Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-12-10


further.n
"Wcll, you wait here. I'll call tor
you as | come down.
There was nothing for it but excel
sior." We found the path once more
and left the road to follow the red ar
rows. At last the cross was reached,
alter climb Of two hours. The ruins
of the unlucky hot i we're strewn around,
and little heaps of ashes showed where
camping plrtics had cooked their meals
The little strip of brown rock, as viewed
from Palenville, proved to be a great
precipice that took steady nerves to ap-
proach and peer over, and mile below
the scattered town looked like a toy vii
lage. Round Top, the highest noun
tain of the range, was just opposite, and
separated from us by the tremendous
tree clad chasm of kaatcrskil Glove
Away to the east stretched the Hudson
Valley, dim in the waning light. The
full moon shone white upon it and turned
the winding river ten miles away with a
silver ribbon. In the west the sky was
still red aud the mountains bulk stood
out black against the crimson 1t was
superb scene, still / did not forget that
we had several miles of wild forest and
mountain path between us and supper.
/ think mentioned this at the time and,
if memory holds its own, 1 believe the
remark was considered incongruous and
out of all keeping with the panorama
before US. Still we started down.
The downward path is always easy.
At times the way was very dark, but in
the openings the moon shone brightly.
We took the path we missed in going up
and | congratulated myself that it led
us down quickly and did away with the
necessity of passing the quarry, as we
would have had to do if we kept the
road. The rough Quarrymen were con-
tinually in mind and many man in
ambush had turned out to be an innocent
stump or rock. l had more money in
my possession than q newspaper man is
generally supposed to have and l was
co npletcly unarmed. had Just begun
to think my fears were groundiess when
the path came to the road again. had
walked ahead all the way down. AS
came out on the road my heart stood
still. A few rods further down man
was stand .ng in the N dde of the road
apparently listening intently.~ The moon
shone full on him. Fortunately l had
not stepped out into the light. went
cautiously up the path a bit and said in
a whisper; "Don't be alarmed, there is a
man on the road below"
ga quarrymanW
81 think So"
"Wellw
"Well, I don't know exactly what to
do"
''Thcy can't mean any harm. They
must be well known in the neighbor-
hood
There are shanties up at the quarry.
don't wi at the man would be doing
down here. He seems to be listening. .
We both went carefully down the road.
Tho man still stood in 9he moonlight.
Another man stepped from the shade of
the woods.
"Hcar 'cm, Joe"
"Thought l did little while since,
Don't now"
"Youll see it's as told you. They're
gone down 10 ago"
"Don't licvc it. They couldn't have
passed without Us seeing C H."
The two men sat down by the roadside
and one struck match and lit his pipe.
We were evidently in for siege. sat
down on a rock that seemed dangerously
loose, but there was no chance of seek
ing u securer place. The swapping of q
twig would bctray us.
There seems to be only two of them, y
I whispered II believe it would be a
good plan to take them by surprise.
could work carefully along above them
and brain one OF them with a stone,
probably both of them if l had good
/ luck A woman is always against ex-
/ treme measures. knew the plan was a
good one, but foolishly spared their
lives. Tie next instant it was too late.
The loose rock on which I sat gave way,
and was thrown on all fours into the
m dde OF the roal With a startled cry
both men sprang forward.
".Are you hurt2" asked one. I jumped
! to my feet and looked for my alpen.
stock.
I'VE were sure you would miss the
path, being strangers as we thought
when you asked the way. We were just
gong up to look for you. It's good
enough road in the day time but it's
pizcn at night"
"Tain't so much the danger of losing
your way said the other, 'or of falling
over as of spraining your ankle. # {
mans not used to the mountains he's
powerful apt to twist his foot comm
down. Where's the lady3"
The lady stepped down into the road
"Im sorry you took the trouble tc
wait for us, she said
ooh, faint no trouble" answered the
quarryman, taking off his hat. ''Yor
see we live down at Palenville, and SC
we just sat down and had a smoke"
That is about all there is to tell. We
found them very efficient and courteou:
guides, and they would tJke nothing fol
their services. Detroit Free Press.