The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-10

ture S nearL. we nave ooCh ~
the Northern pleasure resorts, Dut 'hey
are so artificial and unnatural as COM
pared to this. 1t Is like Eden. AN
Adamless Eden" said Mrs. Cotton 50
far as Trixy is concerned, but that ID
her own fault" "My preference, NIDyou
please. JEAN answered Trixy Win
faint frown. 81 have you and George
and the children, that is all want lol
this summer" Another day they went
to the Lodge on the summit or IoXd"ay'
II am actually awed by the sublime
grandeur of this view" said IrlHy'
"Words seem so inadequate to express
what l feel, it simply impresses me unIil
7 am speechless." "It is the only thlng
that effects you in that manner, muir
INJURED the Honorable George soto voice
Look, George, did you imagine anything
so vast, so grand, so beautiful, SO per
feet? You can just see everywhere
Good supply of adjectives, JEAN and DIS
for everywhere, that would include emma
Africa and other places, which my vision
fails to discover" 'Do not be so exact
it is tiresome. You know what mean'
And thus the summer days go by, ana
the country far and near has aHordeo
them delightful drives and picturesque
walks. 1t so happens that Rex L'Ombre
is almost always their driver or gulde
on these excursions. In fact they usually
request Mr.. Wells for his service. There
is never the slightest presumption IN MS
manner yet the man is so Enthusiastically
a gentleman that he is, without think
ing of their different positions usually
brought into their conversations. Once
Mr.. Cotton remarks to Mr.. Wells: "Who
is this driver, L'Ombre, he seems to be
gentleman, how came he here in his
present capacity?" Cant tell you
anything about him, and he gives no in
formation concerning himself. He sim
ply appeared when this hotel was being
built, and asked for job. We were
short of hands and took him. He work
ed we'll, but was so efficient at calcu-
lating and other brain work that in two
weeks he was a paymaster4 After the
hotel was completed he wished to stay.
We could give him nothing better to do,
and he seems satisfied with his work and
his pay Queer fellow, I'll bet my hat
he has a history Maybe so, we know
nothing of his past. He never gets any
mail, neither does he send any. You
ought to see his house, an artistic cabin
side of Toxaway, a cabin of two rooms.
He stays there winter and summer en-
tirely alone
Trixy Lisle proved slow learner at
boating, so slow that it seemed neces-
sary that Rex L'Ombre should give her
frequent lessons. One evening early in
August they started for a row on the
lake. Take me to the falls" said Trixy
as she comfortably seated herself in the
boat. Swiftly the steady strokes brought
them to the head-waters OF the lake. II
love this place." she said; 81 wish
could see it in winter, it must be even
more beautiful then" Il think it is"
Rex answered. 81 often skate to this
spot and, stand listening to the gurgle
of the pent up water under the ice. 1t
sounds like an imprisoned spirit" and
yet" TriXy replied, lin spite of all this
grandeur and beauty you must sometimes
long for the activity of a great city, for
the companionship of your equals and
the advantages that you are capable of
enjoying" 1t is a bold speech and she
has never ventured to speak so before.
THE past is irrevocable, / try not to
think of the future. Shall | get you
some of those ferns from the rocks?''
He evidently has no intention of discuss
ing or explaining his position and TriXy
wisely says no more on the subject.
Yes, the ferns and some of that scarlet
lobelia please; it's color Is so gorgeous.
| believe l am something of a gypsy, l.
do SO love bright things" He gathers
the ferns and flowers and after giving
them to her they both remain silent for
some time, allowing the boat to drift to-
ward the other end of the lake. Sud-
denly Rex snatches the oars. exclaiming,
This boat is well named the Fairy; l
think it has bewitched me-" 81 agree
with you," said .Trixy. Il forgot it was
so late; how far we have drifted." 1--WE
have been drifting for some time" Rex
answers as he raises his grey eyes to her
face. A deeper color nantes her face
as she replies, "It is so easy to drift,
and sometimes so pleasant" But not
always WISE" he says, as with few
powerful strokes he heads the boat to-
ward the boat house. The silence grows
almost embarrassing when it is broken
by Trixy saying, mr.. LOmbre, l want
to go up to Toxaway from this side; there
must be some path. / am sure it would
be much shorter than going by the usual
drive There is a sort of trail very
steep and rough. You might make it, for
you have a firm step and steady eye"
Miss Morton and her brother Hal were
talking about it with me this morning
and they want to try 1t. Can you go
with us tomorrow GLADLY, if MIR.
Wells has made no other arrangements
for me- ooh, 1 hope he has not. l
want to see that wild. lonely path. 1t
is near your house, too, l think you once
told me you lived in that direction" said
Trixy, pointing toward the mountain.
How solitary you must feel away up
there alone" Rex L'Ombre slowly an
swered:
ITO sit on rocks, to muse DER food and
fell.
To slowly trace the forests shady scene
Where things that own not mans domin-
ion dwell
And mortal foot hath neer or rarely
been:
To climb the trackless mountain all UNI
seen,
With the wild flock that never needs a
fold,
Alone Ger sleeps and foaming falls to
lean.
This is not solitude, It's but to hold