The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-02-16

talrsi W lcn their highest peaks
caught the FIST smile OF the morning;
( when sun aad shade flashed at MONDAY
over their brown sides; when tho sun
said "-;ood night" and hil them in a
soft purple haz.; whea the "clouds
came down t. r:st' ami shrouded them
ia green mist; ever changing, yet
always the same, Garcia loved them and
! had dreamed dreams of the happy time
when she should explore those hidden
! canyons.
At hotel down the street, q lively
widow a1d her sister boarded. Garcia
considered them charming ac9ueint-
ances, but her aunt held them in cold
displeasure, mostly on account of what
she termed the widows "flirty' ways;
but she had been beguiled into promis-
ing, in moment of weakness, that
somo time Garcia might accompany the
| Objectionable widow on a mountain ex-
cursion. The aunt never intended to
keep this promise; reconciing it with
her conscience that ''some time" was SO
vogue that it might be ind efnitely post
loned, and the journey never accom-
pliscd. Mysterious business took her
10 Los Angeles one day. This was the
widows opportunity. She swooped
down upon Glrcir, and, before the be-
wiliercd girl realized tn, stu .tion, she
WAS mounted on a lur.o, in company
with two really cavaliers aud the widow
and her sister. Their destination was
q tent on the mountain side, occupied
by the employees OF an irricatinC COM
paay, who were tuanel!iag the moua-
tin in search OF water.
Garcil had often looked longin ,ly up
to the cyric abode, which she had iik-
cncd 10 great white liri perched
rpon The mountain side. They wound
sow,y upward through sage brush and
chapparcl, pausing occasionally to looIl
lack over the San Gabriel valley away
to the distant ocean, showing through
a rit in thu hills.
BY and ty G. .rcia felt strange and
unpleasant qualm as her burro crept
singcriy arouad the unusually steep
prccipice. The distant tcat looked
more than ever like a bird ready to take
winr. and, oh, so far away.
The widow, glancilg backward, ex-
claimed at her pale face:
"Arc yOu going to faint, Miss Wal
doi'
Il think ain 60 ing to die" Garcia
whimp2Eed.
There was great commot among
men aud beasts, smelling salts wero ap-
Piled and bottles were uncorked, and
Garcia opened her eyes to fad herself
upon terra frma, sheltered BY big
grease wood brush. No persuasion
could ind uce her to remount, but at
her earnest request, the rest Of the
party continued their upward journey,
leaving her in her present retreat for
the few hours that would intervene be-
fore their return home. Garcia gave q
si-h OF relief as a bend in the trail hid
them from view, and she was left alone.
Tho day was perfect, and she revelled
in her undergraduates and the glorious
view before her. Far down the ravine
she heard the music OF hidden stream.
| Tall yuccas, with their masses OF snowy
bloom, might stand for white robcd
spectre wives of dead mountain giants.
with whom Thor tried his feats o. skill.
She laughed aloud at a merry mock
ing bird, bubbling over with a song,
mimicing the sweet note, and shril
calls OF his feathered friends, aud ading
with the mournful peep of a dripping
chicken. She knew that Joso's home
was in the canyon around the other
side Of the mountain and that he some
times took this trail as q shorter cut to
the town below. What if he should
come this morningl How surprised he
would be to see her il this unexpected
place. Wou,l he be gladi The trip
had been tircsomc, and her present
quarters so comfortable that her day
dreams melted away and she dozei into
sleep. Suddenly she awokc with the
thought that the day had become sur
prisingly hot She drew little further
into her impromptu bower and resumed