Evening journal., 1892-10-31

individuals Tor Lne QlVerSltylng or the
landscape and the entertainment Of their
fellows, the popular taste still fondly
clinging to the style Of home most COM
mon at the east when the "ffty-niners"
crossed the plains. But nothing could
appear really common OF ugly in that
fair setting Of greenery, against that
grand mountain background which was
the richest possession Of the place. For
countless miles the eye might follow the
folds of the foothills, cleft here and
there with gulch or canyon; here and
there, standing on tiptoe, as it seemed,
to look over their rugged shoulders, a
big brother in snowy draperies tattered
and torn, all masquerading in new forms
and colors with every passing cloud,
fresh vision Of beauty and grandeur
every hour of the day.
1t was a sight to thrill the dullest soul,
the blaze Of glowing color in which one
August day was sinking to its close, the
snowy peaks flushed with softened re-
fections of the sky, fair as the rose Of
maiden's cheek blooming under loves
first kiss; the hills below turning dull
blue gray, as starved Of color as the
shadows that fall over the heart when
loves sun has set, and Joy has burned
itself out, like that sunset sky, in ashes
of roses. Colder and more grim the foot
hills grew as the roseate lights faded
slowly out, and twilight fell upon the
heated valley like cool hand laid on
fevered brow. The work Of the day was
over, and the dissipations Of night were
not yet begun.
Donald Bartels, screened from observa-
tion by thick vines and shrubs, which
yet afforded a glimpse of what little
might take place in the quiet street be-
yond the lawn, his feet disposed on the
piazza balustrade, his chair tipped back
to a luxurious angle, comfortably sur.
veyed the world through the haze Of his
after dinner cigar. His wife, slowly
swaying in a rocking chair near by, was
anxiously regarding him.
"If you would only be reasonable,
Don, she urged deprecatingly.
"But, my dear Nita, how could l be
more sog" he good-humoredly retorted
1T is the most reasonable thing in the
world for US to wire your amiable aunt
that it is not convenient for us to receive
her now, and ask her to see US later"
"But she is not my amiable aunt; that
is the trouble" with a perplexed laugh
"She is capable Of being very unamiable
if we were to send her such telegram.
She would conclude at once-and quite
naturally. too-that we didn't want her
at all"
"Well, we don't, do WEI" imperturba-
bly, blowing smoke rings into the air.
1--WE should not yearn for her under any
circumstances; but now, when we have
been planning this trip to the mountains
for months, when, as things are at the
office, must go now OF not at all, to
have her come dropping down upon US
like this is little too much like the last
straw that finished the unlucky camel"
"a strawi 1t is as bad as a whole stack
at onceg" cried Anita, with a miserable
little groan. "But them" Frightening
somewhat, "she says, you know, that
these friends are getting up party to
cross the continent, and she may come
with them; but she is not altogether de-
cided about it. If she comes, she will
be here soon; but we may still cherish a
small hope of escape"
But that is the worst of it," ex-
claimed Donald hotly. "The idea of
changing all our plans for an uncer-
tainty like thatl God save US from our
friends, say l. In the long run they
make US twice as much trouble as our
enemies.
"But you must remember how much
owe her; that my home was with her
for ten years." urged Anita, extenuat-
ingly. "And the trial was to them
Aunt Martha and Aunt Jane-those
prim, properly minded old maids. Think
Of that, Don, with ripple of laughter
at the memories aroused. "They never
could get over it, you know, that my
mother was u Mexican, and that my
dark face advertised the awful fact that
I, too was mejicana. And my temperl
Oh, was scourge 70 them, can tell
you.
The ghost Of a smile hickered under
The tawny mustache which Donald was
abstractedly strolling. The impulsive
temper of his wife was to him natural
phenomenon, a sort of spiritual geyser
whose ebullitions were governed by no
law comprehensive to his easygoing
temperament That what were to him
the baldest trifles--a careless word, the
forgetting Of a goodby kiss when he was
hurried, an unmeaning compliment idly
tossed to a pretty woman-that small
things like these should be SO large in
power to stir up tempest had been to
him an amazing revelation Of married
life Being man Of some discretion,
however, and devotedly loving his hand.
some wife as well, he had found it ex.
ipedient to cultivate a thoughtfulness re-
specting the small things that seemed To
her Of 1nomept quite foreign to the com.
Portable spirit Of selfshness In which his
meek mother had reared him. and thu;
kept clear. for the most part, Of troubled
waters; but he was no less impressed
with the fact that Anita's dark eyes,
whose glances fell with such melting
tenderness upon those whom she loved,
could flash even brighter with stormy
wrath, and he had no doubt whatever but
that she had made life exceedingly inter
ssting to those women to whom had been
given the discipline of her early years.
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