News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1893-05-18

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AdOnis might, had helived here where
the average Venus is quite few and
but let US not pursue this subject
that on the morrow, | should
Hunt the bear with certain of my friends
the object of my friends beingsport-
mine fresh meat.
At this the excellent creature turn
ed pale, and laying down "A very small
garment upon which she had been be
showing a few finishing stitches, ask
ed if my life insurance was all right.
Upon my saying that, as far as was
concerned, it was, but that | could
not vOuch for what new departure
the company might indulge in should
L vacate my mortal frame, she arose
packed up carefully in my hand
satchel two pairs of socks, a small
bottle of vaseline, the Book of Com.
mon Prayer, said "There!" and
with an air of intense relief, resumed
her chair and sewing.
Bachelors fail to comprehend the
serenity that involves the existence
of Il Benedict. 1t isl will not (on
Mrs. Ms accOunt) say the calmness
of despair-but the-the-well, you
know what | mean.
However, the next morning, in com
pany with some of the oldest inhabi-
tants, | started in the direction OF
of what Mrs. M. says is the oldest
portion of this terrestrial ball-the
mountains known as the Sierra Blan-
ca, which rise to height above the
sea of a little over Il, 900 feet, a fact
which the beholder finds difficult to
realize, since the plain from which he
views their lofty peaks is itself 5000
feet above the tide
The gentlemen who accompanied
me i'll capacity of oldest inhabitants
were four in number. One, whose
name is, to put it compactly, Bill,
and who is one of those frequently
" tight" little islanders, who Never,
never, never" lent tone, as it were, to
the party, and brought with him, in
addition to big dog, big lunch.
Another was the Cincinnatus of the
Trinchera, who, having turned his
musket into a plowshare, reposes on
his pensions, and besides caring for
flOcks and herds, occasionally deals
out justice in very original packages,
and sometimes ties the nuptial knot,
both of which judicial performances
have made him an object of awe to
masculine offenders.
A third "oldest " is known as "The
Professor" What his professions
are, or have been, is unknown to the
general public, which is not Tin the
" boundless West y apt to be too in
quisitive, but it is a local tradition
that the Professor" was once one
of the faculty of New England col
lege. To see him, one would not
think so to hear him--well, he might
have been that, or something else.
His knowledge of rocks with hard
names, his Intimate acquaintance
with the habits of unpleasant be-
haved beasts and birds, and of un-
monsters of the deep,
who seem to have lost their teeth
while sOjOurning in the mountains
all now happily eXtinct-have a great
deal to do with the reputation he
bears among the "honest miners"
who delve for what he always kicks
aside. For he is sincere in one thing
- in living, as Bill describes it," like a
hermit in a nut" two miles above
the sea.
The last, but by no means least, of
the natives was one whom deem it
prudent to mention as Mr.. Mobiles.
What his name was when he was an
which at present he is
nOt-of Eastern society, is known
only to himself. What it is now for
bear to remark, the condition of my
health being such as to render excite
ment undesirable He has been
hugged by bears, treed by panthers,
half-scalped by the nations wards
and hunted by Mexicans. Mr. Mobiles
still lives. But his spersecutors-where
are they? The skins and scalps that
deck the interior of Mr.. Noble ranch
on the Sangre de Cristo are mutely
eloquent of his prowess. Consequent
ly, felt safe with him.
Everything being in readiness, we
got into the ambulance of Uucle Sam
Thy kind permission of Lieutenant
for this occasion only,
told the Jehu to go ahead, and off we
drove in the direction of old Fort
most beautifully situ
ated at the very foot of the noun
tains, and bordering the clear and
icy stream which trickles from their
sides. Passing the old fort, we soon
turned westward, and the ascent be-
gan.
The road up the mountain was not,
to speak mildly, smooth; consequent
Iy our progress was slow, and as we,
neared the timber line, the mules eX-
hibited a good deal of distress, as
was made evident by their flanks and
rapidly expanding nOstrils. When
we arrived at that point in the road,
where it ceased to be anything but
confused mass of boulders, and got
out of the ambulance to walk and
climb, the difficulty of respiration
upon eXertion was un-
apparent. However, the
Honorable Mr.. Mobiles having quiet
ly announced that he "see a sigh o
bar" we halted unanimously, and
breathed for moment more freely;
and then again we didn't. That is, L
didn't. Mr.. Mobiles hummed in a
cracked and very still, small voice,
the refrain of mountain air, sort
of a song without words, you know,
examining the while the lock of his
rifle, bringing his knife (Which hung
upon his belt) well to the front, and
in their holsters his two re-
volvers.
This warlike preparation having
been accomplished, he moved forward
a little, cautiously but with perfect
enthroned upon his face,
and beaming in his small bright eye
(of which he has twO).
Just then the Professor" who
had been chipping off Testimonies
of the Rocks" with the back of his
called my attention to
an imprint in the little patch of soil
on which we stood. For the first,
and, trust, the only time in my life,
| felt like Robinson CrusOe, and if |
had had but coat of the skin of
goat, with borrowed umbrella, got
from some other "feller," thelikeness
would have been complete, as Istart-
ed back aghast, like r. c. in the pic
ture. Recovering my breath, which
the altitude had carried off, | asked:
Prehistoric"
"No, nO-it's a track"
Here the voice of Bill, who had
gone back to see if the lunch was all
right, was heard discordantly an
nouncing