Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-02-07

-I[JaEe, grouse mp q Wlid, inter-
.,gSSs SSSY minable canyon, and he
NIX IN was now returnin s
E Nf ~ to camp over q rough,
''Sp=&9I rocky way, leading
through lonely gorges,
such IS one sees nowhere as in the
picturesque State of Colorado. His
pony had that day lost shoe. Hence,
it was not possible to urge the animal
rar1idIy over the uneven road, or Tune,
much as he wished 10 get back 20 his
co,nrade at the camp, disliled to be
inhurlan 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
INFO ,nurlnurless subsection the dwarf
cedars below them. Then, again,
down into picturesque gullies:; with
hmpid mountain streams urging their
fortnrous courses among the eternally
silent powders that iutted ever and
anon across the canyons and gulches
through which he guided his pony.
At one of these beautiful streams
Earnest Tune refined 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 Ill the gorge. Dense
shadows lurlled 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 boasted civiliza-
ton were unknown. 10 a young fellow
used all his life to a home in gay
Eastern city, the gulch, With its gloomy
mountains reaching away phantasmal
ly into the night, held something mex
pressibly fascinating, almost divine.
70 his right, and overlooking the spot
where he had paused, doomed bold, out
standing cliffs, thei' rugged sides here
and there clothed in 1neager 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 visitations. But
nov! 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 OF stir.
The spectacle that unclaimed his
gaze was most lovely object, ghostly
though it was. A beautiful girl, clad
In a white, flowing dress, with wild
masses OF midnight tresses falling
around a pale delicate face, stood re-
vealed on the lone mountain side. She
stood directly within the halo of a
strange, greenish light that glowcd
steadily, casting it's deathly hues
around the weird yet namelessly lovely
figure OF the cliffs
Great heavens!" he managed at last
to articulate, though his voice was
hoarse and unnatural. "Am [ 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 it's head, saw the specter in
all its beauty and awfulness, uttered
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 on
the mountain.
When Earnest succeeded in quoting
down his animal, they had got too far
TO so back. Hc was yenturesome
enough to do SO, and resolved to in
vestlgate the mystery on the following
night, alone, if he could not persuade
his friend to accompany him. The
pony trembled in every limb and
showed evidence Of deep fright.
Very soon horse and rider stopped
before tent in a charming green
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 was
waiting supper for him.
Earnest Tune and Willard Rollerton
were young men from New York, Cat
on sporting expedition in tho West.
kollerton, a good looking, wellmade,
darl1-eyed fellow, was engaged to
pretty Gertrude Tune, Earnest's only
sister. The marriage was set for early
winter, and the young friends were en-
joying an outing in Colorado ere the
wedding came off.
AS Earnest entered the tent, Willard
greeted him:
Hello! you didn't find the grouse?
But, I say, old pard, you are as pale
as spook."
Am II" Earnest said. as indiffer-
emily as he could; and he removed his
hat and approached his friend saying
"Just have the kindness to tell me if I
have turned gray"
Willard playfully ran his fingers
through the luxuriant gold-brown
eurls Of his sweetheart's brother $50
I