The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-08-26

Miss Gordon-Miss Gordon! who the
deuce is she??"
l suggested that Miss Gordon might
be the niece of the boss; for l had heard
a niece was expected to visit Mount
Misery.
The ram-seeking party took their de-
parture, and soon after l started for
| the head station, with but little relish
for reporting TO the boss the loss he
was in danger of sustaining.
Mount Misery is twenty miles from
Bengengo, but my wiry little nag got
over the ground well under a couple OF
hours. l did not forget to keep my
weather eye open for traces of the lost
| animals, but saw nothing.
The baptism of places must surely be
governed by the rule of contraries.
In the case of Mount Misery, never
was name less apropos. The spot, where
Mr.. Blvth-the boss-had built his
homestead was one of the loveliest
and most picturesque places l have ever
seen.
A long, broad bottoined valley, be-
tween two ranges of h~oneysuckle hills.
Through the center of the valley ran in
silvery silence a small stream. On
either side it's banks, grew groves Of
fair-sized timber trees-apple wood,
box and stringy bark. Here and there
clumps of stately. gum trees rose to a
height of some one hundred to one hum
dred and seventy feet. Myriads of
bright plumaged birds fitted c%ontinu-
ously in the sunlight, giving one the
impression of winged gems. The noisy
but interesting chatter of cockatoOs,
blended with the softer love-notes 81
various doves, all helped to lend a
charm, and the ensemble was a pros
pect far different than the ill-sounding
name of Mount Misery advised. The
homestead itself was equally a picture,
reminding one of some old last century
farmhouse, of a style frequently met
with in the more retired rural districts
of England. Bungalow fashion, its
divisions were all on the ground
floor, the peaked roof being simply used
for storing fruit. A variety of creepers
trailed their wealthy growth from end
to end, on pillar and post, from ground
plate to gable peak. A well-stockeo
orchard with a carefully tended anG
luxuriant flower garden surrounded
the house, which was simply a pictur
esuue and Notwithstanding bit o.
, perfection.
The visitor to Mount Misery must o.
necessity cross one OF other Of the two
barren ranges, which in summer Oh
: winter are equally uninviting, owing
. a. &Losr onar n1aranfar haInr 6avnl(
of shelter from either cold, biting
I blasts of winter, or the sweltering ray
O of the summer sun. But having crosses
I this waste of barren rock, and reached
I the edge of the range, the eve is glad
a dened by the oasis just described.
On this occasion l did not, IS wa
usual with me, halt to re-admire tn
picture, but continued my way to tn
foot of the range. On entering tn
grove of timber l struck the station
track. and put my horse to a sharI
S canter, and was beginning to formu
late some quiet style of speech to in
troduce the i'll news l bore, when sud
denly | became aware that a lady wa
standing on the track some hundre
n wards or so ahead of me; she appeare
h to be reading.
This must be Miss Gordon,
o thought l.
Il by George, she's young, and wha
is more a jolly pretty girl!
Ie! My artistic nature came to tn
front again, you see. I'll try an
d describe her; then, perhaps, l may /
Is forgiven ny rapture.