Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-09-25
IN SHADY CANYON.

straight into his face, not boldly nor
yet bashfully, but with sort of won
derment of expression. She was very
small creature, and as to age might
have been anywhere from 1S to 16.
Her hair, which was a peculiar yellow,
was cut close to her head.
The young man started slightly when
he met the full gaze of the strange, yel-
low eyes. Scat eyes" was his first
thought A repelling fascination crept
over him as the impression deepened in
his mind that there was an indescriba-
BILE feline expression all over the child.
So swiftly do ones thoughts take shape,
before he could bring his lips to form
question the ridiculous idea had come
and gone that should he turn away from
the moveless stars of those curious yell
low eyes the small creature would spring
upon his shoulders a feroc1ously wild
cat.
"My little girl, can you tell me how
far it is to Shady Canyon?"
She bobbed her head over one shoul-
der, thus indicating both distance and
direction. "See it?''
He flushed slightly at the nearness to
the town OF maybe at the implication
conveyed in the tone and the gesture.
"Nobody ever said that to me since
he died."
"Said what?''
"'My little girl. 3"
"What is your name?'
"It's Cat Eyes since he died.
The creepy sensation again came over
the young man when the child uttered
the first thought which had come to him
about her eyes. He conquered the feel
ing and asked her very kindly, "How
long has it been since he died?''
1t has been 100 years, think. Any
thing in that, nodding to the valise
which he carried, "that'd get out?" As
sured that there was not, she continued
in her quiet, quaint way. "Then I'll
carnV it up to the house for you, cause
you called me what he used to. -
He let her take it and followed her
up the trail just to see how the adven-
ture would end. To him anything that
promised new sensation would surely
be followed He was only "a, but he
had been born rich, artistically, intel
lectually, physiologically and financial
ly, and had been adventurously prodigal
with all these gifts. A few steps below
the trail one of some boys who were
picking gum from a burned pine log
said to his companions, purposely loud
enough that the girl might hear, ''By
Jehosephat, it's Cat Eyes Allowing
greenhorn up to Mrs. Squeers'.
She put down the valise and turned
upon them in fury of rage and shame,
but they had vanished in chorus of
laughter. The girl could not have told
why she was ashamed, but ashamed she
was Cat Eyes belonged to Shady Can
yon, but not child in the village would
play with her. They said they were
afraid of her cat eyes and that sparks
would fly from her yellow hair. One
boy declared that he had only given her
hair the least little touch, and that she
had turned into an angry yellow cat and
scratched his face. Some of the people
said her mother had been frightened ter
ribly by cat.
Three years before, on q chilly Sun
day afternoon, she had been left crouch
ing on her fathers grave. Each kind
hearted woman thought of course that
some other kind hearted woman would
care for her. And so it happened that
Mrs. Squeers, returning from walk in
the woods, took the sobbing child to her
saloon and gambling resort. The child's
father had squandered many goldpiece
in her place, and when the child chung
to her in her desolation feeling of pro-
lection sprang up in her heart.
Mrs. Squeers was an educated woman
with much graciousness of manner. So
she was popular with the men. Cat
Eyes, therefore, in spite of her environ
ments, received some advantages Of
speech and polish from the woman.
Cat Eyes led the young man into Mrs.
Squeers' place. Vernon Allinson, which
was the young mans name. did not
stay, as Cat Eyes had hoped, but went
to the little hotel, whose creaking sign
board seemed always lamenting better
time. Allinson's S stay at Shady Canyon
heightened into months. He took Cat
Eyes on long rambles up steep heights
where they had to use their hands to
help them up On these long ranbles
their talks were grave and quiet and
on many subjects She learned much
from him and was an eager though un
obtrusive listener. One evening she was
called into the saloon to recite. She had
a marvellous voice, and it amazed the
crowd. Barty, a sport, in his enthusi-
asm attempted to kiss her, when Vernon
struck him blow Oh the face. There
would have been bloodshed had not Mrs.
Squeers interfered. Barty swore that he
would have revenge. At the same time
Atkinson peremptorily told Mrs. Squeers
to send Cat Eyes out Of the place and
never have her in the saloon again.
Frightened and stupid with amazement,
i1he was sent to her room and never
'aaain recited in the saloon. But from
that hour she was self abnegated slave
to Allinspn and was afraid that Barty
would take vengeance upon him.
One crisp, cold morning In the late
fall she st God among the fading flowers
and yellow leaves in the garden, with
an ache of intuition in her heart. She
had changed much in few months
no longer child, not yet a woman.
Presently Allinson called to her, as ne
had done on other mornings. A dull
red, painful to see, darkened her face.
He carried the gripsack which he had
brought to the place. Silently, entirely
subdued, she walked beside him down
the canyon, and though he tried his best
he could not get word from her.
Just beyond the great bowlder where
he first met her he said goodby. He
made pretty speech and gave her ad
| vice. She only gazed and gazed at hin