Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-11-06
ANNIS' ADVENTURE.

"a bear-leader!" cried Annis Hall,
elevatlng her pug nose contemptuously.
Nothing but n common bear-leader! Our
James, with his talents and cultivation,
his refined tastes and fastidious fancies,
condesending to he the tutor of an ordi-
nary college bumpklnl 1t can't be pos
Si6le!'
"Oh, but, Annis, listen" said Dam
aris, eagerly. ''He isn't an ordinary
college pumpkin, rs you so inelegantly
phrase it. Where's Jamie's letter2 Let
me read what he says. He's a strik-
ingly handsome young man, six feet
high, and features like Apollo-the
young man, you know-and they're
spending the summer at romantic camp
in the Adirondacks, all surrounded by
balsam forests and gurgling streams, and
all that sort of thing, and Jamie is to
have a hundred dollars month for his
expenses. Only think of itm
''How should like to see him ~ said
Annis, her tickle Imagination veering
around at once. SIS it far from Lake
Wildcat, Damaris? Couldn't we go out
to the camp and visit Jamie?"
"Nonsensew said sober Damaris.
"Girls don't go out so far into the wild
erness.n
"But indeed they do" cried Annis,
impatiently shaking her red brown curls
81 know whole party of lady-campers
who
But just at that moment domestic
summons arrived, and Damaris Hall has
tened away without waiting for the rest
of the sentence.
Annis, however, pondered the matter
in her heart, sitting there with dark,
sparkling eyes aud lips dimpled with
fun.
"Tll do it," said she. "There can't
possibly be any harm in a sister going tc
see her brother, and it would be such 4
delightful surprise to Jamie. Besides,
should like to show Damaris that I've
got some originality about me. Six foot
high, and as handsome as Apollo! Oh,
must go I've always wanted an ad.
venture, and now's the chance for it. |
do think there never was such lucky
girl as ann Annis Halls mind was
made up and she was not cir! easily tC
be diverted from any purpose on whicl
she had set her heart
Balsam Mountain was twelve miles al
the very least from Lake Wildcat, al
which place Mrs Hall had decided to
spend the summer; but Annis was moi
discouraged by any such trifling matter
of distance.
1t was reached by fve-mile "trail, .
branching from the highroad; but An
mis- was II good mountain walker, and
generally carried a pocket compass with
her.
She divulged her intention to no onc
("Mamma would absolutely forblt it,
she reasoned within herself, "and De
naris would pronounce it an impossible
ity y, but took the stage that wa,
bound to the nearest settlement on thu
plea of buying some postage stamps, anC
a bottle of essence Of peppermint for hel
mothers toothache and when they
reached the trail she sprang nimbly out
announcing her resolve to walk the res
of the way.
'lt's II goodish stretch, observed tho
driver, shifting his tobacco from one
cheek to the other.
"Oh, don't mind that!n said Annis.
She could fairly have danced along
the path, bordered with tree ferns and
dalntily ovcrgrown with wood sorrel and
vivid green MOSES.
Overhead the wind murmured in the
balsam boughs, and merry little squirrels
Chartered mp and down the tree-trunks.
Annis was Il good walker, and her
heart was full of eXultation at the success
of her plans.
GLOW delighted Jamie will be-" she
thought II don't suppose he dreams
I'm within dozen miles of him. And
the young Apollo-what will he think,
l wonderl Oh, it's such fnnl | do so
like something out Of the common run -
But in spite OF Annis enthusiasm, she
was thoroughly tired out before she
came in sight of a thin thread Of blue
smoke, curling upward, in sort of
clearing on the edge Of a Lrawliug
stream.
"Ihe camp" she said to herself. II
dare say Jamie is putting the potatoes
to roast in the ashes, and the Apollo
oh, that must be him chopping wood
Some monarch of the forest is doomed to
fall ere long beneath his axe
She paused "a second to push the moist
curls Of auburn hair out of her eyes. to
stralghten the bow OF blue ribbon at her
throat, and glance dcspairinply at the
slhNNiN 9pLNo VI ll'l ltllt NNlklur boots.
"Real camp styc,n she murmured,
''But here goes One can't be cere-
monious in place like tins"
And she slipped into the clearing, cry
ing out:
Jamie lamie aren't you surprised
to see me-!
1t was tiny, scmi-circuar glade,
walled round with huge balsams and
slender white birches. cxcept where if
sloped down to the stream. Arudc struc.
ture of forked boughs, thatched with
spruce and fir boughs, occupied the fore.
ground. a fire sulked and smoked agains
huge boulder, and tall figure in "A re,
flannel shirt and weather. beaten cordu
roys, desisted from its occupation of cut
ting wood to stare at her.
A sudden panic seized upon our val
ant heroine. She would have given a
she was possessed of in this world, a
that instant, to have fled away into tn
wilderncsses and left no trace behind
but it was too late.
There was no Jamie there only til