Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-02-21

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M,1SacA Earnest Tune was be-
Xxx, R8A2 lated. He had been in
XS&7S9A9f{s,p ursuit Of mountain
&SNG1SG grouse up a wild, inter
..56NS54Y minable canyon, and he
iB9L> IN was now returning
BS/ES> to camp over a rough,
'f~|%< rocky way, e d in 6
through lonely gOrges,
such as one sees nowhere as IN the
picturesque State of Colorado. His
pony had that DAY lost a shoe. Hence,
It was not possible to urge the animal
rapidly over the uneven road, or Tune,
much as he wished to get back to his
cOmrade at the camp, disIiked to be
inhuman enough to do so.
Occasionally, his path would be sur
rounded by high, dark, frowning
ridges of rock, whispering pine trees
chung lOnesOmely, and seemed to awe
into murmurIess subsection the dwarf
cedars below them. Then, again,
down into picturesque gulies, with
limpid mountain streams urging their
tOrturOus courses among the eternally
silent powders that jutted ever and
anon across the canyons and gulches
through which he guided his pony.
At one of these beautiful streams
Earnest Tune reined in and permitted
the thirsty animal to drink. One by
one the stars had crept out in the violet
vault above, so far, far above. from
horse and rider in the gorge. Dense
shadows lurked about and refused to
yield space to the dainty starlight that
dared invade those dark, gloom
enshrouded recesses. The young man
looked about him The night was calm.
The scene was sublime. Here the din
and tinsel display of boosted civiliZa-
ton were unknown. To a young fellow
used all his life to q home in gay
Eastern city, the gulch, with its gloomy
mountains reaching away phautasmal-
ly into the night, held something mex
pressibly fascinating, almost divine.
To his right, and overlooking the spot
where he had paused, doomed bold, out
standing cliffs, their rugged sides here
and there clothed in meager patches of
spruce and pine, their SUBMITS gray,
vague and barren, as if Ceres and Flora
had united in affecting them with an
irremoVable, blighting curse AS his
eyes swept the shadOwy cliffs he start
ed and almost leaped from his saddle.
Earnest Tune was an educated man
and not given to superstition and wild
imaginings. He had always hoOted the
idea of supernatural YisitatiOns. But
now! He was confronted by an appa-
ritiOn as beautiful as it was startling
Brave as he was, he felt his blood grow
chilly, and he seemed deprived of the
power to speak or stir.
The spectacle that enchanted his
gaze was q most lovely object, ghOstIy
though it was. A beautiful girl, clad
in a white flowing dress, with wild
masses Of midnight tresses falling
around pale, delicate face, stood re-
vealed on the lone mountain side. She
stood directly within the halo of a
strange, greenish light that glowed
steadily, casting its deathly hues
around the weird yet namelessIy lovely
figure of the cliffs.
Great heavens!" he managed at last
to articulate, though his voice was
hoarse and unnatural "Am I in a
dream? How awful, yet how beauti-
full"
With one pale hand she motioned
him away, away. But Earnest sat as
If transtixed, and continued to gaze
with terrified fascination upon the
spectral object of the cliffs. What
could she mean by waving him off ?
Suddenly the animal ceased drink.
ing, lifted its head, saw the specter in
all its beauty and awfulness, uttered g
snort of terror, and ere the spell-bOund
rider knew it the pony had cleared the
rocky stream, leaped away through the
dusk OF the gorge, and was rapidly
bearing him from the ghOstly vision OF
the mountain.
When Earnest succeeded in quieting
down his animal, they had got too fal
to 60 back. He was venturesomt
enough to do so, and resolved to in.
vestigate the mystery on the following
night, alone, if he could not persuad,
his friend to accompany him. Tht
pony trembled in every limb anC
showed evidence of deep fright.
Very soon horse and rider stopped
before a tent in a charming gree1
valley, not more than two miles from
the haunted cliffs Earnest dis
mounted, put his horse away, and en-
tered the tent, where his comrade wa
waiting supper Or him.
Earnest Tune and Willard ROlIerto
were young men from New York. GU
on a sporting expedition In the West
RollertOn, a gOOd-lOOking, well-made
dark-eyed fellow, was engaged
pretty Gertrude Tune, Earnest's cnl
BASb6Es l. 45 1udlLi4l+50 W as SGT IOr earl
winter, and the young friends were Ell
Toying an outing in Colorado ere til
wedding came off.
As Earnest entered the tent, WilIaI
greeted him:
aHelloi you didn't find the grouse
But, I say, old pard, you are as pa,
as a spook."
"Am I?" Earnest said, as indiffe
entity as he could; and he removed b
hat and approached his friend, saying
@Just have the kindness to tell me if
have turned gray
willard playfulIy ran his fnge
through the luxuriant gOld-brOv
curls of his sweetheart's brother c
like the trssses he loved), and a