him hpt n
days climbing on his own account, whether
or not fortune brought him into the sociat,
Of his friends. &c. cutting a stont stsff
he set out with swinging step IN the
bridlepath. He passed the cold sprimo
near which was the fresh imprint OF = littIa
boot in the moist EARTH telling that bara
Alice had dismounted, and perhaps drank
from the very tin dipper which Chiffon, on
the chance Of it, put reverently to mis- own
lips. He passed on and upward into the
region of broad lodges, past small planta-
tions OF stunted pines, ash and cedars. Far
above him once he caught sight of tbe
little cavalcade moving like a march Of
ants Here the bridle-Dath made a wide
detour to the northward to avoid the
PERCEPTIONS slope of the eastern side. Lief
him take the chord of the arc described NV
the Travelled way, and he would gain a
half-hour ard meet them at the summit.
1t was rough scramble after leaving
the path; more difficult than he had
imagined. He battled his way througb
interlaced scrub, scaled slippery incline.
clambered precipice. Then he found
himself among powders, great fragments
split by frost and storm from the lodges,
and set standing apart until storm and
frost should again dislodge them for a reel
ing plunge down the mountain. They stood
breast-high in terraces, with narrow paths
between, or hung balancing over each
other. Clifton leaped from bowlder to
bowder on his upward path, helping him
self now with his hands, now with his staff.
1t was at the end of half an hours hard
climbing that, as he grasped the over
hanging edge of one Of these obstructing
rocks, he saw it lean slowly toward him.
The great stone had rested there perhaps
for hundred years, waiting the touch Of
his hand to disturb its delicate equipoise
Slowly it swayed under the impulse Of
gravity, and settled down upon Chiffon,
caught in one Of the paths of the stony
labyrinth, an immovable rock behind him,
| others on each hand. Slowly it seemed,
but too quickly for escape. One desperate
| leap he gave, and the descending bowlder
settled against his thigh, pinning him with
| giant grasp to the rock beneath.
So gently was it done that Chiffon failed
| to realize its power AS well as his con-
strained position would permit, he grappled
the edge Of the bowlder and strained to
| lift it from his pinioned limb One effort
was enough, 1t rested as firmly as the
| mountain itself against any strength he
| could bring to bear.
He had retained his grasp of his staff.
| This he placed beneath the stone and en-
deavOred by leverage to shift the weight.
| The staff bent, then snapped in his hand.
No wonder the young mans brain
whirled, or that he leaned his head against
an agony of fear lest faintness should
overpower him and make his doom certain.
| For pain had now come. The grinding
weight OF the stone became each moment
| less endurable. The dull ache in his fet-
| tered limb was followed by sharp pangs,
| and these became fiery fortunes shooting
| through his whole frame.
Even then the incongruitY of his situa-
ton and surroundings was not lost upon
him. Horribly grotesque it was, this con-
| trast between solemn beauty and
| intense suffering. The bright Septem-
Der sun never shone on a falrer
land than that which lay spread out in
intervale and mountain and river and
glinting lake and distant villages before
his agonized vision. A peace that was
| hardly life-like lay on it all. Amid all
this beauty and glory and peace of nature
he was caught to die like vermin in a trap
to figure as mysterious disappear
ance."
1t was too horrible. He must cry for
help if only the birds heard him; for the
increase of pain and cramp would soon de-
prive him of all power to call.
"Helpw
Hardly had the first cry issued from his
lips when u distant chatter reached his
ears. He called again, and listened. 1t
was in truth party descending the noun
tains. Every moment brought nearer the
sound of hoofs striking sharply the rocky
path and hammering across the bare
Lodges Yes, they were surely coming in
his direction.
"Thank God~ groaned Chiffon. eff l
can only make them hear"
Nearer and nearer came the invisible
cavalcade. A light breeze sprang up from
the north, and on it was borne to his ears
the sound of an airy laugh mingled with
the clank of the horses steps. Even in his
anguish Chiffon rebelled at the thought
that this laugh was in answer to Lark
toms pleasantly. But the breeze that car
ried these snatches of merriment to Chill
toms ears waited away the cries which he
sent up for aid.
Help! Help." he called. And "Help!"
came back in musical echoes from the OPP
posite hills.
The tramp and the laughter suddenly
ceased. Had he been heard? No; the
sounds returned again, but fainter. The
party had turned the corner, which had
momentarily shut off the noise of their
march
For an instant Chiffon yielded to despair,
and prayed for the insensibility which was
so painful in its coming. 1t was more as
duty than as hope that he again raised
his voice in the solitude, and uttered the
monosyllable of such awful import on
human lips.
Help! Help! o God! help met" he
groaned, as he weakly bowed his head on
his granite rock.
"Hi !" was the response to his prayer, in
boyish voice.
Raising his glance in wonder, he saw,
peering over the ledge above him, framed
in some stunted bushes, pallid and terror
stricken face, round checked and sun
burned, with stains of mountain blackber-
ries about the mouth, and eyes expanded
beyond belief
The angel had come in the shape of
George Burleigh
George" said Chiffon, abbreviating his
directions as much as possible, "run after
your party, and bring back the guides to
get this rock off me-"
George was not lacking in perception or
lazy in execution; and as Chiffon bowed
his head again in pain and thankfulness,
he stumbled back along the route on which
he had recklessly wandered from the path
in search of berries, and slid rather than
walked down the steep mountain road in
pursuit.
From his lofty position Chiffon saw the
plateau far below him, and enter the woods
where the cool spring flowed. His throat
was parched and his body seemed on fire.
Then a smaller figure, on foot and with no
hat, was seen to dart across the stony
ledge, tripping and falling at full length
as it went, and to disappear also among
| the trees.
Chiffon was now at liberty to faint,
which he did forthwith.
How the two stout guides found him in
sensible; how between them they managed
! TO raise one end Of the bowlder and release