The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-06-10
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THE mOUNTHIN DHISY.
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TT was in a corner OF the conservatory
behind the palms during one of the
most fashionable functions of the sea-
son. This seems d favorite situation
with fate while weaving the web of
human destiny. Fred Trevor, tall. dark.
self-contained, with power apparent in
every look, movement and feature,
stood with hands crossed behind him
before the magnificent woman he had
just seated.
you know. Miss Alden" as he leaned
toward her, that my knowledge of the
social tenets is not profound"
you have only to follow your in
stincts, Mr. Trevor"
And you are the gentle mentor who
warned me against the sin of tlattery."
IF ! have paid an undeserved com
plment ii is to society in assuming that
il has attained to your standard"
"You're incorrigible, but I'll accept
the verdict and carry out the thought
] had in bringing you here"
She made no answer save to withdraw
IlVl N.N'9 ilblll HIS anu SdAlltl III Liz
folds of her dress to make room for him
to sit down.
Il want to tell you something of my
life and then ask your advice. l am not
assuming that the story has any special
interest Tor you. but l have a special de
sire for your opinion after | have told
it"
But don't you know it as general
truth that. with the average woman,
the man who is rich. famous and hon
ored. glorifies his antecendents no mat
ter what they may be2'
IF you were the average woman
would never have sought this oppor-
tunity. When | first faced the world
alone | was a little. ill-fed. sallow. rag
ged and half-dressed boy in the Cum
berland mountains. l did not know
that there was such a thing as a rail
road, Il steamboat. book. hereafter.
music, culture or anything different
from the detestabIe surroundings frcm
which | longed to escape. My father
had been killed in defending an Illicit
still. and mother seemed to go with the
mountain flowers which had gathered
Tor her till they had ceased to bloom
that fall. During the winter | was
kept alive despite kicks and bruises by
a family that had me as their sole reIi-
ance in 'toting' water and gathering
wood.
I'm the spring I went away. 3ade
up a little bundle and stole off in the
night Till the evening of the next
day | hurried over the red clay roads
and paths, terror of being caught and
taken back crowding out every other
thought and feeling But hunger and
exhaustion are not 10 be denied. and at
last | went stealthily to a little cabin
where a girl of my own age was keep
in house in hollow stump, just out
side. She put her frowsled head over
the wall of her primitive abode to con-
Duct the examination. Who is vouuns.
boy" 'Whar's YOU par?' 'Whar's YOU
mar" 'Whar mout you be a GONE
were questions that answered as we'll
as | could, Then she said wisely: II
flows tibet you is ruined away
This would have put me to fight,
but she sprang out, told me to take her
place, and while l sat IN the cramped
quarters she brought me all that |
could eat and d paper of food to carry
with me. After assuring me that she
would have her par shoot anyone who
might be trying to recapture me. she
pointed the nearest way to a town.
walked way with me and said as we
parted: I reckon youuns II heve ter
kim back some time an marry me fur
all them whites an fur tellin' folks
weuns heven't sawen you when thev
comes sarchin'. l promised her. of
course"
But you never told us that you were
engaged" laughed his brilliant listen
er. Where can we find your mountain
daisy?"
81 wish could tell you. The Incl
dent was one OF the events of my life. |
For the first time | knew the sweet
mess of sympathy. l have grown to al |
most detest the people from whom I |
sprang, because of their ignorance and |
lack of ambition. but the little girl of |
the hollow stump has always had a
warm place in my memory. You know |
most of my experience in the far west. |
Before ! had been there six months | |
found the old man known as Hermit |
Ben lying unconscious and apparently |
dying in one of the mountain gorges. |
! brought the aid that carried him to