Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-07-06
RAU-WYLLEEN.

at lies within the shadows of an
eternal tempest" This was the
thought that occurred to me as,
alighting from my horse, | tied him
carefully TO the old worm eaten hitch
ing post near by, giving him a gentle
pat as | left him, his great intelligent
eyes following me with seemingly I'M
usual interest, and that low, coaxing
whinny (which meant so much TO us
both trembling on the evening air.
We were firm, loving friends, my
steed and /.
BE patient, old fellow" | said.
Then, lifting the heavy gate, which
hung by n broken hinge TO the post,
/ placed ii one side.
The IN one conglomerate mass
of beauty was sinking behind the far
distant hills. and far and near the
glinting yellow sheen lay over the
waving tree tops AMI grass bound val.
leys, in an untold amber splendor. Off
yonder white roads wound away
among the hills and dales, telling of
human lie beyond them, but not here,
save for my W presence, and-ah.
shall | pass hin byl-"Black Dick"
who was something more than human
many times, and but little less at any
time.
Purple aud roseate clouds followed
the sinking sun, and. over all. save
this one spot, seemed bathed in a flush
of joy.
Storm cursedl Just here. in the
presence of surrounding calm and
evening beauty, the great trees of
"BITu' Wylleen" writhed and tossed
their giant branches in the air, where
above them lay Il heavy cloud. dark
and %forbidding.
A something darker than the on
coming twilight brooded in the air,
and as | walked up the neglected path,
so overgrown with weeds one stun.
bled as he walked, | felt the chill of
desolation, heart hunger and death
through the moan of the winds rs they
swept through the walls and halls OF
the somber building before me.
A large, low, long, quaint structure
made Of dark colored stone, with
many windows of all shapes and sizes,
some placed just under the caves,
Others midway and not a few close TO
the ground.
A flight Of stone steps led 10 a huge
door in the center. The roof was moss
grown and broken, and overall twined
vines in a wild, neglected, picturesque
beauty.
A huge garden or lawn lay in front
OF the house, which, when well kept
and trimmed, must have been very
lovely indeed. but now overgrown
with weeds and bushes, together with
the trees and vines, made ii a dense
wilderness of neglect and decay.
Struggling through the interlacing
of tangled boughs and leaves | sought
TO walk around the old homestead.
The old homestead Was it ever pos.
siblei
Suddenly, without warning.
reached the brow Of "A hill. The back
part of the house rested upon il. and
before me lay a long fight Of steps
leading 10 the river.
Not u laughing river, winding its
way 10 sea with ripple and song, but a
dark, sulleD, muddy stream, moving
sluggiShly along, as though clogged
with revenge and bitter memories.
But bark! further ON | hear Il tinkling
Eiurmur, but here the stream lies in
the grewsOmc shadow Of Brdu-Wyl.
leen. No wonder.
See Naples l. e., Brau-Wylleen,
"and die, 50 the good people Of Weir
Heights told me, as, so%jUurning in the
little southern city for sweet heailh's
sake, ! inquired its points Of interest.
They were few and far between, and
Brau-W ylleen, isolated, dcsolatc.
crime stained aud deserted. Law ten
miles distant; had | known this |
would hardly have mounted Black
Dick 10 SO late an hour TIE spirit
Of adventure was SSSpng upon me,
howty,r. and even rs the night fell
heavily upon me, | had no thought Of
returning until after going through
the Old house.
With a shiver of disgust ] turned
IRON the stagnant, noisOme stream,
and, cropping my way back, went half
way down the weed grown path 10 see
II BLACK Dick was an right. |
caught the CLEAN of his bright eyes,
and, hearing me, he whiunicd couX-
ingly Thus resolved me 10 bring him
into the yard and tic him close TO the
houso. How glad no was, the noble
brute, TO feel my caressing hands, and
when | led him to tho foot Of tho
stone steps he would have mounted
them and followed me as "a pet kitten
would, had | not kindly but firmly
told him mo" | always talked TO
"Dick" Just as | would talk 30 you or
any other dear friend, for ! know he
always understood,
Dear fellow, how wistfully ic look.
cd after me rs ! ran up tho dark steps,
covered here and there with still
darker stains-So suggestive-ughl
.'Thc key you will find la a niche in
tho wall near tho door" This | was
also told nj Weir Heights.
GToping among the tangled vines
and leRves, though Il was midsummer,