Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-01-02
HOW A TRAMP ENDED.

IL CNIoCL bh VIZ
was at its height.
The great hotels and many cottages
scattered in every direction were filled
to overlooking with gay and joyous
guests.
No one location had a larger share
of these birds of passage than Beth
lehem, standing on its lofty hill, with
the grand old mountains rising all
about it.
Every hotel, boarding house, and cot
tage was filled with guests, and every
day and evening something was planned
and carried out for their entertain
ment.
One day it was a ride or tramp to
one of the many points of interest lying
in every direction, and in the evening
a ball or hop or parlor theatricals at
one house or the other. Pleasure for
the few days or weeks reigned supreme.
One evening two young men were
seated on the broad veranda of the Ma
plewood.
The great hotel was filled to reple-
ton, and gay promenaders passed and
repassed before them to the sound of
the music which came floating out on
the evening air.
One of the men, the darker of the
two, at length broke the silence which
had for several minutes existed be-
tween them by saying:
Il think we shall have a good day
for our tramp tomorrow. 1t doesn't
look now as though we should get rain
again for some days
II hope it will not be too hot, Thur
low. It's a long way up to the Black
%ravine, and for part of the way we
shall find no shade at all. / was up
there two years ago, and found it no
easy job"
II guess we are good for it, Hartley.
We didn't take q back seat for any
body when we were doing the Alps to-
gether. Englishmen pride themselves
on their power of endurance on foot,
but for once they had to give in to
Americans
Il remember the party very well.
They were loath to give up, but they
had to when we left them so far be-
hind
''Quite a little party are going up
also tomorrow, l Understand-ladies
and gentlemen-sOme from here, and
some from Sinclair
YES; but they will ride more than
half the way and that makes the diff
ference. thought you would like to
go along with them
But | had no invitation. Did youP'
mo"
isn't that a good reason why we
should tramp by o~urselves?"
SIVn,. IL Nh k-Llo- = - - -.
of the party. I've seen the time when
you would have moved heaven and
earth that you might be one of the
party"
But | would not have to perform so
small a job as that. [ should surely
have had a pressing invitation to go.h
"Thurlow?"
"Well"
why was it that you and Maud
broke off with each otherP At one
time L would have wagered my life
that you would have made a match of
it."
There was another who had more
gold and more influence than l." he
said, in a bitter tone. God knows
loved that woman as / never shall an
other
Then | would have married her in
spite Of"
Hush! Here she comes!''
A small gay coterie passed by where
they were sitting. They were laugh
ing and chatting, and Maud Ashley
seemed the gayest of the little group.
If she saw Chester Thurlow she gave
no sign that she did so. No look of
recognition came athwart her beauti-
full face.
The next morning gave promise of a
beautiful day to follow. Thurlow and
Hartley were astir early.
1t was a long, hard tramp to the
head of the Black ravine and the
Chamber to the summit of the great
cliffs which overhang it. By starting
in good time they would have the adj
vantage of the cool of the dav. An
early breakfast had been ordered the
night before, and as soon as it was dis
patched, and a gOodly lunch bestowed
IN their knapsacks, they started off be-
fore many of the guests had showed
themselves out of their rooms.
Half of their upward tramp was over,
when they came to a spot where a
rude path branched off to the right
from the rough wagon road they
had been pursuing. High above them
they could see the deep depression in
the mountain which went by the name
of the Black ravine. A hard. lone
tramp was before them yet, but they
felt as though it would be boys play,
for they were used to this sort of climb.
ing.
A sparkling brook came out from
under a rock, and here they quencheG
their thirst and rested for a short time.
The sound of wagon wheels and the
ring of happy voices down the road tolC
them that the party was approaching
This was a signal for them to go on
for they did not wish to mingle or tx
be in the way of those hat had saiC
plainly enough that their company wa
not wanted.
Thurlow knew that Hugh Tilder
would be there, and that if he coulC
help it he would not be five minute;
away from the side of Maud. He knew
something of him of old and felt tina
the girl was giving herself to a MAJ
with whom she could never be happy
PEOPLE would have said that This wa