The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-04

In q southerly direction, Manning explained that
hc was joint tenant on large farm. situated in
the heart of the mountainous region he had mem
toned, and that a short soiourn there. in the
midst of the sylvan solitudes and aromatic depths
of the forests would make new man or me-
"All we have TO do is to take stop-of ticket
here at Springville, cut down by the Oscoloosa
q Chittnany railroad to Lambertville; thence
by wagon road to our place is only pleasant
| drive Then / bring you back to the Oscolocsa
d Chittinany junction: you buy ticket for
Absalom by the Wabash 81 Smithtown road.
make close connection with the Briggsburg d
| Great Western at New Grant, and there you
are"
As for scenery my new guide told me that
| had only to read of Charles Egbert Grad
docks pages and would find it all set down.
| "Glinting sun beams, azure depths. Wild Langles
of riotous vines, mists blotting ont the moon,
and moonlight gliding distant peaks. and all
that sort of thing, you know, he explained
Anything for new sensation. l would go.
Lambertville was not a very attractive place
when we reached it, that bright May morning.
Even the glamor of the mingled sunshine and
mist could not soften the ptiful barrenness and
| squalor of the implanted and unkempt town. 1t
had but one street, which rambled amessly be-
tween double row of pine shanties and log
cabins and then disappeared over the bluffy bank
thas overlooked distant valley. shackly
wagon was waiting for passengers for Moorvilie,
the station whore Manning's OWE team, as he ex-
/ planned. was to take us onward to our journeys
/ end Without ado, we clambered into the We
hicle, and, driven by silent and sullen country
mar, were Immediately lost in the depths of an
/ almost trackless forest
i My spirits rose with every revolution of the
/ shabby and creaking wheels. I was free at last.
| Manning could not telegraph back to answer any
| hue and-cry sent out for me. He would not
know that there was any calling after me. Be-
fore we parted would persuade him to keep my
| movements dead secret for n while longer.
/ What mattered the morrowq To-day was secure
in these healing airs, this unbroken solitude and
these secluded Businesses of the primeval woods.
| In my citation had almost told Manning of my
intention to escape forever if possible, from all
/ that knew me- But Manning the link that
bound me TO that past from which / was escap-
| ing looked furtively at him and smiled TO
myself to think how little he knew of the plans
| that had begun to mature in my mind.
After drive OF eighteen or twenty miles, as 1t
seemed to me, for Manning professed not to
know exactly how far we travelled. we reached
| the next stage of our journey Moorville was
blacksmith's shop and a house in which the
| blacksmith lived. The population Of Moorville
was occupied with gazing on smartly painted
/ boxwagon attached to which were two strong
and handsome horses. A gentemanly young
man was loungng about the smiths door when
we drove up. He assumed more alert atti-
tude, and greeting Manning with friendly famili-
arity, said: I'VE hardly expected you today,
but they thought had better drive over so as to
| be on the safe side.D
/ The young gentleman for such he seemed to
| be-was introduced as Mr.. Tristram, and, after
| a few words with the smith, we drove once more
onward through the forest at rafting gait
From Lambertville to Moervile we had passed
but one human habitation. Now we seemed to
| have gone out of the reach of all mankind, ex-
| cept for the weli-worn road that wound away
into the darksomeness of the forest The last
stage OF the journey was long eighteen miles
AS we drove on, Manning and his companion
talked together in undertOnes Sometimes they
glanced at me sidewse, as if Manning were ex-
planning to Trlstram something relating to my
self. 1t was not altogether com Portable feel
ing for me to have. l was certain that they were
exchanging notes about me; the young man was
eagerly catching furtive glimpses of me from
time to time, and Manning, who, with all his
common ways, was always well bred, was actu-
ally whispering to his comrade. The mystery
| irked me, and felt lonely in this isolation.
| But as We approached what Manning now
reused himself to say would be journeys
| end, the pair regarded me with more friendly
! eyes. thought detected in young Tristrams
| looks kindly, almost compassionate interest
| And did not relish my anomalous position. /
do not like being compassionated.
We passed through big gate after Trstram
had alighted and unlocked, and undd the big
chain that fastened it to its massive posts.
Then, after driving few miles further,
passed through similar barrier, and began to
wonder If were not approaching frontier fort
ification. Manning, when loosely asked him
why all this precaution. looked at young Iris
tram, and smiled with what seemed an unpleas-
ant expression. Was being kidnapped
| Presently, after passing the second gate, we
reached picturesque lodge by the roadway,
| which here was beautifully kept Checking his
| horses, Mr.. Tristram said to stout-built and
| fresh-faced elderly gentleman who came to the
door, "All right" and drove on, detected
the rattle of telegraph instrument in the
LODGE although no wires or poles were anywhere
visible
''rhey will be expecting u.s." said young Iris
tram, cheerfully.
The road soft and smooth as the finest avenue
in the world, swept upward and around dense
mass of trees, then turning to the left suddenly
debouched upon a broad and level plateau. Be-
| yond, the land rose in undulatlng rolls toward
the distant blue wall of mountain range against
which, to my inexpressble surprise, was relieved
a small and beautiful town. Houses in groups,
! not streets, shade and orchard trees in clumps
| and long professional lines, occasional shining
spurts of fountains flying upward in the sunny
air. gardens gorgeous IN bloom or rich in verdure,
| fields outlying the picturesque town. gay banners,
| floating here and there from gabled roofs and
rounded turrets, lawns dotted with masses of
| color and children at play, sparkling stream
winding through the village and spanned with
rustic bridges-these were what my ravished
| vision took in with rapid and beYildering
| glance
What is this, Manning9 Fairy landp But
Manning seemed too deeply affected to reply.
Arcadia, perhaps said young Trstram,
with kindling eye. II guess We had best stop
| here. he added, as we drew up before what
seemed to be pleasure house of some sort 1t
was stone structure, most artisticaly de-
/ signed covered with native vines and sur
rounded with small cottages some of wood and
some of stone, but all pretty and ;esthesically
! modelled
! party of men and women, plainly dressed,
but looking like gen.efolk, came eagerly out of
the building, and. exclaiming "Oh. it's Christie
pher!" fell to welcoming Manning in the heartiest
! and most unaffected manner. Evidently, Chris
topher was a favorite here.
alighted as one in dream. and was about
/ to be presented to some of the members of the
| group when. casting my eyes over the beauti-
| full lawn, / beheld sauntering towards me,
his gaze smillngly fixed graceful young
woman by his side-great heavens! Arthur
/ Spenserl
| / suppose my eyes were filed with tears. /
suppose cried out some foolish thing But
i a. lnn. a.,.an