Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-06-06

~ tAD14[NA
fpCYE1A sf55RfaIAD Mr.. james g. Blaine,
tNGSN1N then Presidential can
didate, was there spending the heated term
with his family. Newspaper correspondents
by the score, ~vgire-pullers, d~euagogucs,
stump speakers, office-seekers, together
with thousands Of society people and tour
lists, literally poured into the town and filed
every available hotel, cottage and boarding
house. Socalled breakfasts, dinners, teas,
~luncheons, picnics, balls, parties, receptions,
tennis and athletic tournaments, and what
not, were the order of the day n occupied
each moment, from morn till night.
Every body lived in a tremendous rush Of
excitement and, although few persons re-
tired before the morning hours, no one
seemed to grow weary Of this continuous
whirl of gaycty.
Hundreds of beautiful women set the
place by the ears, and scores of bellies were
always surrounded by crowds of admirers.
Thus, when September arrived and the
giddy throng departed, the universal YER
dict was:
18th gayest season on record!''
Those who remained paused in their head
long career, drew breath and pulled them
selves together to enjoy a few weeks Of the
autumn's calm and gather strength for
winters dissipation.
Just as quiet was beginning to reign,
popular excitement was again aroused and
popular curiosity ran wild over the sudden
N mysterious appearance of a young girl
whose beauty wa of the most brilliant type,
infinitely SURPRISING that of even the love-
Lest belle of the summer.
tsWho ia she and whence::'' was the ques-
ton asked on every side.
Not a soul knew, for not q soul had seen
her arrive, or even could tell where she
was STAYING. She always appeared on
horseback, accompanied by q groom, and
dashed down the roads, utterly oblivious Of
the open glances and loudly-uttered words
of admiration that assailed her on every
side.
Like q meteor she broke upon the sight,
and, like q meteor, disappeared from view.
Nor was the public enabled to learn any
more about her, when it found that she was
at "Eld-Fieids," Mr.. Porter's handsome
country-seat which had been closed for the
two previous years, during the owners abb
sence abroad. She absolutely refused to
receive callers and spoke TO no one.
The servants around the place either
knew nothing whatever with regard to
her, or else refused to diyulgc what they
did know. They were unable to tell how
she came to Eld-Field's-s'all we know is,
WILL " q Ap cAAS AIC A1LAl6 o4S
was, horse and all, Just as If she'd been here
ell her Hfei'' They knew not when, or
where she was going; her name even flor
they called her "Madamoiselle') nor, IN
fact, any thing at all about her.
Mr.. Bee, whose establishment was head
quarters for all sorts Of articles and infor-
nation, declared that she was the largest
and best-paying customer he ever had,
which was saying q great deal. Mr.. Moses,
the florist, had no reason for closing his
conservatory as long as she remained at
Bar-Harbor. The most costly and elegant
flowers were sent down to Eld-Fields at
least twice a day. From all sides came
such expressions as the following:
''Sle is very rich. Who is sho!'
The invariable answer was: 'Idon'tknow.
She's q mysteryi'
Forthwith she was dubbed The Mystery of
Bar Harbor.
Had her astounding history been known,
Bar Harbor would scarcely have been large
enough to contain its excited citizens, and
the reporters who would have rushed
thither from all parts Of he country.
I once made q most solemn promise never
to tell this tale to any mortal being.
But something has only lately happened
which is quite as extraordinary as any thing
related in these chapters-something, too,
which proves the truth of the old saying
that nothing is probable but the highly i'm
probable. And this event, | think-so, too,
win you, il you ever hear it - releases me
from my promise. And I now feel at liberty
to tell the public q story whose incidents
actually occurred only Il very short time
ago In this prosaic, matterof-fact, nine
teentii century OF ours; and, yet, smack
more OF romance 4 p~resumptuous improb-
ability than do most recorded adventures Of
tho knight-errants IN the middle ages.
Let me begin:
A yourg man was walking along q quiet,
country road, his head bent down In deep
thought.
Judging from the detected look upon his
countsnanee and the occasional profound
sigh hat he uttered, the subject of his
meditation did not seem to be agreeable to
him. In his hand he held q switch and, in q
half-hearted, fistless way, unconseiously
struck at the stones lying il his path; or
knocked Oft the heads of flowers growing
by the roadside.
Eyer and anon, the innate audacity of the
man, his defiant yet careless nature, seemed
to rise superior to the gloom occasioned by
his sad reflections. Giving some object an
energetic, almost vicious, cut with his
switch, he would proudly toss back his head
and ASSUME a half d-eviLInay-care manner;
sing, or whistle some jolly air; quicken his
pace aad appear to force himself to an inter-
est in the charming landscape around him.
But, apparently, the same unpleasant
thoughts returned once more: q look Of
despaIring submission overspread his usu-
ally cheerful face, and, with a weary sigh,
he again resumed his slower pace and de-
iectcd air.
1t may have been because of the glare of
the sunlight, reflected from the brook that,
Just here, crossed the highway and, On the
right hand, ~broadened out into q wide, rath-
CIR shallow pool; it may have been that, at
this particular moment, he had resolved to
mako another effort to cast of the gloom
which gvershadowed him; but, as he turned
q curve in the road, he suddenly raised his
eyes from the ground and looked before
him.
Starting back in surprise, he quickly con-
cealed himself behind a steltering bush,
and peered through its leaves.
Los. In deepest thought, n shapelyha q
resting upon the neck of her coalblnck
steed-which wa quietly drinking at tbs
margin OF tho pool,-the other holding thu
bridle-reins, stood o young girl of marvel
Gus beanty. She seemed scarcely older
than nineteen. Her rayea-colored hair,
Iooseneiaby the motion Of riding ,fefl down
IN shining waves about her waist. Hel
cheeks were flushed with scarlet, and. from
beneath o brow rs pure as marble, hel
dark, iustrons eyes gaaed with calm yei
earnest expression toward the west, whers
tho red sun was fast sinking behind the Low
Hills