The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-08-02
seven or eight miles from the ParsonS

seven or eight miles from the Parsons
cottage.
Early in the morning the young pco-
pie started for the rendezvous. Most
were on horseback. for among the hills
the ladies, almost rs much as the men,
were accustomed to the saddle. In the
spring-wagons, with those who chose
this mode of CONVEYANCE. were placed
the cakes and roasted fowls. with bread
and butter and fruits which were 10 fur.
ni-h the repast.
Among those who elected to 90 or
horseback were Jennie and Lucy Par.
sons and Era,tus Hemingway
By previous understanding dozen
Ut the young people OF both sexes met
nj the Parsons cottage. from whence
they started together. These were
joined on the way by others, making a
gay and jolly cayalcaic that walked the
echoes in tie foothills with their merry
laughter and started the quails from
their hiding places in the wild oats
Some of the more yenturcsome ran
races across the bits Of level ground he.
tween the hills. Now and then couple
would drop behind their companion.
and exchange look or word Of cndcar
ment for it is not to he supposed that
in California, more than elsewhere
thirty young pcoplc-yonng men and
young women could come together
and that among them all there shoul,
BE- none whose hearts had been toucha,
by the boy with the bow and arrows.
In the main. however, they held tleiI
ranks we'll enough to be- able To OK.
change merry jokes and witty rcpartca
Now thcs sang 4 verse OF song III con
cert: now bantnied each ether with nc.
cllsat:ons of loneliness because of the
absence of some lad or maiden who
pcrchance had found another partne,
for the day, or been detained NJ homt
by some untoward circumstance.
In all this merriment Jennie aud Lucy
Parsons took full part and share. Us
ually Jennie was more scdatc and quie
than her sister. but to-day was the irS
time for months that she had been OF
horseback among the hills, AMI TIN
peat-up gaiety OF her nature found out
let, and she rivalcd them all in mcrr,
speech and reckless riding
Arriving at the grove they found
platform erected for dancing and two
musicians ready with their ,iolins
Very soon others who were to be of thu
party, but who were later in starting O,
had come greater distance. began to
arrive. and soon half hundred gailv
dressed. light-heartei young people
We're on the ground.
Then the violins were tuned up anc
dancing began.
When tired Of dancing they sat in thu
shade Of the live oaks and laughed ant
| chatted, or wandered away two and
two, and spoke low, and looked love,
| and may be planned for 4 future TO be
spent in each others society. Or the,
| rowed on the lake. six or eight in on.
light skiti that had but single pair OF
that when some one among their num-
Der moved, it dipped almost to the wa.
ter ) edge. causing screams, half Of
fright and half Of pure ioyou>ncss, TO
issue from lips rs red and ripe as red
raspberries in July, and which were Il
temptation as hard to be resisted by
those young men rs are the berries to
boys who gaze at them through crack
in the Enclosure within which they grow
aud ripen in the sun.
And if. sometimes, the temptation
was too treat TO be overcome. and some
bold youth took advantage of the help
le>sness Of 4 maiden. who feared. or
thought that she feared, to struggle,
1 lest she overturn the boat, and pre-
fcrred being kissed To getting wet, why,
what business is it OF mine, or of yours,
my dear sirs? There are other lips Il,
red and ripe awaiting to be kissed. and
there are other lakes and other boats
with single oars, and other sunny days
and starry nights to come. Then why
should we linycr over this picture of a
golden day that is past: Of red lips and
| rlpcned fruit that We're not for us; that
| we're gathered by Others on this beauti-
full day in spring. away off in the foot.
hills of California?
When the sun became too fierce in
its reflection from the calm waters Of
the lake. they gathered themselves in
little knots, all near together. and the
provisions We're brought from the spring
wagons. and spread upon clean linen
cloths on the ground, and they ate. and
drank lightly OF their nativ. wines, and
laughed and called back and forth, and
twittereI just as did the birds that had
taken shelter from the sun in the leaves
above them; and were rs happy and IS
| free from care.
While they were thus engaged there
approached two men; strangers they 1T
first appeared to all. Each carried a
fishing pole and basket. The younger
one was dressed in very handsom
suit, resembling those seen in pictures
Of English life and supposed to be worn
only by very wealthy gentlemen when
engaged in hunting or fishing.
The other was q much older man,
locality, and might have been ether q
miner or farmer; and was, in fact. an
emp!oye of the Hydraulic Mining Com
pany, for whom Mr.. Annelsey-for the
young man in the English hunting sui,
was none other than he--had obtained
leave of absence that he might accom-
pany himself as guide and game car.
rier.
Perhaps young Annelsey had come
simply for Il days fishing in the lake.
Many a man had gone farther with less
sure promise Of being rewarded for his
labor by the casting Of hook and line.
Perhaps he had learned from some cas-.
ually dropped sentence of Erastus, OF
one Of the girls, during the evening
passed in their fathers cottage, that 4
picnic was on the taps, and the day
and the spot where it was to be. Per-
haps he had learned from them only
the fact that one was to be held on q
fixed day, and by inquiry had ascer.
tanned where the most pleasant spot for
holding such gatherings was, and had
taken the risk and now found himself
rewarded by finding those whom he
sought. Perhaps-but why assign q
reason for his coming.
He had leisure. He could come and go
as it pleased him, and he had pleased
to make trip to the lake of which he
had heard. and to take with him the fish
ing-tacklc which he had brought from
New York. And he had found on the
banks Of the lake company of young
/ people, two or three of whom he had
met before: what more natural than
that he should join them, and if made