The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-08-26
THE END
OF
A RAIN BOW.

over and two children stood ON the
hotel veranda gazing wistfully at the
glorious bow that spanned the sky
81 wish we could touch it," the girl
said longingly; lit is the most beauti-
full thing in all the world
We'll" the boy returned practical
ly, IL don't care much about touching
it, but I'd be mighty glad to find the
end of that rainbow"
"Why?"
Don't you know, goosie? There's
q great pot of gold at the end, and it
will belong to the person who can find
It, Jimmy, but l wish l had 1t here
thft very minute.
Lets go and get it."
The boy stared at his tiny compan-
ION in surprise The feminine mind
was much more daring than his own
It appeared Did the girl really mean
that they should go off alone into that
limitless forest when they were never
even trusted near it unless accompan-
fed by some older person? Still, ne
took another look at the brilliant bow.
This was certainly the chance OF
lifetime, and, of course, he would not
fefuse to go any place that a girl was
willing to go.
Besides, it was her suggestion any
way, not his, and if there were future
ceprimands and seedlings in store. he
he could say that it was she who pro-
posed going.
Come on he said briefly, holding
out his hand, and off the two trudged
toward, the allurfng, treacherous bow,
eiRing no heed to the awful terror
which their absence would surely In
spire.
1t was nearly twenty-four hours later
thah they were found The boys faith
cr, heading one of the many search
parties that were securing the woods,
stumbled over them, and his pale lips
sent forth a triumphant shout-for the
children were safe, and in view of that
fact all minor matters sank into in
significance.
Death had lowered too near to leave
room for any feeling save that of deep
kest thankfulness. There were no
Seedlings in store for the culprits
though both were questioned closely
regarding the escapade.
The girl always remembered with
fervent gratitude that the boy never
told any one that it was she who had
proposed seeking the pot of gold.
The boy rather wondered at his own
reticence, but after all it seemed rath-
yer mean sort of trick to palm the
responsibilities of his misdeeds on
girl! He kept discreet silence on
considerable more manliness than
certain ancestor of us all once dis
played.
Two weeks later the hotel closed for
the season, and the girl and the boy
went their several ways. Off in her
eastern home the girl did not quite
forget the boy who had done his best
TO comfort her in the terrible forest,
fand who had protected her by his ST.
1ence when they were found.
Off in the west the boy remembered
with a feeling of pride that the girl
had never cried during that awful ex-
perience, and that she had never re-
preached him for allowing her to 60
into such peril. OF course, he should
have known better, for was not he
boy, and the elder, too?
v The girl hada been casual summer
acquaintance and the two were effect
ually separated when the brief sum-
mer season ended. For several years
the boy begged his mother each June
to go back to that place. but she had
shuddering horror of the valley and
the mountains, and nothing would in
duce her to return.
So at last the boy gave up asking
and the experience was crowded into
the background by hundred new in
terests and aims.
Long years after, when he was a
man, playing mans part in the world
the old desire suddenly seized him TO
return to that place. The hotel was
fstill there, very modern in every way,
but somehow he felt bored and missed
an intangible something which he had
imagined he would find. He stood it
for a week, then the quiet became in
tolerable. He resolved to leave the
place. That day she came.
He knew it was fate from the very
first. He was not ordinarily inclined
ITO be shy, but he felt like raw
1schoolboy in her presence.
She had many friends at the hotel,
but he managed by sheer persistence