Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-10-17

S~-O
extending his legs along the trunk, he
stuck the stick on the toe of his boot.
They crawled to him, clambered on his
legs and was trying to reach his face
like pet dog caressing child. He
gave them no food and did not speak
word. After playing with them for
half an hour, he rose and touched the
water with his stick, when they rolled
off and swan away.
"Good- morning." said I, casting my
hook as he stepped ashore.
"What do you call good morning."
said he, plucking leaves from a cypress
bush and scattering them over the wa
ter.
@This morning."
"Why 500"
Because the trout bite, answered,
landing one.
"You are a triAer, and illogical.
Trout-biting does not make a good
morning. A good morning makes trout
bite"
'"You are philosopher"
Most people call me fool"
"Why?" l asked.
Because they are fools themselves"
"You are dogmatic."
Truth is always So"
"You are singular"
Sometimes singular, sometimes
plural"
"Now you are humorous.
Facts are often funny"
"Yes, I am thinking of one now"
"What is it? ?"
"Your companionship with the tur-
ties"
"Ah! did you see them ?"
"Yes."
"We are good friends. 1 never pur-
chased their goodwill, either, with
food or money, as we do that of men
and dogs"
"Barnum would give you $40, 900 for
them," said.
He raised his stick as if to strike
me, but, dropping it ON his shoulder,
he turned about and walked down the
hog-trail that led through the under
growth.
1 followed him. Coming out on the
highway and crossing the bridge, he
plunged into the woods and came to
the base of the granite mountain that
overlooked the stream, where he stop
ped. Thrusting the stick down his
back, he began the ascent, pulling up
by the bushes on both sides of we'll
worn path. The route was tortuous-
around rocks, down rocks, and over
rocks; but We gained the summit,
plateau half mile in circumference.
In the middle stood hut of rough
boards built against solitary pro-
jecting rock, The door stood open.
He entered. waited, hesitating.
Ten minutes waiting made me anx-
ious. went up and looked in. There
was split-bottom chair, low stool
nothing else. L entered and searched
the room. The man was not there.
Turning to go out, saw in the door q
young girl. She was bare-footed, bare
headed, auburn haired, black-eyed,
slatternly dressed in dingy calico
slip, but the prettiest little slattern I
sver saw.
81 beg your pardon, Miss" I spoke,
but where is the gentleman who just
went in the room?"
"He stands before me-" she said, in
voice that tempted me to clasp her,
despite her unroyal attire.
81 mean the other one."
"There is no other one. You are the
only one. Come, sit at my feet on this
STOOL" And, giving me swing by the
arm, she set me down where she had
bidden. She then seated herself in the.
chair, and, placing her feet in my lap,
said:
"Ain't they pretty?"
"They are, indeed" answered; "but
your face is prettier"
"Of course tits. Nothing is prettie1
than a woman's face. Kiss me-"
She bent down and kissed her. But
1 was getting alarmed.
Miss" said, "this is certainly a
compromising position, and were your
father to step in"
Don't be afraid; 1 have no father. {"
"Who was the man who came in here
half an hour ago?"
This is he" tapping me on the
shoulder with one hand, playfully slap
ping my cheek with the other.
/ thought her crazy.
well, by all the turtles in the river,
1 swear"
She turned pale, trembled all over,
and would have fallen had not risen
and caught her. 1t was an awkward
fix-on top of a mountain, in hut,
holding pretty girl in my arms, and
expecting every moment to be con-
fronted by her father, who, knew,
had stout stick if no more dangerous
weapon. She looked up at me. fnintlv
smiled, clasped her hands behind my
head, and said:
"You do not love!'
This was mistake for no man in
such attitude could have helped loving
her. But felt uncomfortable.
"You do not love me-" she repeated.
"I have been waiting here, lovable and
faithful, for your coming, when could
give my life to you. But now, when
we are on the verge of complete hap
piness, you break the spell by speaking
that hated word, TURTLEl"
Her face vanished as she spoke. In
its stead stood the head of black tur-
tie, its Shiny fippers feeling over my