Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-04-14

have you never lived in town."
"a man of my sort exists in town
he lives in the mountains" With thi
diplomatic response the tall fgur
swung round a corner formed by
bowlder of rock, and Virginia gave
little cry of surprise. The hut o
which the chamois hunter had spokel
was revealed by the turn. and 1t wa
of an unexpected and striking descrip
ton. Instead Of the humble erection
of stones and wood which she hat
counted on, the rocky side Of tn,
mountain itself had been cOaxed t,
give her sons q shelter.
A doorway and large square opening
for windows had been cut in the ret
veined, purplish brown porphyry, while
heavy slab of oak and wooden frames
filed full of glittering bottle glass pro
tected such rooms as might have beer
followed out within from storm o.
cold.
Even had Virginia been ignorant o.
her hosts identity she would have
been wise enough to guess that here
was no semmhutte, or ordinary abode Of
common peasants who hunt the cham
ois for precarious livelihood. The
work Of hewing out in the solid rocl
q habitation such as this must have
cost more than most Rhaetian chamois
| hunters would save in many year
| But her wisdom also counseled her tC
express no further surprise after hel
first exclamation.
"My mates are away for the time
| though they may come back by and
by" the man explained, holding the
heavy oaken door that she might pass
into the room within, and, though she
was not invited to further exploration
she was able to see by the several
doorways cut in the rock walls that
| this was not the sole accommodation
the strange house could boast.
On the rock floor rugs Of deer and
chamois skin were spread. In a rack
Of oak ornamented with splendid ant
lers and studded with the sharp point
ed horns Of the chamois were suspend
ed guns of modern make and brightly
polished, formidable hunting knives.
The table in the center Of the room had
been carved with admirable skill, and
the half dozen chairs were oddly fash
ioned of stags' antlers shaped to hold
fur cushioned wooden seats. A carved
dresser Of black oak held store of the
coarse blue, red and green china made
by peasants in the valley below,
through which Virginia had driven yes
terday, and these bright colored dishes
were eked out with platters and great
tankards of old pewter, while in the
deep fireplace gypsy kettle swung
over bed Of fragrant pine wood en-
bers.
"This Is a delightful place-fit for a
king or even for an emperor" said
Virginia when the bare kneed chamois
hunter had offered her chair near the
fire and crossed the room to open the
closed cupboard under the dresser
shelves.
He was STOPPING as she spoke, but
at her last words looked around over
his shoulder.
1--WE mountain men aren't afraid OF
little work-when it's for our own COM
fort" he replied, 'and most of the
things you see here are homemade dur
Ing the long winters"
"Then you are all very clever indeed
But this place is interesting. Tell me-
has the emperor ever been your guest
here? I've read-let me see, could i.
have been in the guidebook or in some
paper?-that he comes occasionally To
this northern range of mountains"
"Oh, yes; the emperor has been at our
hut several times. He's good enough
to approve it," the host answered calm
ly, laying q loaf Of black bread. fine
seeded cheese and knuckle of ham OH
the table. He then glanced at his
guest, expecting her to come forward.
but she sat still on her throne of ant
lers, her small feet in their sensible
mountain boots daintily crossed under
the short tweed skirt.
81 hear he also is good chamois
hunter" she carelessly went on. But
that perhaps is only the fiattery which
makes the atmosphere Of royalty. No
doubt you, for instance, could really
give him many points in chamois hunt
ing"
The young man smiled. "The en-
perors not bad shot"
"For an amateur. But you're pro
fessional I wager now that you would
not for the world change places with
the emperor"
How the chamois hunter laughed at
this and showed his white teeth! There
were those in the towns he scorned
who would have been astonished at
his light hearted mirth.
Change places with the emperor!
Not unless l were obliged, gna' frau
lein--not now, at all events" with a
complimentary bow and glance.
THANK you. You're quite Il corrtier.
And that reminds me Of another thing
they say of him in my country. The
story Is that he dislikes the society
Of women. But perhaps 1t is that he
doesn't understand them"
1T is possible, lady. But l never
heard that they were so difficult OF
comprehension"
"Ah, that shows how little you
ehamois hunters have had time to
learn. Why, we can't even understand
ourselves or know what we're most
likely TO do next, and yet-a very ode
thing-we have no difficulty in reading
one another and knowing all each 9th
er's weaknesses"
THAT would seem to say that man
should get q woman to choose his wife
for him.
'I'm not 80 sure 1t would be wise,
yet your emperor, we hear, will let
the chancellor choose his"
"Ah were you told this also in your
country?
Eyes, for the gossip is that she's an
English princess. Now, what's the
good of being a powerful emperor If
he can't even pick out wife to please
his own taste?"
81 know nothing about such high
matters, gna' fraulein, but l fancied
that royal folk took wives to please
their people rather than themselves.
It's their duty to marry, you know
And If the lady be of royal blood, vir-