Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-02-23
No TRESPASSING.

1t was a delightful, hot afternoon,
and under the trees Elysium itself. The
path ran through a tunnel Of foliage,
between which glimpses of the river
parallel were every now and then be-
trayed by natural vistas. II you happen
to know the road to l.onofe, before the
path to Ashness Bridge forks off, in
fact the delightful stretch that lies at
Rakes' Foot, you will have a scene like
to it as two peas are to one another, but
for D~erwentwater you must, of course,
substitute the rapid, shallow, shingling
Barragh.
The road was inches deep in dust,
and that of the whitest, and the boots
and stockings Of the knickered, Norfolk
jaoketed traveller could scarce be dis
tinguished from the dusty way itself,
and he looked, had there been any to
see, as though he foated in the air, be.
reft of feet and ankles.
Now, half way down the road, the
traveller, who was young and fairly
good looking, though perhaps not en-
dowed with that facial strength of char
aoter which is the dear delight of au-
thors who are feminine, happened upon
a stile spanning the graystone and
messy wall that separated the wood be-
yond from the road, It was a famous
stile, somewhat like a pair Of steplad-
ders, with three rungs by which to
ascend from the road and two to ascend
into the wood on the other side Of the
wall. The traveller assembled, and perch
ed upon the happily placed platform at
the summit of the stepladder and pom
dered some, and while he pondered he
mopped his brow and gazed upon his
boots besides, giving the lie to those
who say that Zone cannot do two things
at once"-this for one who has refused
to close the door at my behest and l IN
a draft most thorough. Then he struck
a match to light a cigarette know it
ought to nave been a pipe, but it was a
cigarette-and drawing it along an adj
jacent post. saw, for the first time, a
notice thereon. 1t said:
ANY PERSON
FOUND TREsPAssING ON
THE BARRY ESTATE
WILL B PRSECUTED.
By Order,
Agents Office. J. SMITH.
A very ordinary notice, but one which
had been the subject Of much merri-
ment a while back, when Airy you.
Juggins'' had eliminated the harmless
o and interpolated the direful E for the
amusement Of his consnurs and con.
freres.
The effect it had upon our traveller
was not that which heneeforward, for
all l care, may be described as de-
faciensis tripperii. He had no desire to
drop in ''not'' between the Twill" and
the "be," neither did he change ''per-
son" into "peer," but he did allow his
feet, which had been resting on rung
two Of the roadside ladder, to change
their position to rung one Of that of the
woodside.
After the first step the way was easy.
So appeared to be the grass path
which meandered among the trees in
curves most sinuous, a path that looked
AS all forbidden paths look-seduc-
tive, and, moreover, by far the most de-
lightful in the whole district.
Our traveller looked at his watch, at
the up and down Of the road, and not a
soul vas in sight to deter him. He slip
ped to the ground, and in a brief space
was in the thicket.
On and on pressed he till the black
ing was restored to the boot by the dust
banishing grass agency. The cigarette,
smoked out. was replaced by a second,
and then he came to a halt at the brink
of a cunning little tree mirrored, tree
surrounded lake, whose clear waters in
vited-nay, almost oommanded-im.
mersion, with the thermometer taxed
to its utmost heat recording limits.
Birds were singing, the lakelet rip
pied, and with delicious splashing a
w%aterfallet threw itself in wanton aban-
donment into the embrace of the all
absorbing tarn.
Delicious spot for bathing, but a spot
wasted, impossible. On the farther side
was one who gazed at QUE traveller, the
intruder, with eyes beautiful and pro-
voked-one attired in kerchief Of lawn,
bodice and skirt of print and in other
dainty things.
IA pretty grill" said he mentally.
IA wretched tourist" she reflected.
The path was winding, like to a
maze, but surely mazelike it led to an
eventual goal? 1t would do no harm to
ask. The traveller meandered OH and
found himself in a space but three or
four feet from my lady Of the lake.
His cap was off.
Said he, "Will you kindly tell M if
this path comes out anywhere near
Marleydale?"
Eventually at the village ITSELF"
she replied.
He thanked her, and with steps re-
luctant would have advanced, but she,
reddening and paling alternately, denied
him progress except over her lithesome
self.
"Please stopr' she commanded. Are
you aware that this is private proper
tyr"
II could hardly imagine it was pub
lie" said he.