Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1890-05-31
Caught in a Storm.

Caught in a Storm.
1--WE might just ~ well have been
standing behind the counter in New
York all these ten days." sighed Bar
eara Hale. ssfor all the out-0f-the-way
adventures we've hadi'
"Who wants out-of-thc-way adven-
tnresp said Dorcus Dunn, scornfully.
s'Behind the counter, indeed y
chimed in Mary Vannecker. Can you
breath In ciover-sccnted air like this
behind the counter? Can you get the
mountain view from Sixth Avenue?
What more would the girl want,
should like to knowT
Barbara sighed and shook her head.
alt is all 90 tame," she said. at
isn't what expected at all"
The three girls-Barbara, Dorcas
and Mary-werc sitting on side hill
under the shade of q grand old cedar
tree.
Barbara, who had once taken quar-
ter's lessons in drawing, had sketch
board ON her lap, and was trying, with
but little success, it must be owned,
10 reproduce the lovely ribbon-iike
curves Of the river that wound its way
through the valley below.
Mary had her needlework in her lap,
and Dorcas, with her hands clasped
under her head, had long given up all
attempt to read the paper-covered novel
that she had brought with her.
ssThe sky and the sunshine are 30
much better" she said.
They were three shop girls-bright,
ambitious, spirited young things, full
of life and aspirations, even though
they were kept down by the force Of
circumstances; and they dubbed to-
gether their slender resources in order
10 enjoy their vacation to better advan-
age.
D0rcas, the business member of the
firm, had bought an excursion ticket
first, and travelled out to Schepp's
valley to see what could be done. But
1t is needless to say that the hotel and
clearinghouse prices were far beyond
their simple means.
els there no place." said she "where
we could obtain one room and the very
simplest fare for less moneyp
"You might try old man Morris,o
said the portly dame who kept the
Valley House. "It's quiet place, and
Mrs. Morris she amt no great of
q cook, but there's them as has boarded
therc. I'm told"
"Where Is it?' eagerly asked Dor
cas-.
The Iandlady went to the door to
point out q slender blue thread Of
smoke that was curling up heaven
ward from mass of woods on dis
tant hill, and once more Dorcas set
forth on her pilgrimage, this time
with undoubted success.
She engaged one room. The board
TO be sure, was plain, the bed, coarse
husk mattress, with blanket spread
ON the floor for Dorcas herself, the
furniture, homemade and implanted.
But there was grove of pine woods in
the rear; the black-birds piped their
silver flutes all day long, and the bees
darted in and out of the red lilies by
the garden wall, and our three hero
Ines believed themselves to be in para
disc.
But even as Barbara thus bewailed
portentous shadow swept
across the sun, and looking around
they saw that . mass Of livid purple
clouds had piled themselves up
along the western sky, while distant
and now and then O sud-
den flash, announced the coming of
storm.
Dorcas sprang to her feet, Barbara
began to fold up her sketching appar-
atus, Mary put her thimble and scis-
sors in her pocket.
: ave must get home rs quickly -
cried all three.
But In awaiting themselves of q
hort cut across patch of woods they
got hopelessly lost. The sunset behind
he purple battlement Of clouds, the
iusk fell quickly in these dense woods,
md the rain began to patter down in
,uge drops.
Barbara, the aspirant after adven-
ure, began to cry.
awe are lott ~ she said.
"Lost? Nonsense!" exclaimed brave
Dorcas. ssWhen l can see the railway
rack shining down below. Who ever
rot lost close to railway line? Let's |
make Cor the track
'.And perhaps get run overt" Ia
nented poor Barbara.
ssNot likely, when there's one train
j day, and that at noon," laughed
Dorcas. .If we walk along the track
We must come out somewhere, don't |
rou seef'
Sand beside" added Mary, "there's |
J little ruined cabin not far from where |
he railroad fagman used to live be-
ore they changed the location of the |
tation. remember Mrs. Morris |
h0wing it TO me once"
"Oh! ohp shrieked Barbara. al
ould not 60 there. The fiagman was |
Tiled on the track. Oh, there's Q !
host there!r
"Wouh you rather stay here and be |
lrenched through and through with |
10 raini7 severely demanded Mary,