Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-30


among the rocks the fretted water swirls
and roars, and there meeting, gathering
together, foaming and crushing around
a great gray boulder erowne with an
eagles nest that stands in mid stream
it meets beyond and with q deafening
roar leaps downward 220 feet. It is $50
feet from shore to shore, and all that
space an emerald torrent that flashes in
the sun. Below mist rises like breath
on q frosty day. On the further shore
is a black lava wall thousand feet high
on our side equally rugged shores, but
crowned with green trees that through
the most parched seasons are fresh and
bright from the spring to the fall. Be-
low the awful deluge is a whirlpool
deeper and wilder than ever Schiller
dreamed OF or his diver sounded. No
living thing could exist in it moment.
Far below this the Snake river, narrow,
deep and dark, winds on between high
black walls, through unfathomable
canyons and untroddeu lands.
Once past the rocks, below the point
one may dare cross, nothing can save.
There is only strip of shore, and pitt
less and cold, worn smooth as polished
marble by the action of the waves, that
granite sentinel. How long it has stood
that maddened, relentless current, who
can imagine To my mind Shoshone
Falls with their wierd setting in the lava
cliffs and chasms are more awe-inspiring
than Niagara. When we crossed In
boat, only one person with the oarsman,
we were forbidden even to place our
hands on the gunwales Of the boat, and
had to sit as still as we could. l kept
Jean with me; she knelt at my feet, her
face hidden In my lap, and l knowing
chance movement of hers might bring
on our destruction scarcely breathed I'M
til we were safe ashore.
The professor and several loads of our
things were ferrled across before Bridget
would even come to the waters edge.
Then she stood there and wrung her
hands, solemnly bidding US farewell.
She was going home.
cts sin to Grass thin wathers in
the jaws of death. IN dacint woman.
I've tried to be, an l I'M goin to die in
me bed. -
eff l was still when I'm hd d1s9t :
called Jean, "you can be, Bridget.
Just cover your face and come on.
'The saints presarve usl" cried
Bridget. and fiinging her apron over her
face she got into the boat, sitting with
rigid, folded arms. The professor had
to drag her out at the shore. els me
hair turned white now? / dom b'lave
me own mother will liver know me agin.
Ochone! IN niver cross it agin. III
live in this wilderness till the breath
goes out II me Bury me here, perfes-
ser, don t let the corp OF me git drown
ded in there
We found our cabin q ruin, doors and
windows open, the floor rotted and fur
niture and dishes gone. The summer be-
fore the professor had hired singularly
lazy Mexican for guide. This person
made trip into the uneXplored country
around us and brought back his dark
faced wife and son, lad of fourteen.
The professor objected TO supporting the
family, but the Mexican explained:
''Nita she helpa sonora cooka; Jose work
also.
Both belied his words. Nita, idle and
dirty, lay about in the sun all day; and
Jose, on pretense of fishing. made life a
long picnic in the woods. Both stole all
they could lay their hands On, but 1
taught Jose better morals eventually. 1t
was altogether such shiftless aud help
less family that the professor gave them
our cabin TO dwell in during the winter
and paid the man to take care of our
things.
81 read of traveller once, - said the
professor, cheerfully helping in the
house cleaning, ''who showed kind
ness to a dromedary, thus acquiring
against his will the faithful creature s
affection and maintenance. Never, by
land or sea, could he escape its pres
ence. We start this year without a
dromedary
"And 1 without Nita, - 1 laughed.
We were all merry, Bridget singing in
the kitchen, Jean washing dishes in q
lively manner, making great play of
work. ''Campin out is 80 splendid,
she said from the depths of big apron,
"'I'd like to be an emigrant child and be
dirty all the time.
We congratulated ourselves because
we had no dromedary, but looked up
suddenly startled at step, and there
was one in the door. A tall, thin lad in
ragged clothing, with q tattered SOM
brero over his black curls, shading a
beautiful Spanish face with soft dark
eyes, clear olive skin, fine features and
red lips. In one brown hand he held a
coilpd Iariat, in the other broken fry
ing pan. 1t was josef
81 brought sonora her dishs - he said
in his musical broken English. sit was
her propertaire.
"You did not leave much here, -
snapped the professor. ''Did you bring
the rest?''
stwas there more? know not,
senior, - with an expressive shrug.
"You ought to know.
"Pardon, senior, oughta to. 1 for
get, am troubles; my farda he die. -
81 am SO sorry said.
s'He was not goot man like senior, I"
continued Jose, calmly. HE taxa
monaire senior give him, go to Shoshone;
he drink vrai hard; he nevaire hav' so
mooch monaire befo' nor so mooch whis-
kaire on that account. He care not that
the wind blows down stream. the river
so high; he is taken ovaire the fall, nor
nevaire find him.
.fWhy didn t his mamma tell him to
keep away from the river or he d be tied
with string?' asked Jean with anx-
ious interest.
'sHis mamma dead-long time, hum
dred years, said Jose, with melan-
choly smile at Jean. 'iMy mother she
bav took anothaire husband. l not like
him. 1 hear senior haf bought mus