St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-12-08

ture pure and bright
That gladdcns all her homely tasks 1t morn
ing. noon and night.
view that takes the whole OF life within II.
loving scope:
Q. boy, Beware. You must not mar thai
mothers dream and hope
Nixon Waterman. in Chicago Journal.
COURTING IN COLORADO.
Some of the Difficulties an Ardent
Sutton 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 canyon. Really, there
was too much of the ridiculous about it
for him to succeed. He should have
known better.
To he sure the surroundings were
picturesque enough, or grand would
be a better word, perhaps. Those
great masses of rock towering 9 thou
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 laughable little beasts
would spoil anything, and just rs For
tescue had spoken. crack" went the
drivers whip behind them. with:
Get up, Johnny; get up. Stripes!" and
| the burrus actually broke into . 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:
Il 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 4 better
opportunity. and tomorrow would
find them going their separate ways.
Miss Bacon had too many admirers for
him to trust to a future chance; he
would let her know that he had fallen
hopelessly in love with her during
these few weeks of compa nionship, and
he did, with the result we have Just re-
lated.
Miss Bacon was one of a gay party
stopping at Colorado Springs. and
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 s 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-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 pcered over the summit down on |
to the clouds below them? and surely,
she had chung to him just a moment 1t |
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 as if she shared the same
thoughts. while the rest of the party |
were making EXPLANATIONS Of wonder
and gathering mementos? Indeed, he
felt there was a bond of sympathy be-
tween them, and now, how cold. how
rough, even, she had been: she might
have softened her refusal . little. She
night have known the pain it would
cause him. Would he ever get over it,
he wondered.
He did not blame those poor. in
offensive burros. which was fortunate,
FOR the patient beasts had enough to
bear, and it is question If they would
have endured the addition of . dis
appointed lovers reproacheA They
have been known to lie down and re-
fuse to stir when their loads were too
heavy.
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
,ther members of the party, and he
vas left to the company Of the guide.
fhe party had planned to 60 up the
North Canyon to the Silver Cascade
Falls, then cross the Divide and come
back 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 1T the rear Of the process !,
ion and look the lead. The others
followed him, single file, down steep 4
bitches and then up-up the narrow
'ath, the burros 10th to 60. until they
cached level place just below the
alls. There they dismounted TO rest.
some of the party descended to the H.
!. Falls in the brook below them,
while far above their heads, down
'vcr 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
her. II there was = person whom
sortescue despised, 1t was this same
Benson. And he was always stumbling
n 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 :
Ter see that she was safer with him
han with anyone else. Fortescue was
plainly in an unenviable state Of mind,
tut Gertrude had been cruel. II she
lad only shown little regret.
His reveries were INTERRUPTED BY the
'artys preparing to mount the burros,
nd they were soon picking their way
'ack down the mountain. There were
ONE rather rough places climbing the /.
divide, but what . view from the ton.
|nce OK twice Gertrude's eyes sought
'ortescue, rs he sat silent amid their
Of wonder and delight. :