The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-25
FROM THE HILLTOP.

At the western end of the town we fol-
lowed steep road which crossed a bridge
and wound up hill all the way. The mys-
terry of twilight beginning to descend
the hill as We climbed upward, but its
magic yet spared the open road. Hem
ming it in on either side soft, bewitcn-
ing dusk EMBODIED the hedges. crouching
bushes and bordering trees. The sides Of
the road were formidable, too, with
tangle of catbrier yet obstinately fresh
and green-its conquering spirit still I'M
ds.unted amid the prevailing browns all
about it. A dim yet blooming haze ca
ressed the hillside as If a purple mist
crept out from the beech-filled hollows and
embraced the earth in the spirit of au-
tumn
Now a softly whispered Hist! twice
sounded from the catbrier. Then a flash
of white smote the gloom and ''Towhee.
Towhee!'' boldly sounded, as a pair of
feather bodies fitted across the road be-
fore US and descended into the cleaning
as if on some late errand bent Again
and yet again ''Towhee! Towheer' arose
from the beechen hollows. Such odd notes
might have been emitted from a musical
toy in response TO a sharp pressure of the
hand and suggested a sharp contraction
as il the bird were suddenly trOdden on.
Then silence and the sturdy ''chirk" of
an honest song sparrow. Invisible; yet
We knew he was close to the ground in
the underbrush, scolding a little before
going 10 bed. but saving his sweet melody
for the morrow. We doubted the truth OF
our eyes, but something appeared to move
along the recumbent trunk of an old tree
brown and moss-covered Did the wind
but stir leaf? No! ii slips along the
branches to a neighboring tree-the wren
"A very pixy of the forest, whose brown
back may easily pass for a beech leaf in
this witching hour.
either to right or left; but opening a gate
we followed a common brick thorough
fare. At the top OF flight of stone steps
a miniature Venetian glory burst upon our
vision We were on a level with a silent
sheet of shimmering water. Close behind il
a row of slim young trees stood seemingly
limbs upon its surface. Far beyond rose
an amending row OF purple. dreaming hills
whose vague, fringy curves blended into
the dusky bloom: OF sunset. The sun had
but just slipped behind the foremost
leaving its rounded silhouette like great
purple helmet sketched on a radiant field
of pale, greeniSh blue. Trailing towards
the east from the crown Of the helmet Were
two long. curling cloud feathers. the upper
a rich purple. the lower following its wavy
line IN fiery flame.
All this and more the water told over
again in liquid beauty; for beneath the
jaunty plumes of the cap were gathered
the f1resides OF the hilltop jewellers. Clus-
tered about the south corner OF the basin
their foundations entirely obscured. their
upper stories appeared TO rest lightly upon
the water and We're repeated in its depths
The lambert light idealized the picture: il
might easily have been the Castle of Chill
len, glimpse of the Thousand isles or a
bit of Venice-who could believe that with
the morning light il would resolve itself
into a great reservoir basin amid the
homes of a group of fresh-air devotees.
The wind blew cold, and the soft "tsip
tsip'' OF unseen field sparrows arose from
the wind-swept broomsedge at the foot
of the slope. Turning TO look backwards
and townwards, soft crayon landscape
stretched far away from our feet i'm con-
trast 10 the luminous prospect in the west
An airy mass of black twigs and blacker
boughs etched upon the sky; two pillared
bridges lightly spanning the distant rivers
flow: the river bathed in silver gray light
while upon its bosom and dividing it,
current in twain anchored an enchanted
island. covered with dark forest; then the
long. wide sweep of Kentucky hills.
AS we descended into the dusk our eyes
turned backward and fingered in the twi-
light hollows that crept into the hillsides
and were deeply carpeted with the soft
brown of countless beech leaves. Tracing
one such narrowing. softly rounded ravins
- its farthest limit. we discovered the
evening star flashing there IL with spe-
ciaf reference TO the grand old beeches
that wait so near.
ELIZABETH NUNEMACHER