Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-01-23

NSkXTpR LuIueSU uuC WIS DS-
NNSAaEA2 lated. He had been in
Es&SSfSnp of mountain
RE|STe grouse up wild, inter
sNSRY minable canyon, and he
Ik5&>AN was now returning
WRg>. to camp over rough
PN% rocky way, l ad in G
z through lonely gorges,
such as one sees nowhere as in the
picturesque State of Colorado. His
pony had that day lost a SHOE Hence,
it was not possible to urge the animal
rapidly over the uneven road, or Tune,
much as he wished to get back to his
comrade at the camp, disliked to be
inhuman enough to do so.
Occasionally, his path would be sur
rounded by high, dark, frowning
ridges of rock, whispering pine trees
clung lonesomely and seemed to awe
into murmurless subjection the dwarf
cedars below them. Then, again,
down into picturesque gullies, with
Empid mountain streams urging their
torturous courses among the eternally
silent powders that jutted ever and
anon across the canyons and gulches
through which he guided his pony.
At one of these beautiful streams
Earnest Tune reined 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 in the gorge. Dense
shadows lurked 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-
tion were unknown. To young fellow
used all his life to 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.
To his right, and overlooking the spot
where he had paused, loomed bold, out
standing cliffs, their rugged sides here
and there clothed in meager 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
lmaginings. He had always hooted the
idea of supernatural visitations. But
now! He was confronted by an appa-
ritlon 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 or stir.
The apectanla that aOcboina5 bie
gaze was a most lovely object, ghostly
though it was. A beautiful girl, clad
in white, flowing dress, with wild
masses of midnight tresses falling
around pale, delicate face, stood re-
yealed on the lone mountain side. She
stood directly within the halo of
strange, greenish light that glowed
steadily, casting its 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
dream? How awful, yet how beauti.
fulw
With one pale hand she motioned
him away, away. But Earnest sat as
if transfixed, 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 its 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 quieting
down his animal, they had got too far
to go back. He was venturesome
enough to do SO, and resolved to in
yestigate 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 a tent in 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
We're young men from New York, out
on sporting expedition in the West.
Rollerton, good-looking, well-made,
darkeyed 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
weddinp came off,
As Earnest entered the tent, Willard
greeted him:
"Hello you didn't find the grouse?
But, say, old pard, you are as pale
as spook."
"Am r." 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 l
have turned gray"
Willard playfully ran his fingers
through the luxnriant gold brown
curls OF his sweetheart's brother ESQ
like the tresses he loved). and an
swered laughingly: 81 lind no silver
threads among the gold. But what
mystery have You to unfold? I know
from your manner you have met with
some adventure. Come, let ue eat
and as we do so, yon can recount any
thrilling Ute encounter or spectral
vision that you may have been favored
with"
And Earnest obeyed. As they ate
their supper of delicious, fresh wild
game, he told Willard all that we have
fold the ren1nr with rnGarl To the