The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-02-23
"0LD HOPELESS"
70 Tells the Pathetic Story Of
Poor Nancy.

Two great rocky ellis in Southern
colorado form the walls Of a dark abyss
something like fifteen feet wide. from
the bottom Of which comes up the
eternal moan of waters as they rush OH
in the solemn darkness over their rough
course 10 the Rio Grandc. The walls
of this chasm are over a hundred feet
high, and almost Perpendicular
The place IS called Pur@atory, and
not altogether inappropriately, for,
standing near its forbidding edge, with
the waters seething aud moaning far
below. it is not improbable that
thoughts of the final resort of sin is
suggested to the mind of the awe
struck visitor, and cause him ito shud-
der and grow sick at heart"
To within ten feet of the edge leads
4 W-cll-wurn trail, which abruptly ends
ut grave. The latter is marked by
neither rough stone nor slab, and the
many visitors to the spot are told, by
ihe loquacious mountain guides. of 4
romantic incident of which this lonely
mound is the fatal outcome.
One day in the beautiful summer
time in company with my guide, l
halted my steed near the edge OF
Purgatory and took in the widely
picturesque scene.
My guide was IN schbacll, horribly
disG@ured in form. and his dress and
manners we've rough in the extreme.
Ills coarse, iron-grIy hair was long and
-unkempt, and his distorted face was
covered with I rcpulSive shock of beard.
From ont this growth sh0ne his great
dark eyes, whose uncertain expression
bespoke Il half-vacant mind.
''Old Hopeless he had been called in
my presence. and the landlord of the
Colorado House had told me that he
was character of the region. almost
entirely insane at times. rational ut
others. bGt never dangerous and al
ways good guide. So, for want of
better, he had been engaged for that
day.
When, in tue course of our ramoles,
we drew up at Pur%atory. he suddenly
burst out in tumult of incoherent ex-
preSsions, in which l caught the word
Nancy" spoke to him. He Gained
himself, as if his mind were all at once
strengthened by I visitation of reason.
and began talking to me in an earnest
tone
I'll tell We all about Nancy-Nancy
Summers. Felix" he said. in the char
,nctcristic dialect of the mountains.
"Lcng years ago she war knowcd all
over Colorado. an no one ever said
tibet her name warn't spotleSs. Bcauti-
ful?-yaS, vas. more'n tibet. She was
ez fair as May-day moon. ez fresh ez
dew-hissed flowers. Her face war
tTille brown from exposure to ther sun,
but it war perfect in outline frum fore
head ter neck. 1t war full of lirmness.
an tenderness, too. sometimes. Her
eyes war rich. dark brown, an when
a Teller looked into 'em, he war her
color, an long an wavy. Thar never
war 4 better figrer ner hers. an she
knowed how ter dress ter set it of
She lived with her parents. who KEEP
Their Colorado House. they hotel we
left this mornin', Felix. Even N thct
day there war a good deal o travel
along hyar. an they war maxim money.
"Mebbe Their travel war on Nancy's
account, for she counted her lovers BY
Their score, an she used ter hev a pro-
poSal bout ever day in ther week.
Ever young fellow in the Southwest
tried his charm on Their party Nancy.
fer gals war gals them days; but they
gener'ly drew off mighty quick when
they found they made no impression.
an got a firm no in thcr teeth.
Zone day thar come along a quiet
good-loo!iip' young fell
Ter, who he'd a little sheep ranch all his
own, not hundred miles from Pur@a-
tory, and he put up ut Their Colorado
House, and began ter make love ter
Nancy. He war happy in Their prom
ISM name of Like Golden. an he war
head an years in love with Their little
gal. An, Felix, it warn't long afore
it war noised all over the kentrv tibet
he he'd succeeded in winnin' Nancy's
heart. 1t war plain ter all tibet seen
them together tibet Nancy liked him
mighty well, an her old man had no
ter him Oh account of his
character.
Ever mornin' they used ter 90 FER
n ride. an sometimes they would eallop i
side by side fer hours through ther |
mountains. Often they would visit |
Purgatory, an one pleasant day ike
to-day they drew their bosses up bout !
whar we set now. Felix. an they set an
listened to Their ceaseless gaspin' of Their
water way down thar fer a long while !
in silence. He looked at her finally |
with an expression of sad disappoint-
ment He heG been pleadin' with her
to be his wife. an while she did not re- |
fuse, she would not give her consent
She he'd never told him tibet she loved |
him, but her preference fer him showed |
it an it give hire hope. No one he'd
ever stirred Their love in her heart sfore. |
AN she struggled hard against yieidin' |
TO ther feelin'. In her soul she must |