The Washington herald., 1906-12-16

Earth. in Montana, among the high
mountains. there came TO Jimmy Grayson
an appeal. compounded Of pathos and
despair that he could not resist II was
from the citizens of Crows Wing. forty
miles deeper into the yet higher and
sleeper mountains. and they recounted
In mournful words. how no candidate
ever came to see them; all passed them
by either too few or too difficult, and
they had never yet listened TO the spell
Of oratory; Of course. they did not ex-
pect the nominee Of a great party for
the Presidency Of the United States to
make the hard trip and speak to them,
when even the little fellows ignored
their existence; nevertheless, they wished
to inform him in writing that they were
alive. and on the map, at least, they
made as big a dot as either Helena or
Butte.
| The candidate smiled when he read the
/ letter. The tone of il moved him More
/ over, ne was not deficient in policy-no
man who rises is-and while Crows
/ Wing had but few votes. Montana was
| close. and a single State might decide
| the Union.
Those people at Crows Wing Go not
| expect me, but 1 shall 10 to them,' he
| said 10 his train.
why it's a full days journey and
more over the toughest and rockiest
road in America" said Mr. Curtis. the
| State senator from Wyoming. who was
still with them
7 shall 60" said Jimmy Grayson, de-
| cisively. There Is break here In our
schedule. and this trip will At in very
nicely"
| The others were against IT. but they
| said nothing more in opposition, knowing
| that it would be of no avail. Obiging
| generous. and sOft-hearted. the candidate
nevertheless, had a temper Of steel when
his mind was made Up, and the others
had learned not 10 oppose il. But all
| stunned the journey with him TO Crow s
! Wing except Harley. Mr.. Plummer, Mr.
/ Herbert Heathcote-becaus there is no
zeal like that Of the cohverted-and one
other.
That other" was Sylv'-. and she in
sisted upon going. refusing te-listen 20
all the good arguments that were brought
against it, know that I am only 4
woman-a girl" she said. but I know.
too. that I've lived all my life in tho
mountains. and I understand them Why.
I've been on harder journeys than this
with daddy before ] was twelve years
dicted, she forgot his request not to call
him daddy"
Thus appealed 10, Mr. Plummer was
fain to confess the truth, though with
reluctance. However. he said. rather
weakly.
But. you don't know what kind of
weather well have. Sylvia
Then she turned upon him in a manner
that terrified him.
Now. daddy. II I couldn't get up a
better argument than that I'd quit. she
said. Weather weather. weather. 20
an Idaho girl Suppose It should rain,
I'm made Of neither sugar nor salt. and
won't melt I've been Tained on &
thousand times. Aunt Anna says I may
go II Uncle James is willing. and he's
willing-he has to be; besides. he's my
ehaperon. II you don't say yes. Uncle
James. l shall take the train and &c
. straight home.
They were forced 10 consent. and Har-
ley was glad that she insisted, because
he liked to know that she was near. and
he thought that she looked wonderfully
well on horseback
The going OF Harley with the candidate
was taken as a matter Of course by ev-
erybOdy Silent tactful. and strong. hS
had grown almost imperceptibly into q
confidential relationship with the nomi
! nee, and Mr.. Grayson did not realize how
much he relied upon the quiet man whC
: could not make a speech, but who wa!
/. so ready of resource As for Mr.. Heath
cote, being an fastener, he wished e
see the West IN all its aspects.
They started at daybreak guided by {
{ taciturn mountaineer. Jim Jones. called
simply Jim for the sake OF brevity. and
the hour being so early, few were presen
= to see them ride up the hanging slop'
and into the mighty wilderness.
But It was a glorious dawn. The younl
= sun was gliding the sea Of crags an'
Z crests with FURNISHED gold. and the al
= had the sparkle of youth Mr.. Heath
= cote threw back his slightly marrow
z chest, and, drawing three deSP breath
(: of Just the same length. he said, Il woul'
not miss this trip for a thousand dol
= lars"
And I wouldn't for two thousand
a exclaimed Sylvia. joyously.
q Harley said nothing but he. too. lOOke'
L out upon the morning world with
e kindling eye. Far below them was a mar
e row valley. faint green line down tn
a center showing where the little river rar
n with the irrigated farms on each side
u like beads on a string. Above them tow
cred the peaks. white with everlastin
e snow.
e "A fine day for our ride" said the can
IS didate TO Jim.
l. Looks like 1t now though l neve
gamble on mountain weather. replie
l. the taciturn man.
But the promise held good for a lon
q time, the sun still shining and the wind
IT coming fresh and brisk along the crest
and ridges. The trail wound about tn
n slopes and steadily ascended. Vegetatio
y ceased, and before them stretched th
le bare rocks. Harley knew very we'll no
, that only the sunshine saved them frOI
grimness and -desolatiOn. The lonelines
became oppressive Even Sylvia was S
lent It was the wilderness in reality a
well as seeming; nowhere did they sc
a miners hut or a hunters cabin, onl
nature in her most savage form.
The little group of horsemen forgot I
io talk The candidates head was bowe
K and his brow bent. Clearly he was in
ce mersed in thought. Mr.. Heathcote, VI
r used to such arduous journeys, leane
Te forward in his saddle in a state of sem
. exhaustion. But Sylvia, although a cir
n was accustomed to the mountains, an
she showed few signs of fatigue. Ha,
6 ley said at last to the guide. "a Wi
T. country. one of the widest. I think thu
ee 1 ever saw"
Yes. a Wild country. and a bad III
e. too" responded Jim See of there
the Ieft?"
r+ He pointed to a maze of bare and rock
ridges, and when he saw that Harley
- gaze was following his long forefinge
al he continued:
Il say it's a bad 'un. because ov,
." there Red Perkins and his gang OF hor,
It thieves, outlaws. and cutthrOats used
to have their hiding place. It's a tangle
> up stretch o. mountain, so wild, so rock