Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-11-22
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Several years ago Sheriff Black,
of Cheyenne, was much annoyed by
the persistence and determination
Of sundry suitors for the hand Of
his fair daughter, Miss Helen.
As is aiways the case in mining
districts, the male population far
out-numbered the gentle sex, and
Miss Helen, who was q handsome
brunette, would have been a belle
among far severer critics than the
youths Of Cheyenne.
She had graduated at st. Louis,
and besides being gifted musician
was deyout worshippcr of nature
and fond of out door exercise.
Almost any fine evening in sum-
mer . passer-by might hear hs.
mezzo voice accompanying her gui-
tar to some ringing .balIad Of the
plains"
Unconscious was she Of the fact
that the melody floated out from the
shadows Of the cotton wood trees and
mingled with the broad effulgent
moonlight, and that many a luck
less youth dated a hopeless love
from the first evening when he had
dropped in to help the sheriff and
the old servant in making an au-
dience.
Miss Helen cared little for the adj
miration of men, but accepted it as
matter of course, having been
brought up among them. She en-
joyed herself in q fashion of her
own, with her books, guitar. sketch
book and her spirited horse, Wild
fire.
Two Of her lovers, however SEEM
ed to gain more favor than the rest.
In fact, popular opinion was puz-
zled as to which would win.
One OF them was a tall, athletic
young Westerner, who was as bright
and invigorating of presence as the
air he breathed, and in whose clear
blue eyes not a shadow of deceit
was visible. Handsome, for sure,
but SO sturdy and independent that
he impressed one as a young giant.
He was an ardent geologist, could
analyze a find as well as an ex-
pert, loved his mountains and wor-
shipped-Miss Helen.
But with all his devotion Joe was
a discreet young fellow, and held
his curly head up in defiance of
mankind in general and his rival in
particular, and he never let the fair
Helen feel too sure Of her conquest.
The aforesaid rival was wealthy
young mine owner from Chicago
all that is conveyed in the term "a
polished gentleman He had laugh
ed heartily when on departing for
his new home his Chicago friends
had jokingly predicted that he
would lose his heart to some Wes-
tern beauty. But here he was,
eager to lay his fate and fortune at
the feet of the sheriff's queenly
daughter.
One bright, breezy day in Sep
TENDER Helen cantered off soon
after dinner with some sketching
material, ostensibly to make some
sketches of the autumn scenery,
but really to commune with nature,
the only mother she had ever known
and to decide what answer she
should give on the morrow to her
wealthy lever, who that day had
asked her to be his wife. She told
him that she must read her own
heart before she could answer, and
he hoped for a favorable reply.
Joe had been offended by one of
her hasty speeches d week before.
They were talking about Russell,
and she had asserted somewhat
warmly that she knew of NO one
whose society she preferred. As
soon as the impulsive words were
spoken she repented, but Joe rode
away with a look in his blue eyes
that had haunted her ever since.
Somehow Joe's naughty head
flung back like stag at bay, kept
booming mp before her mental Wis.,
ion, when duty demanded that she
be thinking of Russell and his flat
tering offer.
The hours wore on, and so pre-
occupied was she that she did not
observe the heavy clouds that were
rolling black and massive down the
mountain side.
Suddenly a large drop splashed
in her face, and she looked about
her in alarm. A heavy equinoctial