The Colfax chronicle., 1897-07-10
THE MOUNTHIN DHISY.

IT was in a corner of the conservatory
behind the palms during one of the
most fashionable functions of the sea-
son. This seems 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 fiattery."
''If I have paid an undeserved COM
pliment it is to society in assuming that
1t has attained to your standard"
"You're incorrigible, but I'll accept
the verdict and carry out the thought
l had in bringing you here"
She made no answer save to withdraw
her eyes from his and gather in the
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. lam not
assuming that the story has any special
interest for you, but 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 be?"
''If you were the average woman 1
would never have sought this oppor-
tunity. When first faced the world
nlone was little, ill-fed, sallow, rag
ged and half-dressed boy in the Cum
berland mountains. l did not know
that there was such thing as rail-
road, a steamboat, book, hereafter,
music, culture or anything different
from the detestable surroundings from
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
for her till they had ceased to bloom
that fall. During the winter 1 was
kept alive despite kicks and bruises by
family that had me as their sole reli-
ance in 'toting' water and gathering
wood.
I'm the spring went away. Made
up little bundle and stole off in the
night. Till the evening of the next
day I 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 to be denied, and at
last l went stealthily to a little cabin
where 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 youuns,
boyT 'Whar's you par% sWhar's YOU
mar% 'Whar mout you be goin' p
were questions that answered as well
as l could. Then she said wisely: Il
iiows thet you is runned away
This would have put me to fight,
but she sprang out, told me to take her
place. and while 1 sat in the cramped
quarters she brought me all that I
could eat and 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 town.
walked a way with me and said as we
parted: i reckon youuns IL heve ter
kim back some time an marry me fur
all them wittles an fur tellin' folks
weuns heven't sawen you when they
comes sarchin'. l promised her, of
course"
But you never told us that you were
engaged laughed his brilliant listen
rr. Where can we find your mountain
1aisy?'
Il wish could tell you. The incl
dent was one of the events of nv life.
For the first time I knew the sweet
ness of sympathy. have grown to al
most detest the people from whom 1
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
rnost 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.
4 brought the aid that carried him to