The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-08-07

L Inv llpuululuS anu tle pines
kSS,,Sl We're with me, and through
eJ the winter, too. busy as | was
Alling in my Black Rock sketches for
rhe railway people who would still
persist in ordering them by the dozen,
she memory Of that stirring life would
sofpe over me, and once more | would
- among the silent pines and the
mighty snow peaked mountains, and
Sefore me would appear the red shirt
sd shanty men or dark faced miners,
great, free, bold fellows, driving me al
most mad with the desire to seize and
IL those swiftly changing groups of
picturesque figures. At such times I
would drop my sketch and with eager
STush seize Il group. face, figure,
and that is how my studio comes to be
allsd with the men of Black Rock.
There they are about me-Graeme and
che men from the woods, Sandy, Bap-
t1sts, the Campbells and, in many atti-
eudes and groups. old man Nelson;
Graig, too, and his miners, Shaw, Geor-
lie, Nixon, poor old Billy and the keep
Il N the league saloon.
Ie seemed as if lived among them.
and the illusion was greatly helped by
the vivid letters Gracmc sent me from
1me to time. Brief notes came now
and then from Craig. too, to whom
i4d sent n faithful account OF how I
lad brought Mrs. Mavor to her ship
and Of how | had watched her sail
BBay with none too brave a face as
abe held up her hand that bore the
miners ring and smiled with that deep
light in her eyes. All, those eyes have
driven me to despair and made me
sear that | am no great painter after
sll, in spite of what my friends tell
ne who come in to smoke my good
cigars and praise my brush! | can get
1he brow ana hair and mouth and
pose, but the eyes-the eyes cludc me.
And the faces of Mrs. Mavor on my
vail, that the men praise and rave
over, are not such rs | could show TO
any of the men from the mountains.
Gracmc's letters tell me chiefly about
Craig and his dongs and about old
.1lan Nelson, while from Craig | hear
about Gracme and how he and Nelson
are standing at his back and doing
what they can to fill the gap that nev-
sr can be filed. The three are much
together, can see. and l am glad for
Them all, but chiefly for Craig. whose
ace, grief stricken, but resolute and
often gentle as w0man's, will not
leave me or let me rest in peace.
The note Of thanks he sent me was
sntirely characteristics There were no
heroics much less pining or self pity.
Z was simple and manly, not i'm. 90.
sfe pain, but making much of the joy.
And then they had their work to do.
That note. so clear, so manly, so nobly
asnsible, stiffcns my back yet at times
IN the spring came the startling news
tlat Black Rock woUll soon be no
more. The mines We're to close down
On April /. The company, having al
Aured the cOntding public with entic-
ing descriptions Of marvellous drifts,
veins, assays and prospects and having
expended vast sums of the public's
money IN developing the mines till the
assurance OF their reliability was alb
olutely final, calmly shut down and
vanished. With their vanishing van
shes Black Rock, not without loss and
much deep curSing on the part OF the
men brought some hundreds Of miles
4 ara ;uc company in its extraordina-
y and wholly ineNpIicable game.
Personally it gricyed me to think
hat my plan of returning to Black
Roc& could never be carried out. 1t
Eas 4 great compensation. however,
lhat the three men most representative
ID me of that life We're soon to visit
ne actually in my own home and den.
Braemc's letter said that in one month
they might be expected to appear At
east he and Nelson were soon to come,
knd Craig would soon follow.
On receiving the great news at once
boxed up young Nelson and his sister,
ard we proceeded to celebrate the Joy.
hi prospect with specially good din.
rer. l found the greatest delight in
Ncturlng the JOY and pride OF the old
nan in his children. whom he had not
yen for fifteen or sixteen years. The
Kother had died some five years be-
Nre. Then the farm was sold. and the
Sothcr and sister came into the city,
rad any father might be proud Of them.
The son was a well made Young fellow.
handsome enough, thoughtful and solid
bui,iag. The girl reminded me OF her
KILLER Tie same resolution was seen
d mOuta and jaw, and tie same pas
snn su!lbered Ia the dark gray eyes.
SIC was not beautiful, but she carrie
&eset well, and one would always
tSE at ner twice. 1t would be worth
Eauething to see the meeting between
hther and daughter.
But fate, the greatest artist OF us all.
skCs li'''n count of the careful draw
~ dud the bright cOlorng Of our fan
NJ plcrUres but with rude hand de-
'anges all and with one swift sweep
PAINTS out the bright and paints in the
dark, and this trick he served me when
me- June night, after long and anxious
waiting FOR some word from the west,