Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-08-23

newcomers.
The first few days were days OF
learning and preparation, days OF mis-
hap and misadventure. of joyous
laughter over blunders in getting set
tied, or learning the mysteries OF rod
and line, or becoming hardened and
acclimated. The weather proved per-
feet; Il was late October and the
nights were very cold, but there was
no rain and the bright sunny days
were invigorating and exhilarating TO
the last degree. They had huge fires
and plenty of blankets and the colder
it was in the night the better they
slept.
1t was an intensely new experience
for the girl from Philadelphia, but she
showed a marked interest and adapt
ability, and entered with the keenest
zest into all the opportunities OF the
charming days She was a good sports
woman and she soon learned to throw
a fly with the best of them. Old Kirk
by took her under his especial pro-
lection and as he was one OF the best
rods in the mountains. she had every
advantage.
She had always lived in the midst
of life. Except in the privacy of her
own chamber she had rarely ever
been alone before-not twenty feet
from a man, she thought whimsically.
but here the charm of solitude at
tracted her. she liked to take her rod
and wander OF alone. She actually
enjoyed it,
The main stream that flowed down
the canon was fed by many aff1uents
from the mountain sides, and in each
of them voracious trout appeared. She
explored them as she had opportunity.
sometimes with the others, but more
often by herself She discovered
charming and exquisite hooks, little
stretches of grass, the size perhaps OF
a small room. flower decked. ferny
bordered. overshadowed by tall giant
pine trees. the sunlight altering
through their thin foliage, checkering
the verdant carpet beneath. Huge
moss covered boulders, wet with the
everlasting spray Of the roaring
brooks, lay in midstream and with
other natural stepping stones hardly
invited her to cross to either shore.
Waterfalls laughed unsteady in her
ears, deep still pools tempted her skill
and address.
Sometimes leaving rod and basket
by the waterside. she climbed some
particularly steep ACTIVITY OF the
canon wall and stood poised. wind
blown, a nymph of the woods, upon
some pinnacle Of rock rising needle
like at the canon's edge above the
sea of verdure which the wind waved
to and fro beneath her feet. There in
the bright light. with the breeze blow
ing her golden hair, she looked like
some Morse goddess. blue eyed. ex-
hilirated. triumphant
She was a perfectly formed woman
on the ancient noble lines OF Milo
rather than the degenerate softness
of Medici. She grew stronger of limb
and fuller of breath. quicker and
steadier of eye and hand, cooler OF
nerve. in these demanding, compelling
adventures among the rocks in this
mountain air. She was not a tall
woman. indeed slightly under rather
than over the medium size. but she
was so perfectly proportioned. she car
ried herself with the fearlessness OF
young channels, that she looked taller
than she was. There was not an
ounce of superfiuous flesh upon her.
yet she had the grace OF Hebe. the
strength of Pallas Athene. and the
swiftness of motion of ATLANTA. Had
she but carried bow and spear, had
she worn tunic and sandals, she might
have stood for Diana and she would
have had no cause to blush by COM
parison with the finest model OF
Praxiteles' chisel or the most splen-
did and glowing example OF Appelles'
brush.
Uncle Robert was delighted with
her; his contribution to her western
outfit was a small Winchester. She
displayed astonishing aptitude under
his instructions and soon became won
derfuIly proficient with that deadly
weapon and with a revolver also.
There was little danger to be appre-
hended in the daytime among the
mountains, the more experienced men
thought, still II was wise for the girl
always to have weapon in readiness.
so In her journeyings, either the Win
chester was slung from her shoulder
or carried in her hand, or else the Colt
dangled at her hip. At first she took
both, but finally 1t was with reluc-
lance that she could be persuaded to
take either. Nothing had ever hap
pened. Save for few birds now and
then she had seemed the only tenant
of the wilderness of her choice.
One night after a camping expert
ence of nearly two weeks in the noun
tains and just before the time for
breaking up and going back to civil5
ization. she announced that early the
next morning she was going down the
canon for a days fishing excursion.
None OF the party had ever fol-
lowed the little river very far, but 1t
was known that some ten miles below
the stream merged in lovely gem
like lake in a sort OF crater In the
mountains. From thence by a series
Of water falls it descended through
the foothills to the distant plains be-
yond. The others had arranged to
climb one especially dangerous ana
ambition provoking peak which tow.