Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-08-23
WHAT JACK FOUND.
|.

more Wellden, as he found himself n,
the stoop of his charming countr,
residence upon the Hudson, "wher,
are you going to spend your holi
days? Europe, l guess?"
mot a bit of it, father. want
to do my own dear land first. just
think of all there is to see here"
"We amt fashionable, Jack"
IF you go that, sir, all the English
swells consider it correct form. as
they call it, to run over here. | tell
you was heartily ashamed of nv
self when that nice young fellow, Sir
Henry Harden, asked my opinion
about the distances IN the Yellow
stone Park. was nearly sneak
enough topretend to know, although
Twas never within 2,OOOmiles of the
place. No, father, America first. saw
l."
spoken like a young American
eagle" laughed the elder man, with q
sparkle in his eye that indicated the
pride that every true son of the Stars
and Stripes fondles in his hearts
core.
Mr.. Mortimore Wellden is q banker.
and very wealthy one. His word
is his bond, and his dicta among
moneyed men are regarded as law.
His wife is one of those bustling
women who ''toil, and spin, and
scold the maids,' as did her grand
mother, a Randolph of Virginia, a
hundred years ago.
There are two children, a daughter.
Mildred, aged IT, who is to come out
at the first Patriarch's ball of next
season, and Jack, partner in the
bank, aged % years.
Jack graduated at Harvard, and
was stroke in the University race. He
is a trifie over six feet built in pro-
portion, apd the owner of a pair of
laughing blue eyes, and thirty -two
magnificent teeth that flashed be-
meath his tawny mustache.
Instead of dreading the "dreary
drudgery of the desks dead wood"
Jack plunged into banking with thear-
dor with which he took to boating, and
isnow not only his fathers secretary
and partner, but his counselor as well.
Jack has never cared for female So
ciety. He of course attended balls
and receptions, and every species of
entertainment that fashionable So
ciety exults in, but he prefers his book
and his pipe, his dog and his gun,
and his spoilt sister to all the giddy
dissipations of the 'madding crowd"
1t was a broiling July day of last
year that this conversation between
father and son took place, and two
WEEKS later found Jack Wellden at
the Profile house in the White noun
tains, on a tramp after the most APP
proved fashion. He wore dust col
ored check knickerbocker suit, with
big CATERS and a deerstalker's cap.
His impediments, or baggage, con-
sisted of a knapsack and field glass
of great power. He was alone, and
least lonely when alone.
A valise laden with conventional
garments awaited him at such hotels
along his route as pleased his i'm
perial majesty to regard in the light
of temporary headquarters, for his
mother on kissing him au revoir ut
tered these solemn words:
Jack, never, never be without
your evening dress suit"
Jack had made the Profile house
his headquarters fora week, debouch- !
ing from it to various romantic pass
es and notches only accessible to |
those 1.-THE oflimb and brawny of mus
Gle. Instead of joining in the lawn
tennis or the hops he used to sit for
hours on the piazza, his pipe in his
mouth, watching the comers and GO
ers, the tourists of all sorts and con- !
ditions that passed merrily on their /
way.
1t must be told, but in the strictest /
confidence, that Jack meditated a
book, and he had even chuckled over
the title, "Jack Minus JILL" but fate
willed that the book should remain
unwritten.
Jack Wellden was no mere tyro as
a walker. A member of the Athletic
club of New York, he was a fancy
man in the gymnasium, and in the
Westminster Pedestrian club second
to none. For wager he walked from
Highbridge to Yonkers and back
within given and what seemed an
impossible time, yet he scored vic
tory with several minutes to spare.
Mountain climbing was his delight,
and to be out in the early dawn, up
in the silver mist that crown the sum-
NIT of inaccessible crags, to the
youthful banker was nearer heaven
than anything that earth could give
him.
The notches around the Profile
mountain are as numerous as they
are inaccessible No mere two weeks
holiday young man need attempt
them; they mean collar work from
the word go" and take more out of
man than an ascent of the Matter
horn or Mont Blanc. Jack found the
hotel crowded from cellar to garnet,
but, having had his baggage sent on
in advance. the clerk, on account of
tine expensive appearance of the solid
leather, nickel plated valise, discov-
cred that one room still remained
open to the owner, and young Well
den was comfortably slowed away.
His nnnearance in the dininU room