Year: 1873

known ; ana Ia Mrs. lelverton's Irish


temperament there is probably no sligh,
streak af superstition. At any rate all


night long the dreadful malediction


was ringing in her ears, and seeming
likely Of realization. For if she had
not lived in friendless solitude and
pinching want. she certainly appeared
likely to die in as bitter holiness and
desolation as malice itself could desire
while for her body thero seemed 40
better fate than to feed the birds and
beasts of prey.


But all things earthly sooner or later
come to an end, so the night wore away
without bringing visit from either
wolf or bear. As soon as it was fairly
light, benumed and almost frozen she
emerged from her covering, mounted her
horse, and, there was nothing else to do
turned his head toward the Valley.
She succeeded in finding aud keeping the
path, aud was making good progrs 81
down the mountain side, when she
came to an immense bolder around
which the path made sharp angle
Turning this, what should confront her
but huge cinnamon bear OF course
the frightened horse instantly wheeled,
aud made his way back some little
distance with the greatest possible
speed Then bis rider reined him in,
She looked around some time. Go. 10
the opposite direction she could not
If her life was to be preserved she
must go in that So after q while, she
urged her horse down the mountain
again, and around the rock. To her
great joylthe bear was gone, seeming
to have been as much frightened by
her as she was BY him.


With revived courage, she now went
on her way. But whether-for the
purpose of increasing her circulation,
or for soaie other reason she ere long
ditmountsd and attempted to walk.
She had not proceeded far, however,
when, making a mistep where, on one
side of the path, was quite preciplce,
she lost her balance aud feel down the
declivity between twenty and thirty
feet, landing among bushes and in SEINE
depth OF snow. The shock to her
already over taxed aud exhausted frame
was so great that she swooned. dow
long she remained insenslble she could
not tell /; probably not many minutes
Reviving. she recalled her recent expe.
rience and present condition, and real.
ICED that if her life were not to termi>
nate then and there, she must make
desperate effort in its behalf. Accord
ingly she dragged her behaggered and
her bruised aud bleeding limbs out of
the bushes, succe eded once more in
finding the path, down which !she
rather stumbled than walked a little
distance. She came then to a large
PROSTATE tree, lying close to aud near
ly parallel with her way, and on the
leeward side of which was almost bare
ground. Here exhausted nature re-
fused to do more, and here, therefore,
she lay down to die. That is,she became
unconscious, and bad she not been
quickly found would have known no
more of earthly grief or gladness.


But it happened that Mr.. Hutchings
and neighbor had business urgently
requiring their presence at Mariposa;
and, Notwithstanding the snow of the
previous day and night, they set fourth
that morning on their journey thith er
When near the fallen tree, Mr.. Ii. who
was somewhat behind his companion,
suddenly heard him call, "Hutchings.
Hutchings for Gods sake, hurry up !
Here Is q dead woman!'' Instantly
divining who it must be, as he had
been not little anxious for Mrs.
Yelvertou's safety, Mr.. HutcAings
rushed forward to fnd, by glance.
his suspicious verified. A slight ex>
animation, however, showed him that
life was not extinct. Asking his
neighbor to kindle q fire of the dried
leaves and dead wood scattered around,
himself succeeding in forcing few
drops of brandy from pocket flask
between her teeth, and in quickening a