The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-03-04
JOT AND TITLE PAPERS
4 summer Vacation.
CHAPTER /.


morning. It was now past in the
afternoon. He was not only tired but
hungry. too.
The camp of the outing party, of
which he was merry member and
from which he had wandered alone
with his rifle was two miles away at
the eastern extremity of the island.
So he turned abruptly about intend
ing to seek his gay companions and
satisfy the clamoring demands Of that
vulgar importunate commonly known
as appetite.
How singular is is that we must all
ways bow to the dictates and eXacuonS
of this tyrannical, unseen power, who
indelicately halls us with a dun, when
ever and wherever he chooses, and in
variably receives from us without so
much even as a counter murmur what
ever he may ask Judgment and con-
science may howl themselves blind at
US, and never be heard or be laughed
at for their impertinence; but hunger,
that consummate diplomat of the kitch-
en- department of our triune natures,
has the divine right to insinuate our
arrears at any time or any place and
under any circumstances.
No doubt this thralldom from which
none escapes-no, not even those who
are thoroughly bleached by the new
sin-evaporating process of religious
controversy and holy mud slinging-l
say no doubt this universal episcopacy
of hunger explains the reason why a
fine lady will be almost deferential to
a Chinese vender of radishes, rhubarb
and onions while the modest and inno-
cent book-ag gent is refused even toe
space on the front veranda.
But you don't want any dissertations
on appetite and edibles in a plain little
love story, do you? Very WELL then,
I shall rein in my exclusive pen, and
go on with Lon.
He is not a philosopher, of the cru
dite kind at least, but a great jolly
souled, fun-rollicking, sport-loving bachT
elor; a young man of the new world,
of this era, of the present day; not
very good and even from the Puritanic
point of view. not irretrieyably bad; a
sort of rational lotus-eater; a light
hearted acolyte in the mirthful and
sometimes hilarious retinue of Bacchus
a baseball enthusiast though not a
player; a discreet better at horse races;
"a temperate lover of the theatre and
it's prina donnas; and church-goer on
occasions, but drawing the line at
church socials and Sunday school pic
MICS.
AS I have already intimated he was
not so pure in heart as the mythical
Galahad, owing remotely, no doubt, to
hereditary tendencies, but Immediately
and particularly to his college educa-
ton. Nor was he so persistently wick
ed as the more human and-dare l say
lit?-more delightful Don Juanl
Nor shall 1 declare for the interest of
my story that he was in personal ap-
pearance quite so stunning as Gany-
mede is said to have been at the time
when he made his tour of the slim and
hazy old world long ago, ravishing the
eyes of love-lorn maidens as a bright
and particular star in the happy role
of Supreme Washer.
Yet in simple justice to my hero of
real blood and flesh and bone, l must
say that he was a handsome man-in-
deed, much more handsome than most
men even think they are-and withal
upright as a meridian and honest and
frank as ray of white light
straight from the bosom of the sun
Lon Hempstead-Leand but Lon
for short among his friends-was max
ing a bee line for the camp. when sud
denly in the dense gloom of the virgin
forest he seemed to come upon a sheet
of light let down from the blue sky
above.
There was an open space in the very
heart of the woods. Turning an angle
himself on the brink Of the loveliest
pool of isolated water he had eyer be-
held.
1t was more than a pool, though
hardly larger; it was a lake. Where
was he, anyhow? he unused: and why
had he never seen this bit of loneliness
before? He thought it hardly possible
he could have missed the spot in his
numerous rambles of more than two
ixr-a l7d N-nf no I1d al
most in a selfish mood he was glad OF
lit
1t was his and his only, he insisted tc
himself, his by right of discovery and
by the better right of love and appre-
citation.
What beautiful gem of water, look.
( ing like an oval scrap of the very sky
itself, except where in the shade of the
great frs it grew deep and dark as
indigo. A few yards only in width and
in length, but a little more, it nestled
there among the sturdy trees like q
confiding babe in the arms of an ever
watchful mother-weird and spell-in-
f1icting in its matchless lonely beauty
The hundred-handed evergreens full OF
weeping and sad voiced music stood
about the rim of it's cup in serted ar
ray, as if conscious in their throbbing
green bosoms. of the. protection they
afforded this waif of the wooded isle.
Ferns and other water plants and ca.
ressing vines affectionately embracing
each other over its serpentine form, en-
eirely hid from view the tiny stream
which fed the miniature lake, except
where, in unconscious imitation of lord
/ lier streams, it spread out over the
white pebbles and unselfishly gave III
| its identity.
Lon looked along its margin, but could
see no trace of frequency by man anC
again he insisted, under the influence
! of the witchery of the spot, that it was
his, was his.
But hunger had set his minions tc
crying in every nook and Granny of his
anatomy; so he felt compelled to teal
satisfy his ravenous appetite.
Changing his position and starting
to go. he looked again upon this green
trimmed liquid sapphire and 10! II
seemed to change expression like g
half-shy maiden and coquettishly in.
! vite him to linger longer. 1t was ther
! that he remembered his haversack an6
the remains of a lunch that it might
contain Investigating. he was de-
| lighted to find two sandwiches, some
hard-boiled eggs. quite a quantity oil
rather stale cake. and a, bottle hall
! full of sparkling champagne. Now
what a feast for a hungry mani anC
as he walked leisurely back TO the
solitary, monumental rock and as
sumed a half-sitting, half-lying pcs
ture, he broke his fast with relish
he seldom enjoyed and drank in along
with the champagne an aesthetic
draught he never could forget
Suddenly in the Seemingly tracISless
forest beyond he heard The sound OF
cracking twigs and recognized the ap
proach of some living being
A deer, suppose-or possibly a bear
that has swan over to the island
from the Oregon shore" he thought
within himself, and grasping lis CUR
was already formulating the speech il
which he would relate his afNenture: