Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-02
ewr.,,en for the Sunday Dispatch by Miss

written for the Sunday Dispatch by Mis-
Agnes Moore)
n was a most important topic whicf
Urn. under discussion at the Deepdait
Inn. IN the valley Of the Ca:skili noun
tains as the beey of Gir's sojournihs
there for the summer. iounged In nam
Knocks swung upon the broad piazza
where climbed the riotous honeysnckses
filling the air Wa. their ambient per
fume. and from which could be seen the
mountains, rearing their stately peaks
against the sky.
a widow from Texas expected at the
Inn, This bare announcement from the
genial landlord. without the cmoeiiish-
u1ent of any details whatever. hao been
sui,cient to put the girls on the uptoe
of expectation, and give rise 10 all sol.s
Of surnises in regard 10 the alien. as they
unanimously had chosen 10 call her: while
ANYTHING which had been left TO their Ter
tile lamentations. was proliflcally ana
graphically supplieu. Indeed much variet
gossip as to widows In general, was tree
banded about
Hitherto tbs little coterie had had the
neld all to themselves and had quite
r,onopolized the attention OF the guests
from the neiShboring hotels, at sea son
when members Of the sterner sex were
not greatly in evidence. N view OF eNistlr
tne conditions then 1t was to be hoped that
the widow had long since passed what the
sirls anonymously called the dangerous
age" a very difficult thing. however. to
determine in a widow.
From the piazza a long. white, Glittering
road was in sight vending down the
mountain side; and one girl ct least wac
more absorbed In the contemplation OF
this Than in anything appertaining to
widows.
Claiming had said that he might take
a run down this morning. hhea wac
thinking Of his last words to her the
evening before: Yes. ] shall miss you
very, much indeed. when the summer
days are over. But perhaps we can ar
range eli that to the satisfaction OF both.
chi" And he had gone away leaving
strange thrill in her heart.
They had spent many delightful hours
together, taking exflaratins spins
through the beautiful mountain ROADS III
his red-wheeled runa bout: walking along
The winding paths. or fishing in one OF the
trout streams when TO be sure the fsh
did not always bite. and when those two
young disciples of Izaac Walton. sitting
In the sylvan shade, did not always pay
the strictest attention as to what dangled
on the other end of their rods; to them
there were other things equally. If not
more absorbing
This girl was thinking Of all this. as
she lay back in her chair, with her eyes
fixed upon the long road, where presently
the runabou made its appearance, and
brought up at the gate Of the Inn.
Gust brought you a little bunch Of
flowers. and I'll be down tonight" said
Claiming.
He was a tall, athletic-looking, young
man. with an exceptionally strong chin:
one wondered. when studying his facial
chara cteristics. if that pugnacious chi1,
would eventually lift him above the plane
OF mediocre. and win ultimate success for
him in the strenuous battles Of life.
He tossed to Rhea q nosegay of pansies,
ran down the pathway, and wheeled away
as, rapidly he had come. He had
propensity for coming and going like
meteor.
At 6 o'clock that evening. the widow
from Texas arrived. Jason. the Jehu OF
the Inn employed to transport guests
from and to the depot. In a notorious.
ance." referred TO in the bonbastic ad-
vertisement. which had caught the wild
ow's eye, when casting about for con-
genial place OF temporary abode. brought
the lady from the station in a sudden
downpour of rain. Everybody was on the
piazza. enjoying the cool shower, land in
cidentally waiting for the new arrivaD
when the aforesaid conveyance" drove
up to the Inn. and deposi Ted at the gate
a cha rmng. though somewhat wet bur-
den, with raindrops giistening In her
wind-blown hair, who ran up the path
painting and little flushed. looking as ar
ar,ist would have said. like a dryard
after a shower bath of dew" and pre-
rented herself as Mrs. Connie Fairfax, of
Texas.
The girls exchanged certain quiet, we'll
bred glances-as difficult to interpret as
foreign tongue. but being interpreted
E7eant-this then. was the widow. whom
they had hoped might have passed the
dangerous age" in reality scarcely older
than themselves. and obviously q most
attractive personality, with the freshness
Of the sun-kissed Texan plains in her
face and voice.
TOO bad you got wet" said Mrs. Mar
TN. the motherly wife of the landlord
with her usual solicitude as to the well
faR OF, the guests.
mot wet. indeed. just damp. which is
of no consequence. I was spared a
thorough drenching, by kind. young
gentleman, whom we CHANGED to meet
about half way here, and who. seeing
my plight lost my umbrella on the
train-ofered me his. which very CRATE
fully accepted" And she held out for their
inspection, an umbrella with q curious
handle Of snakewood in1ald with mother
of-pearl and which Rhea instantly recog-
ntzed as Channing's. She had never seen
another one just like it anywhere. She
was vaguely conscious even then. Of q
premonttory twinge of jealousy.
During the evening the rain ceased.
and Just IS rainbow spanned the dis
tant mountain tops. Chann,ng's runa-
bout appeared on the rain-washed road
coming along ct lively rate Of speed. !
and Of course. his destination was the
Deepdale Inn. The widow. already With
the advantage of pre-existent acquaint-
snce. an odd and striking one. too. how
ever slight. was duly presented to him.
And Charming, who was distinctly artistic
n his perceptions at once likened her m