The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-10-20
CHAPTER. M

Gregory accomplished the prosaic rail-
road trip as he had many alother. but a
certain touch of romance entered into it
as he alghted at a small station that
stood in the midst of the quaint little
village and there awaited the coming of
the stage. The young baggage master
had only one small trunk, sewing ma
chine and a straw cutter to attend to
and had ample time to frolic with GER
tain of his friends, whom he pretended
to cast upon the track before the express
train as it few by, once coming within
an ace of doing it in reality.
An old farmer sauntered in to exam
inc the hay cutter, a girl in a large straw
hat sat upon the black trunk waiting for
her friends, numbers of yellow birds
perched upon the telegraph wires and
came down to hop about the platform.
COW wisely tethered to stake dined on
clover in a field adjoining the station.
Leisurely arrivals, lingering adieus and
prolonged conversation, the tardy OPEN
ing of the ticket Office and the fact that
the telegraph operator was flirting over
his wires with some girl at an unknown
station, whose witty tiskipgs he inter
preted to an admiring friend, proved the
comparative small value of time at Po-
hatcong.
Gregory s:luntered away from the
crowd and let his eyes wander to the
blue mountain peaks. The great pines
seemed to point upward with their fin
gers. Their odor came to him through
the warm air. Nature spoke to him in
every object, and he continually repeat
ed to himself, cit is here among these
scenes that that great man lives and
writes"
The stage came at 1ast-an affair Of
leather, yellow in color, bullying like
much battered portmanteau, jolly, red
checked driver on the roof. The young
girl of the trunk was helped in. Already
there were several persons in the back
seats. One old woman, encountered by
such light baggage as churn; a broom
and pig OF tender age, brought vague
rol-ll.4i-conces of NURSERY chymes to Greg
Where shall drop you, mister" the
driver inquired. $40 the hotel?"
81 am looking for MIR. Bud" said
Gregory '.R. Bud"
e'All right the driver answered, and
when Gregory had entered asked him to
shut the door and drove away slowly.
Everything was done slowly in Pohat-
cong, it saGnled. First through the viii
lage, with its sn.hl1 houses and gay gar
dens, then past queer little church
that seemed to have been originally a
barn and to have been adapted to its
present purpose by the addition Of an
entirely irrelevant steeple and up the
winding mountain road.
To Gregory the world seemed left be-
hind. Outreaching branches swept the
sides of the coach. Here and there they
heard the ripple of little stream. At
one turning the wheels almost grazed
the edge of a great cliff. and beyond the
chasm they saw high among the rocks
an old tannery. It was a mere ruin
now, but In its day its overlooking de-
bris had stained the gray rocks with
great red patches. Small evergreens
dotted the slopes beyond, and here and
there little trickling streams that seemed
to fancy themselves waterfalls played
along the hillside. If gnome had APP
peared and lifted his peaked cap to those
who rolled by, it would not have seemed
in the least out of place.
''What spot this was for the home of
this authorI What inspiration he must
have found amid these hillsm Gregory
said to himself, and with sparkling eyes
he watched for the ideal home where
his hero dWelt and gathered from his
surroundings, and doubtless from an ex-
perience as vast and beautiful, stuff for
the story that had thrilled the readers
soul.
Here's Budse's." shouted the driver
at last In a stentorian below that awak-
ened the echoes of the mountains, and
the stage stopped. Gregory alighted and
looked about him and saw nothing.
.sThey is steps If you go on a piece
/ Round the lane tharT' roared the driver
as he drove away.
The lane was cleft in the hill fhickly
grown with tail weeds and thistles. Fol-
| lowing It, he came at last tocertain foot
holds cut Ia the rock. and ascending
them began to see the gabled roof Of az
old, ugly looking house. Here, then, was
his literary eagles mountain nest. He
felt his heart beating fast as he stood at
the summit and found himself in the
midst Of , Singular SPOT q SORT Of pla-
tan capablsof tiIIage and zs.lanted irreg: