The Red Cloud chief., 1885-06-26

Among those who elected to 90 on
horseback were Jennie and lucy PAP
sons and Erastus Hemmingway.
By previous uud .rs.anding . dozen
Of the young people OF both sexes me;
n; the Parsons cottage. frssm whence
sey started together. Tnese were
joined On the way by Others. making a
gay and oily cas- alcaie that walked the
echoes in the foothills with their merry
lau yhier and started the quails from
their hiding places in the wild oat.
Some OF the more yectareso!ne ran
races acros. the bit. of le.e. ground be-
tween the hills. Now and then couple
" ,uld drop behind their companions
a1d eNcaangc look or word Of eniear-
mcnt. for il : no: - g. supposed that
in California, more than eisevhere,
thirty young pcople-young n.n and
young women--could come together.
and that among them all there should
be none whose hearts had been touched
by the boy with the bow and arrows.
In the main. however. they held their
ranks well enough to be able % ex-
change merry jokes and witty repar.ee.
Now the. sang verse OF song in con-
cert: now banteied each other with ac-
cusation, of loneliness because Of the
absence O! some lad or maiden who
for the day. or been detained ii home
by some untoward circumstance.
In all this merrimen, Jennie and Lucy
Par.on, took full part and share. Us
ually Jennie was more sedate and quiet
than her sister. but to-day was the first
time for months that she hal been on
horseback among the hills, AMI the
pent-up gaiety o: her nature found out
let. and she riva!ed them all in merry
speech and reckless riding
Arriving at the grove they found n
platform erected for dancing and two
musicians read, with their violins.
Very soon others who were TO be Of the
party. but who were later in starting or
had come a greater distance. began to
arrive. and soon half hundred gaily
dressed light-hearted young people
were on the ground.
Then the vioiins were tuned up and
dancing began.
When tired Of dancing fhev sat in the
shade Of the live oaks and laughed and
cha!t-d. or wandered away two and
two, and spoke low. and looked love.
AMI MAY be planned for future TO be
spent in each others society. Or they
rowed on the lake. six or eight in one
light skiff that had but single pair Of
oars. and sunk SO low with their weight
that when some one among their num-
Der moved. it dipped almost to the wa
ter 5 edge. causing screams. half OF
fright and half Of pure joyonsness, TO
issue from lips as red and ripe as red
ra,pberries in July. and which were a
temptation as hard to he resisted by
those young men as are the berries to
boys who gaze at them through crack
in the inclosure within which they grow
and ripen in the sun.
And if. sometimes, the temptation
was too great to be overcome and some
bold youth took advantage Of the help
l,>sness Of n maiden. who feared. or
thought that she feared. to struggle.
lest she overturn the boat. and pre-
ferred being kissed to getting wet. why.
what business is it of mine. or of yours.
my dear sirs? There are other lips as
red and ripe await Nc to be kissed. and
there are 9th r lakes and other boats
with single oars. and other sunny days
and starry nights to come. Then why
should We Enger over this picture of a
golden day that is past; Of red lips and
ripened fruit that were not for us: that
we're gathered by others on this beauti-
flu day in spring, away of in the foot
hills OF Califo, MIA?
When the sun became too fierce in
the Lake. they gathered themselves in
little knots. all near together. and the
provis ons were brought from the spring
wagons. and spread upon clean linen
cloths on the ground. aud they ate. and
drank lightly of their native wines. aud
lau.had and called back and forth. and
twI;tcrei just As d the birds that mad
taken shelter from The sun in the leaves
above them; and We're As happy and as
free from care.
While they were thus engaged there
two men; strangers they at
first appeaS.i to all. Each carried
fishing pole and basket The younger
one was dressed in a very handsome
suit. resembling those seen in pictures
of English life and supposed t. be worn
only By very wealthy gentlemen when
engaged in hunting or fishing.
The other was . much older man.
dressed IN the garb of citizen of the
10 ally, and might have been either a
miner Or farmer: and was. in fact. an
employee Of the Hydraulic NJ ming Com
pany. for whom Mr.. Annelsey for the
young man in the English hunting suit
was none other than he-had obtained
leave of absence tina. he might accom-.
pany himself as guide and game car
rier.
Perhaps young Annelsey had come
simply for dav's fishing in the lake.
Many man had gone farther with less
sure promise Of being rewardSI for his
laber by the casting Of . hook aud line.
Perhaps he had learned from some cas-
uslly dropped sentence of Erastus. or
one OF the girls. during the evening
passed in their fathers cottasr that =
picnic WAS on the tspis. and the day
and the spot where it was to be. Per-
hsps b. had learned from them only
the fact that one WAS to be held on q |
liked day. and by inquiry had asc-r-
tanned where the most pleasant spot for
holding such gatherings Was. and hsd
taken The risk and now found himself
BY finding those whom he
sought ferhaps-but why assign . |
reason for h-s coming.
He had leisure. He could come and go
Is 1t pleased him. and re hsd pleased
70 make trip 10 the lake Of which he
had heard. and to take with him the fish
!nS-tack!e which he had trough, from
New York. And he had found on the |
banks Of the lake company Of young |
peop:e. two or three Of whom he had