The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1894-12-08
C0URTING In COLORADO.
Some OF the Difficulties an Ardent
Suitor Encountered.

come or the OtfHcuitten an ArCiopt
Suitor Encountered.
Such an awkward situation and IN.
opportune time for q declaration OF
love-shaking about on the backs OF
burros which were plodding along ur
North Cheyenne canyon! Really, there
was too much of the ridiculous about /,
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 author-
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. Al, but the burros.
Truly those Imaginable little beasts
would spoil anything, and jrst as For
tescue had spoken, ''crack" went the
drivers whip behind them, with:
Get up, Johnny; get up, Str;pes" 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 aui-
mails made them again subside into
their slow. walk. 1t was then that Ger
trude remarked almost Grossly:
II would thank you, Mr.. Fortescue,
not to mention this subject again."
Poor Fortescue! 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 world
find them going their separate ways.
Miss Bacon had too many admirers for
him to trust to 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, and
doing" all the objects of interest in
the vicinity. Fortcscnc was staying
at the same hotel and always made
one of their party. Everything to him
had taken ON new interest since
viewing it with Gertrude. The Garden
OF the Gods, the caverns and passes of
nianitou, the wonderful Cheyenne cam
yons, seemed altogether more awe-in-
spring. Had he not sat by her side
going and coming on that wonderful
cog road up Pixies Peak, and, oh rap
ture, 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 a moment at
that dizzy height.
And when they stood together by |
the lonely grave of Helen Hunt, in |
that lofty, silent spot beneath the |
.rces, and he was thinking of the |
noble woman who SO loved that place |
n life, did not Gertrude, too, stand |
silent as ii she shared the same /
thoughts, while the rest of the party |
we're making EXPLANATIONS of wonder |
Ind gathering mementos? Indeed, he !
elt there was bond of sympathy be-
ween them, and now, how cold, how
'ough, even, she had been; she might |
rave softened her refusal little. She |
night have known the pain it would
ause him. Would he ever get over it, |
lie wondered.
Fortescue had plenty of time to |
.hink of all these things, for Gertrude
lad managed to urge her burro for
ward until she caught up with some
,ther members of the party, and he
vas 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
Jack by the South Canyon. They now
cached the trail which led them from
he road they had been travelling up
he mountain to the falls, so the guide
eft his place at the rear of the process
ion and look the lead. The others
him, single file, down steep /
bitches and then up--up the narrow
,ath, the burros 10th to go, until they |
cached a level place just below the
alls. There they dismounted to rest. |
'ome of the party descended to the H.
/. Falls in the brook below them,
While far above their heads, down
yer the broad masses of gray rock,
capped and shimmered the Cascades.
Fortescue threw himself upon the
round. Gertrude had gone down to
he Falls, and Benson was assisting
er. If there was person whom
Tortescue despised, it was this same
senson. And he was always stumbling |
a these rough places. Suppose he
hould stumble down that steep hill
ide and drag Gertrude with him. But
here, he hardly thought he should
would be glad to have
er see that she was safer with him
han with anyone else. Fortescue was
lainly in an uuenviable state of mind,
ut Gertrude had been cruel. If she
ad only shown a little regret.
His reveries were interrupted by tho
arty's preparing to mount the burros,
nd they were soon picking their way
ack down the mountain. There were
pine rather rough places climbing the
'ivide, but what view from the top.
nee or twice Gertrude's eyes sought
ortescue, as he sat silent amid their
of wonder and delight,
ut he was not looking at her. She al
lost decided to speak to him, then she
bought:
s.No. who would have believed him