San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-02-28


perils and difficulties, rescuing him fror
them all by somo miraculous contriy
ance; but as this Il absolutely tru
story, l must content myself with fact
and keep TO probabilities
At an carly hour the next day, there
fore, after q hearty mornings moal, tn
encampment broke up and our adven
turers embarked In the pinnaos Of An
tony Wander Heyden. There being n,
wind for the sails. tho Indians rowed he
gently along, keeping timo TO q kind o
chant of ono Of the white men. The da,
was serene and beautiful; the river with
out wave; and as the vessel cleft tn,
CLASSY water 1t left long, undulatinl
track behind. Tho crows, who ha(
scented tho hunters banquet, were al
ready gathering and lowering In the air
just where column Of thin, blue smoke
rising from among the trees, showed the
place of their last nights quarters. Al
they coasted along the bases of the noun
tains, the Heer Antony pointed out to
Dolph bald eagle, the sovereign OF these
regions, who sat perched on n dry tree
that projected over tho river; and, with
eye turned upwards, seemed to be drink.
ing in the splendor of the morning sun.
Their approach disturbed tho monarch's
meditations. He first spread one wing
and then the other, balanced himself for
a moment, and then, quitting his perch
with dignified composure, wheeled
slowly over their heads. Dolph snatohed
up gun and sent q whistling ball after
him, that cut some Of tho feathers from
his wing; the report Of the gun leaped
sharply from rock to rock and awakened
thousand echoes; but tho monarch of
tho air sailed calmly on, ascending higher
and higher, and wheeling widely as he
ascended, soaring up the green bosom of
the woody mountain, until he disap-
peared over the brow OF q beetling preci-
pioe. Dolph felt in manner rebuked
| by this proud tranquility, and almost re-
preached himself for having so wantonly
insulted this majestic bird. Heer An
tony told him, laughing, to remember
that he was not yet out of the territories
of the lord of the Dunderberg, and an
old Indian shook his head and observed
that there was bad luck In killing an
eagle-the hunter, on the contrary,
should always leave him portion of his
spoils.
Nothing, however, occurred to molest
them on their voyage. They passed
pleasantly through magnificent and
lonely scenes, until they came to where
Pollopors Island lay, like floating
bower, at tho extremity Of the highlands.
Here they landed, until the heat Of the
day should abato or breeze spring up
that might supersede the labor OF the
oar. Some prepared the midday meal,
while others reposed under the shade of
the trees in luxurious summer Incidence,
looking drowsily forth upon the beauty
of the scene. On the one side were the
highlands, vast and cragged, feathered
to the top with forests and throwing
their shadows on the CLASSY water that
dimpled at their feet. On the other side
was wide expanse Of the river, like n
broad lake, with long, sunny reaches
and green headlands. and the distant line
of Shawungunk mountains waving along
q clear horizon or checkered by fleecy
cloud.
But forbear to dwell on the particu-
lars of their cruise along the river; this
vagrant, amphibious life, careerlng across
silver sheets of water; coasting wild
woodland shoresj banqueting on ahady
promontories, with the spreading tree
overhead, the river curling It's light foam
to ones feet, and distant mountain, and
rock, and tree, and snowy cloud, and
deep blue sky, all mingling In summer
beauty before one; all this, though never
cloying In the enjoyment. would be but
tedious In narration.
When encamped by the water eide
some Of the party would go into the
woods and hunt, others would fish
sometimes they would amuse themselves
by shooting at mark, by leaping, by |
by wrestling, and Dolph gained
great favor in the eyes of Antony Wander |
Heyden by his skill and adroitness In all
these exercises, which tho IIecr consid- |
cred as the highest of manly accomplish
ments.
Thus did they coast iollily on, choos-
ing only the pleasant hours for voyag-
ing; sometimes In the cool morning |
dawn, sometimes In the sober evening |
twilight, and sometimes when the moon
shine spangled the crisp curling waves
that whispered along the sides of their
little bark. Never had Dolph felt so
in his element; never had he
met with anything 30 completely TO his
taste as this wild haphazard life. He
was the very man to second Antony
Wander Heyden in his rambling humors,
and gained continually on his affections.
The heart of the old bushwhacker yearned
toward the young man, who seemed thus
growing up in his own likeness; and as
hey approached to the end of their voy
lge, he could not help inquiring a little
nto his history. Dolph frankly told him
his course of life, his severe medical
studies, his Httlo proficiency and his
very dubious prospects,. The Heer was
hooked TO find that such amazing tai
,nts and accomplishments were to be
,ramped and buried under O doctors
Wig. He had n sovereign contempt for
he healing art, having never had any
,ther physician than the butcher. lie
,Ore a mortal grudge TO oil kinds OF
tudy also, ever since he had been fogged
bout IN unintelligible book when ho
vas boy. But 10 think that a young
elbow like Dolph, Of such wonderful
bilitles, who could shoot, fish, run,
ump, ride and wrestle should be obliged
D roll pills and administer juleps for q
mOnstrOusi He told Dolph
ever TO despair, but to throw physic 10
he dogB;" FOR a young fellow Of his ,
religious talents could never fail 20
lake his way. "As you soem to have
o acquaintance IN Albany" said Hecr I.
.ntony, 'yOu shall 20 homo with me,
nd remain under my roof until yen can
DOk about you, and In tho meantime we
ln take an occasional bout az shooting !
nd fshing. for Il is pity such talents
lO,ild be idle"
DOipb, who wasnt The mercy Of chance,
as not hard TO b. persuaded. Indeed. !
D turning over matters In his mind, /.
.hich lie did very sagely and doliber-
.oiy, be could not but lhink that An =
ny Wander Heyden was, ''sor3ehOw or :
her, connected with the EioIy q the
.auuted HOusc; that the missdve1ture
the highlands, which bad thrown I
lcm 30 strangely together, was. ''s0cI1c- Z
~ or othar,7 % work cut Bo1lgthigg I
I'd. n shoTt, there 4 no'hilz 80 oon-
.nlsnt a. tbs ''somebosz O. Ofher- vay /
soc1u11OiztfnE o-le's s1if - circur8- !
ancas. i g. The Inzin.stay u 3 heedloss !