The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1894-11-09
COURTING IN COLORADO.
some of the Difficulties an Ardent
Suitor Encountered.


Such an awkward situation and in
oppurtune time for q declaration OF
love shaking about on the backs OF
burros which were plodding along up
North Cheyenne canyonl Really, there
vas too much of the ridiculous about it
Tor him to succeed. He should have
known better.
To be sure the surroundings were
picturesque enough, or grand would
he better word, perhaps. Those
great masses of rock towering aathou-
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 as For
tescue had spoken, crack went the
drivers whip behind them, with:
''Get up, Johnny; get up, Stripesl' and
the burros actually broke into trot,
and Miss Bacon and Fortescue went
hobbing 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:
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-li
The truth of it was Fortescue was
desperate. Try as he would he had
never succeeded in getting a better
opportunity, and tomorrow would
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
h0pelessly in love with her during
these few weeks OF companionship, and
he did, with the result we have just re-
lnted.
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 new interest since
viewing it with Gertrude. The Garden
Of the Gods, the cayerns and passes of
Sianitou, the wonderful Cheyenne can
vons, 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 a
sense OF safety with him? Had they
not peered over the summit down on
to the clouds below them? and surely,
she had clung 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 as If she shared the same
thoughts. while the rest of the party
were making exclamatlons OF wonder
and gathering mementos? Indeed. he
felt there was bond of 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 it,
he wondered
Fortescue had plenty Of time tc
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 VI
the mountain to the falls, SO the guide
left his place at the rear Of the process
sion and look the lead. The other:
followed him, single file, down steel
pitches and then up-up the narrow
path, the burr0s 10th to go, until they
reached level place just below ths
falls. There they dismounted to rest
Some of the party descended to the II
III. Falls in the brook below them
while far above their heads, dow
over the broad masses Of gray rock
leaped and shimmered the Cascades.
Fortescue threw himself upon tn,
ground. Gertrude had gone down t.
the Falls, and Benson was assisting
her. II there was person whom
Fo7tescue despised. it was this same
Benson. And he was always stumbling
in these rough places. Suppose h'
should stumble down that steep hill
side and drag Gertrude with him Blu
there, he hardly thought he should
care--mnch-he would be glad to hav'
her see that she was safer with hin
than with anyone else Fortescue wa
plainly in an unenviable state OF mind
but Gertrude had been cruel. II sh'
had only shown little regret.
His reveries were interrupted by tn
party's preparing to mount the burros
and they were soon picking their wa.
back down the mountain. There wer
some rather rough places climbing tn
Divide, but what view from the top
Once or twice Gertrude's eyes sough