Catoctin clarion., 1894-07-19
THURM0NT Frederick County, Maryland, Thursday, July l9, 1884,
nv Mountain Dream

my Mountain Dream
w !, proceed. I will admit the
heart if you will get down to business
note book and pencil all ready
It was away buck in 70 that l built
cabin here, thinking that it would be
good studio for the summer: had
no notion then that would occupy it
more than few months. enjoyed 1t
immensely for tine and set to work
with a will, making sketches Of the
scenery. 1t was new and very fasc'nat-
ing work, too. The atmos phere effects
were sadiffsrent from anything I had
ever experienced, the color so new, that
1 was IN sort Of artistic frenzy for once
in my life that ! scarcely knew whether
| ate or not.
/ had been here about six weeks and
had made good many studies, which l
meant to finish up when l returned to
.he east | was in earnest and am
b,tlous then, and had my hopes Of the
future as other men have. sup
pose.
had seen no one, with the exception
of few prosptctors on the hunt for
! gold aud silver. They minded their
own business, as men soon learned to do
in those days, and was not bothered
nor my privacy intruded upon.
But one day as sat busily painting
heard u step. soft rustic, and looked
up to see a vision in my dovr-way. A
young glrl, but little more than Is years
of age, stood there with her hand rest
ing upon the head Of u great mastltf
dog.
The sight was so unexpected that for
moment thought Of optical illusions
and rubbed my eyes, expecting the pic.
ture to vanish but instead it advanced
and the dog came and poked his cold
nose into my hand, asking after the
manner Of his kind, for notice and car
esses. AS tor his mistress, she stood
looking about her as child light haye
done, and indeed she Was but little
more.
'Haye you lost your way?' l asked
her gently.
ON, no, sir, she said with faint smile.
Knight and | never get lost. DO we
Knight?'
At the mention of bis name the dog
turned and stood by her, and | was glad
to see That lie would indeed ue :, .ck-
Ieck less man VINO would ua,e modest
her.
Win you sit down and REST ? asked
pushing one OF my camp stools toward
her.
'Kulght and l meyer get tired, do we
Knlsht! she asked but sh" sit down
and put her arm around .he dogs neck.
Do you live here she asked.
replied that did and fell to wonder,
ing where the child could haye
strayed from. She now caught 81 hit Of
my work and drew near me with wonder
in her eyes.
You must be like God,' she said to
make mountains and canyo like that.
You give me greater praise than
deserve, l said, but here are some more
pictures-will you look at them?
l turned them for her. and 1t was a
strange sensation to watch her face,
filled as it was with wonder and awe.
DO you like pictures? I asked.
i never saw any before, she said,
except black and white ones, little ones
you know. in papers and books.
liked them, but these, Oh!-' She clasp.
ed her hands and | saw that she was
trembling. i didn't think that any
body in the world could make pictu, es
like these
While she looked at them I looked
at her, and my wonder grew as gazrd
She was a slender little creature, ollye
skinned, and with great mass of dusk v
hair gathered into braid which hung
below her waist. Her feat ares were
delicate and regular, her eyes large
brown and full of he slumbering fires
of unwakened womanhood but her
mouth was the feature that caught and
riveted my attention. 1t WAS so un-
childlike, so inexpress IDLY sad in the
pathetic curves OF the small rcd lips.