Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-11-01
COURTING IN COLORADO.
Some Of the Difficulties an Ardent
Euitor Encountered.


Suitor Encountered.
Such an awkward situation and in
opportune time for declaration Of
love-shaking about on the backs Of
burros which were plodding along up
North Cheyenne canyonl Really, there
was too much Of the ridiculous about 1t
for him to succeed. lie should have
known better.
To be sure the surroundings were
picturesque enough. or grand would
be a better word, perhaps Those
great masses Of rock towering authou-
sand feet above them, those glimpses Of
higher hills in front, those solitary
pines and furs, the mountain brook
urging its tireless way along by the
road which they were following-it
was all sublime. All but the burros.
Truly those Imaginable little beasts
would spoil anything, and just as For
tescue had spoken, "cracl" went the
drivers whip behind them, with:
Get up, Johnny; get up, Stripesl" and
the burros actually broke into a trot,
and Miss Bacon and Fortescue went
bobbing up and down on their backs
until the natural laziness OF the ami.
mails made them again subside into
their slow walk. 1t was then that Ger
trude remarked almost GROSSLY:
81 would thank you, Mr.. Fortescue,
not to mention this subject again"
Poor Fortescuc! but he deserved his
rebuff Why, on horseback would
have been bad enough, but burro
back
The truth Of it was Fortescue was
desperate. Try as he would he had
never succeeded in getting better
opportunity, and tomorrow would
find them going their separate ways.
Miss Bacon had too many admirers for
him to trust to q future chance; he
would let her know that he had fallen
hopelessly in love with her during
these few weeks Of companionship, and
he did, with the result we have just re-
lated.
Miss Bacon was one of gay party
stopping at Colorado Springs, md
doing" all the objects OF interest in
the vicinity. Fortescue was staying
at the same hotel and always made
one Of their party Everything to him
had taken on a new interest since
viewing it with Gertrude. The Garden
OF the Gods, the caverns and passes of
Manitou, the wonderful Cheyenne can
yons, seemed altogether more awe-i,i-
spring. Had he not sat by her side
going and coming on that wonderful
cog road up Pixies Peak, and, oh rap
turc, had she not shyly confessed TO
sense Of safety with him? Had they
not peered over the summit down on
to the clouds below them? and surely,
She had chung to him just moment at
that dizzy height.
And when they stood together by
the lonely grave of Helen Hunt, in
that lofty, silent spot beneath the
trees, and he was thinking Of the
noble woman who SO loved that place
in life, did not Gertrude, too, stand
silent MS If she shared the same
thoughts. while the rest of the party
were making ordinations Of wonder
and gathering mementos? Indeed, he
felt there was a londof sympathy be-
tween them, and now, how cold how
rough, even, she had been; she might
have softened her refusal little. She
might have known the pain it would
cause him. Would he ever get over 1t,
he wondered.
Fortescue had plenty of time to
think of all these things, for Gertrude
had managed to urge her burro for
ward until she caught up with some
other members Of the party, and he
was left to the company Of the guide.
The party had planned to go up the
North Canyon to the Silver Cascade
Falls, then cross the Divide and come
back by the South Canyon. They now
reached the trail which led them from
the road they had been travelling up
the mountain to the falls, SO the guide
left his place at the rear Of the process
sion and look the lead. The Others
followed him, single file, down steep
pitches and then up-up the narrow
path, the burros 10th to go, until they
reached level place just below the
falls. There they dismounted to rest.
Some of the party descended to the Il.
II. Falls In the brook below them,
while far above their heads, down
over the broad masses of gray rock,
leaped and shimmered the Cascades.
Fortescue threw himself upon the
ground. Gertrude had gone down to
the Falls, and Benson was assisting
her. If there was person whom
Fortescue despised, it was this same
Benson. And he was always stumbling
in these rough PLACES. Suppose he
should stumble down that steep hill
side and drag Gertrud. with him. But
there, he hardly though he should
care-much--he would b. glad to have
her see that she was safer with him
than with anyone else. Fortescue was
plainly in an unenviable state ofmind,
but Gertrude had been cruel. II she
had only shown little regret
His reveries were interrupted by the
party's preparing to mount the burros,
and they were soon picking their way
back down the mountain. There were
some rather rough places climbing the
Divide, but what view from the top.
Once or twice Gertrude's eyes sought
Fortcscue as he sat silent amid their
exclamations of wonder md delight.