The Somerset reporter., 1888-02-15

impossible deeds Of vajosy ~ more i'm
possible they were the 49, he people
liked him. BY the time ~ nation has
swung into her place In ~ III OF history
they, the people. not the poG1o, had so far
advanced in civilization Ut - impossi-
BILE and mare practical tAomoo found IA
sor with the people. We Apsricaps, you
know are eager to hesr-o6d still more
eager To beleve-stories Of hidded treas
nre for this age is DISTINGUISHED for the
mad rush for wealth In which our people
are engaged
Yes" interrupted Ton. rive do rush
madly for wealth, aud off, our eager
ness in that laudable direction takes US to
jail or to Canada"
Langdon did not heed this facetious in
terruption Of his friend, bat continued
I'VE have no castles, hsre you know
haven't time to build them but the coun-
try is over run with stories of hidden
treasure, and the people are never tired
of believing them. Every town in the
land has enough gold buried somewhere
within its boundaries 70 pay its debt
twice over. But 1t can't be found-that's
the most disagreeable thing about it.
Still, "a | said before. these stories must
have some truth In their construction
somewhere"
why, John, You ae.p quite carried
away with this hidden .easrN fever; but
they say everybody at some time or other
10 affected that way. But fevers are some
times productive of goou resnlts-except,
of course, when the patient dies. And
then it depends good deal on the charac-
ter of the person himself whether death
has brought good or evil to his fellow
i M Inf I uL
often purge the system-p physically, |
ean,-and trust that when your fever
goes away you will be purged-mentally
and go back to the desk of Smart &
! Quick wiser, If not a Weather fellow"
At this point the conversation was
dropped, for on consulting his railroad
time table, Langdon found that he had
just time to catch a train, and, bidding
his friend goodbye, he hurried away
After short ride he reached the city
from which he could take train to a
town within two miles of Rockymount,
or 90 direct by the steamer that piled be-
tween the metropolis and the former
place during the summer months. But as
the boat would not start for over an honr
he chose not to wait for it (and this de-
cision was fortunate one-or perhaps
an unfortunate one-as you shall see,)
and took the next train which he left at
Hayheld, little station north of Rocky
mount, and having the position of the
latter place pointed out to him, he started
to walk the two miles that lay between
the two places. Part of the way was
through the woods.
1t was fine day in June, and the
woods seemed so inviting that John con-
tinualy strayed away from the path to
examine some pretty little flower or other
wood growth that caught his fancy, SO
that by the time an hour had passed he
had not made much progress. Then he
wande ed into dark pine grove, and, af-
ter awhile looking around for the path
by which he had entered failed to find it.
In fact he was lost. After searching
some time for the path he determined to
seek the open wood. He had lost the
points of the compass, for the thick
growth of trees completely shut off the
suns rays, and his knowledge of wood
craft was not sufficient to set him right
When he reached the open wood, how
ever, he instantly realized where he was
but now new difficulty arose. He found
himself at the junction of two paths,
each of which led the way toward pro-
montory, and John felt sure that one of
these promontories was Rockymount-bu
which one? If he kept on and reached
the hillo the right, it might prove to be tire
wrong one, and then he would have to re-
trace his steps-which he had no desire
to do, being quite fatigued--or climb
down the rocky hillside, make his way
through the ravne that separated the two
hills, feat that seemed impossible, for
brook barred the way, and even if it We're
possible to cross the brook he did not
relish the prospect of climbing the oppo-
site hill.
'"This is pretty predcament," he said
as he seated himself on a rock to think
over the situation. Come all this way
to find Rockymount, and now I've lost it,
so to speak. One of those hills over
there must be Rockymount, but which
one-that's the rub. Each seems to an
swer to the description, and however they
may appear to the front, they certainly
resemble each other from the rear"
He looked about him curiously as peo-
pie do in such a situation. A tall pine
tree seemed to suggest something to him,
and he said:
'If climb that tree | may see some
thing to my advantage"
Taking off his coat he climbed the tree
with little difficulty, and from his high
hills At first he could discover nothing
to aid him in solving the problem that
perplexed him, but a more careful inspec-
ton brought to his eye something that |
caught and held his attention. He saw
what he judged to be a woman, sitting |
behind rock and evidently reading. |
There seemed to be no sign of life about |
the other hill. Then, thought John, the |
hill where the lady was mnst be the one |
he sought. At least, it seemed to promise |
more than the other, and he would go |
there.
''If am wrong thought John, 1.-THE |
lady, perhaps, eau set me right
He soon reached the hill and looked !
around for her whom he had seen while
in the tree. He thought she must have
gone away, but no-there she was, sitting
behind rock that had screened her from
his view before. She was young lady
of something more-to Johns eyes-than
ordinary beauty. She was busily en-
gagged reading book and did not hear
the approach of the new conner. Lang
don hesitated as to how he should make /
known his presence and address the lady, !
for in the presence of the opposite sex
especially such as the one near hm--no |
one was more bashful than John Lang |
don. Even now, though he had gone sew
eral years beyond the threshold that sepa- /
rates youth from manhood, he hesitated |
before speaking to the young lady, who, !
unaware of his proximity, was attentively |
following the fortunes of one of Bertha |
NJ. Clay's heroines. Before John could |
act slight noise made inadvertently by |
him caused the lady to turn her head and |
see that confused young gentleman in
tently regarding her. Both blushed as
though they were lovers instead of |
strangers who had never before met In. |
SANITY. however, John recollected him /
self, and hat in hand, advanced and said
II beg your pardon, miss, for inter- |
rupting you, have been so stupid as to |
lose my way; | am looking for Rocky /
mount"
This is Rockymount,' said she, and .
she spoke-so John thought-in such |
sweet, musical voice that her admirer was
fain to bring sentiment into play and |
ui hnr a wood nymph