, 1897-04-06
A MOUNTAIN ROSE.

II reckon it's true that there is at
least one romance in every life. From
personal knowledge l can only cite my
own case. but I'll venture that there
was v q good, strong story written
that did not find it's inspiration in
truth"
The author of this oracular deliver
ance sat with his children and his
grandchildren on one of those great,
vine shaded verardas that belong to
every ~pretentious country home in Ten
nessee. He was a giant, slowly going
down under the weight of years. yet to
live in the past was to recall some Of its
vigor. Now his eyes frightened, his
form Strengthened, his broad shoulders
went back, and his voice was without a
culver.
"You look the picture of her." he
said to the little tot Oh his knee as he
stroked her curls. Then it took u request
for the story to recall the old man from
his dearest memory. I'm those days"
he began, there was more family pride
than there is now. Perhaps 1 should
say that family prejudices were stronger.
We had q caste as well defined as that
in India For one to marry in a lower
class was social suicide, and my folks,
being Of the so called aristocracy, were
among the stalwarts of the stalwart in
upholding this intolerant creed. l be-
came something Of a hereto while in
the north completing my education, but
it takes time and experience to get rid
of II strong hereditary bias.
"We were fairly well off for those
times, but l had an ambition to do
something more than cumber the world
as q mere This inclination
rather troubled the family, but after
numerous consultations it was reluc.
family admitted that l might superintend
the development of some coal and iron
interests that we had in u mountainous
section Of the state and still maintain
my social prestige.
II went at the enterprise in earnest,
bringing u lot Of men from Pepnsylva.
MIA that understood the work and found
ing a primitive village of log cabins in
a region as desolate as any encountered
by the original pioneers. The miners
had their families with them, and all
supplies had to be brought so miles
" the mountain roads The fore
man was a big hearted but ,shrewd and
fearless Scotch-Irishman, who was just
to the men and loyal to my interests.
His home was looked after by a daugh-
ter who had lost her mother years be-
fore. The mel used to call her the
Mountain Rose, for she had all its deli
cate colorings and was just us fresh and
dainty and graceful. Though strong
and 1.-THE, because Of the manner of her
life, she locked the patrician from head
to foot and had al innate refinement Of
character that no culture can supply.
Her voice was musical, and to me her
simply songs were more charming than
the usual efforts of q prima donna. Her
education was Of her own acquiring
and was strangely out Of the conven-
tional lines. Her knowledge i'll some di-
rections only surprised you less than
her tact in acquiring information in
others. But l would never tire of talk
ing Of her.
after our rough colony had become
settled and vas progressing finely I'M
desirable characters were attracted to
the vicinity. Some men put up a shan
ty just of my land and stocked it with
mountain dew. Numerous rough look
ing characters came there for the osten-
sible purpose of hunting and fishing,
pitching their tents in our vicinity. l
heard stories of gambling, and the men
wero not as regular at their work as
they were before these Interruptions.
Rosser, the foreman, wanted to adopt
heroic measures for getting rid Of these
pests, but l saw no way but to wait for
some breach of the law and then secure
the Intervention of the authorities.
"Our pay day came every two weeks,
and I brought the money from the near
est bank, in a town some distance away,
having two good men go with me as q
guard. On one occasion Nettie, the
foreman's daughter, met US ten miles
from the settlement, guiding nj in =
circuitous route, for she had learned
through = wild young girl at the drink
ing den that there was u plot to waylay
and rob us. Nettio had promptly pushed
her way through the dangers Of the
mountain paths to warn us, fearing that
delay in securing some other messenger
might be fatal to us and at the same
time endanger her informant On the
way in / learned more Of the girl and
her life than I had ever known. and she
aroused that interest which ia 20 likely
to eventuate in love.
ut was . month later before we were
freed from a snow blockade, and the next
time I went to the bank 1t wa for dou-
bio the usual amount. Itook more men,
and we returned without accident Even
this did mot give me the pleasure afford
ed By the Joyous welcome Of the girl
Who had 70 evidently been I'm dread
While I Waa gone.
III was just coming dark when !
tosssd the canvas beg containing tho
wuney 70 TIE foreman, for he Wa the
caDeodian and would ply 81 at the noon
hoar usxt day. Inever felt affaid when
hwas op gnasd. That night TIE storm
w. q - again. and with . vedw 20
makina spane arrangements 1W ths b.
~ pro1sstjun q the MIXES I ssnt 1os
him. i nsser thought II the mooney til
~ aSpsared At my dos. shortly before
II osoloek. covered with dripping NOV.
dm - aparsd me that ~ tsasnsi
~ nh with NettiA. = - ~ wuald
think q injuring her.
I'VE had been talking nsafty a hoa1
vhsa there was the sound Il . mufBed