Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-03-23

wharf. FESTIVE TO reach the waiting
trains, but quite apart from all these
whose faces were set westward three
people-a girl, man nearing forty ana
stint lad-lingercd on the after deck
s though loath to take their leave or
;hc imperial city.
The resemblance of the mOnstr0us
hive of humankind to a height of land
was so Marked so singular, that the
girl remarked upon it, and the boy, q
pale lad Of seventeen. cried out in shrill
,,-~- ,,..--~.-------
staccato:
Yes; but think of the real mountains
we're going to climb"
The girl did not speak for q moment,
and when she did her voice was dis
tinctly sorrowful. Il feel as though l
were saying goOdby to everything
worth while"
"Including me?' asked her escort.
She did not smile, but her accent was
kindly as she answered, "Yes, Wayne,
including you"
"Oh, sis, you make me tired" cried
the boy. Just as il going west We're
bidding goodby to everything" He
beat his thin chest "I'm just begin
ming to live now. I'm glad to get away
from the stuffy old town. want to
see something besides Fifth avenue
and Central park"
Wayne Peabody laughed good natur-
edly down at the boy. you wouldn't
care if civilization did stop at the west
bank of the Hudson river, would your
Il should say not. I'm tired OF 1t
all-the noise and the pavements and
the heat and the wetness. want to
get out where the wolves and the
cranes and the cowboys are; l want to
hit the trail and find where fathers
camps were"
The girl spoke musingly. Its singu-
lar, but l have premonition OF some
dark fate-some vague sorrow. l new
er felt so before-nOt even on my trip
to Egypt. If don't come back want
YOU to note that l was fOrewarned.
Let's go forward"
Peabody remarked in low voice:
Louis is transformed already. 1t will
do him all kinds of good to go west"
81 hope So" she replied rather dreari-
", "but lie seems unwholesomely ex-
cited at the present moment"
Hell get over that"
81 fear he will be disappointed. Fa-
theirs trip was made nearly twenty
five years ago, when it was a really
wonderful land"
"He is young He will reimagine it."
The boy stood like some beautiful an
imal poised for a spring as the ferry
shouldered its clumsy way into the
Jersey dock. He was of less bulk than
his strong. composed, mOdish sister,
and his face was as dark, as mobile
and as eager as hers was fair and i'm
passive Peabody experienced once
again a twinge of keen regret that Ann
had not some of her brothers radiant
enthusiasm.
Surrounded by portcrs and wearing
an air of command, Louis led the way
to the sleeping car, impatient of his
sisters deliberatiOn. On one hip he
carried pair of large field glasses and
over the other a costly camera, while
half concealed cases of pencils and
pads of drawing paper bulging from
his pockets announced his artistic in-
tentiOn.
AS the time for the train to start
drew near Peabody strove to win some
softer word from Ann, but she was
not of those who manifest emotion.
Her training and her temperament
were alike opposed to easy expression
When he tried to take her hand sec
ond time with eyes that entreated she
recoiled.
"No, no! You have no right to expect
that"
He was no longer boy, and he was
bred to self control; therefore, though
his voice trembied little, he spoke
quietly: "Goodby, Ann. Write every
day, won't you:"
In voice which chilled him she re-
piled: every day is pretty often, but
you will hear from me. Go and see
mother, please. She will not say SO,
but she will be glad to have you come"
depend upon me-" he said, lifting
his hat. His bearded face betrayed no
emotion, but his eyes were hot with
pain and grief.
The girl on her part felt sudden
twinge of remOrSc as she left linn
there, Il fine, strong, manly sutton, who
uttered no complaint, though she
wounded him. The twitching of his
lips troubled her, but she did not re-
lent. In her heart she said: Il can't
II 1t isn't in me. He shouldn't
louis threw himself fat on the couch
a their stateroom and said boyishly:
E'Gee! We're off at last. Now let her
whiz. This old train can't so fast
enough for me-"
Locking down at him at that mo-
ment. AIMS bosom swelied with an
emotion almost maternal. "Ilow thin
he isl she thought, as her eyes took III
his slight body. "I'll 60 I'll do any
thing for him, if only he can grow
strong and WE'LL
She loved that slender lad and as
sumed for him greater weight of care
and hope and fear than for any other
human being He was so like his ia
ther-the soul restless as fame, the
slender body racked, worn with end
less enthusiasms, the burning, mes
meric eyes and the delicate mouth. All
these she had known and valued in