The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-06-05
IN THE HEART OF THE CASCADES.

VIZ scA&t SI1A ply u6uIoO pcdhS
OF the Cascade Mountains, their bare
sbluish-purple surface, crowned with
wealth of tall sentinel pines rearing
heavenward their conical dull green
heads. Sharply defined against the gray
blue Of the sky the Two Sisters lifted their
proud and stately SUBMITS. On the other
sioe tall precipitous wall of rock jutted
up from the water some hundreds OF feet.
Here the soil was composed of bits of
gravel and fine particles of rock, while the
busy clang of the hammer piled by the
brawny arms Of the work men in the not
far distant quarry could be heard even
above the roar of the restless waters. Far
down below between these mighty gran
lite walls rolled the Columbia, roaring,
rushing and seething like soul in dis
tress toward the vast unknown sea. The
boat from which / just landed pitched
and tossed like a cockle-shen upon the
heaving bosom of the waters.
After leaving the boat | found myself
in sort OF floating warehouse. Travers-
ing it's entire length. | emerged upon
g steep inclined gangway, which led to
the hills above. 1t was here that 1 met
him. 1t is true his clothes were not of
the latest cut and seemed to hang rather
than To 1T his tall, spare figure. His
hands. which L noticed particularly, were
large and stained with work, not the del
icately effeminaIe hands of gentleman
of leisure, but the hands which belonged
10 that class of natures noblest and hap
best OF beings-a man who labors and
labors faithfully and patiently for the
pread he eats. l was standing where the
steep incline ended and a narrow plank
walk just along the edge of the precipice
began, the walk terminating in a long
flight of dizzy steps down to the work on
the locks below. l gazed from this great
hight far down to the narrow rocky
beach which ended abruptly at the
floating wharf. Then my eyes trav-
eled slowly back to the narrow plank
walk, hedged in on one side by the yawn-
ing precipice and on the other by a
shrieklng, pulling, painting locomotive,
like some great monster ready and wait
ing to gorge itself full of its human
freight and then be of, screaming and
whistling across the country.
AS looked great fear possessed my
soul, for l had just recovered from a
serious illness which left me still weak
and Ill and very nervous. 1 stood rooted
TO the spot half wishing L had never
come and momentarily grew more and
more frightened. l had been told by the
Captain that stop of two hours was to
be made at the Locks in order to give the
passengers an opportunity of visiting
and inspecting the Government work
which was being done, yet in spite OF
this knowledge and the fact that the boat
was apparently deserted. and what was
more TO the point was being tossed about
on the crest of the waves in a none too
pleasant manner, and even at the best of
times l am none too good sailor, yet in
spite of these unpleasant facts, L was
about to make the descent OF the steep
gangway and seek a place OF refuge on
the boat, when a pleasant voice at my ell
bow said: "Can 1 be of any service to
you madame" and turning
quickly L saw a pair of great,
honest black eyes, which looked straight
into mine, and face which | felt in
stinctively was good and kind. Men may
laugh if they please at a woman's subtle
intuition, but it seldom fails her, and she
can unquestioningly rely upon il in any
and all emergencies. The lace l saw be-
longed to man to whom women would
instinctively turn in times of trial and
a1fiiction and be sure of receiving rest
and consolation; man to whom little
children would turn confiding in him all
their childish hopes and fears and grew
ances. Having satisfied myself by that
first hasty glance, / smiled my thanks
and gave him my hand, and then, re-
neved of all fear, prepared to spend the
next two hours in utter and complete en-
joyment.
We talk great deal, this tall dark man
and /. Our conversation did not consist of
the mere ordinary platitudes such as
would be discussed between two people
who had just met for the first time; on the
contrary, we talked as old friends would
talk, as though we had known each other
all our lives. He told me he was from
the South, from that land whose every
breath of air comes heavily laden with
the scent of magnolia and orange bios
SONS, where the song of the birds are
sweeter, and the great golden Southern
moon hanging from the cloudless vault
of heaven is infinitely mellower, in
1iuitely more golden than any that can be
found in our cold Northern CLINE. 1t is
in this rich land that he has little sister
who waits and watches for his return,
and as he told me of her his eyes grew
moist and his voice took on sweetly,
tender pathos.
found this man to be an unconscious
poet; every word, every sentence he Ut
tered was replete with poetical meaning.
We sat on great rock overlooking the
water, and as he gaZed enviously after
one of his fellow workmen, he told me
between smile and sigh, that the other
was q poet who wrote most beautiful
verses. Yet the man who sat beside me
had Just been expressing the sublimest
thoughts and sentiments, but was totally
unconscious that he said anything out of
the ordinary. We had been standing on
the edge of the bluff looking across the
intervening space at the two giant Sisters,
when he told me that often he had
climbed their mighty summit, and from
their lofty nights had gazed down at the
valley below, and as he did so the
thought of Dante came upon him, and he
tried to imagine himself in Dante's place
looking from sublime nights into the
darkness. the sins and the follies of hu
manity below.
Then we talked of books, and I found
he not only read Dante but the classics
as well. Of course he was fond of the
theater, but did not often get an opportun
ity of INDUCING his tastes in this direction.
In the first place he could not easily get
away, then again the play and the COM
panies he liked to see did not often ap-
pear. He had seen Booth and Barrett and
Henry Irving and keene and McCul-
Tough, in fact nearly every actor of note.
and for more than an hour he entertained
me with stories of their lives, professional
and private. His religious teaching he
cleaned from the great mountain in
whose heart he lived and breathed. He
talked of psychology aud mesmeriSm and
we were deep in an animated discussion
OF theOsophy VS.. mesmerlSm when the
whistle of the boat sounded and l was
Obliged to tear myself reluctantly away.
AS the boat steamed out into the Co.
iuinbia [ took long, lingering backward
look at the mountains l was leaving be-
hind, and as / looked. l could not help
compare this unpublished mountain dia-
mond with the men one meets in So
oiety's pale, and l am afraid my mental
comparison was not hattering TO the lat
ter, Slowly the scene faded from view,
and as | went into the cabin recalled
with pleasure the thought that had given
him an Invitation to come and see me,
which invitation it is hoped will be &C