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“scamper !””
- THE GIRLS’
COMPANION.
aR ATE
Ocrover 19, 1907.
CHAPTER I.
N. THE rock-bound summits of the
Sierra Nevadas,. the snows have yielded
to the warm spring sunshine, and the moun-
tain torrents, released from the stern hold
of.winter, are rushing through their chan-
nels to the valley below. Upon the bank
of one of these freshly-filled rivers, a weep-
ing-willow trails its green’ branches, and
in a fairlylike room thus formed by the |*
foilage a young girl is romping with a
shaggy brown dog. Taere is a splash into
the water, a short swim, and then the dog
scrambles up the bank and shakes himself
vigorously as he runs toward the girl.
“There, now, Curly, keep your bath to
yourself, sir!” and the girl shook her dress
upon which the drops of sparkling water
had been thrown,
But Curly. seems not in the least cast
down, and with a-series of short, sharp
barks and clumsy leaps, tries to awaken
fresh interest in his companion.
“All right, come on! Now for a
And off go the two over the
green park, and then into a path which lies
along a wheat field, to the door of a white-
washed cabin.
was an adventurous but strong-
hearted family of young pioneers to whom
this cabin afforded shelter. Ruth, the eld-
est of the sisters and brothers, was regarded
by them as an oracle of wisdom, while Jack
came next and even first sometimes, he was
so brave and full of courage. Jack was
making his way in the law-and studying
hard in the modest office in a neighboring
town, but it was hard work for the young
folks to leave him free to law studies, while
life was being maintained on the ranch by
so slender an income as theirs, ~.
Many were the difficulties that had con-
fronted the little family, and they were dif-
ficulties not easily: overcome. Even Kate,
romping along the side of Curly, sighed as
she turned to. the cabin and remembered
the home left behind in the valley—such a
pretty home, with a wide piazza and green
blinds, and a creeper reaching over all the
front windows,
“What a mean little house it is!” she
murmured, as the dog, having dried himself
in the sun, came to walk demurely by her
side.
But Curly hardly seemed to appreciate
the words the girl spoke, for he gave a
shake of his head that sent his hair over
his eyes, and then mischievously bounded
ahead. When the path was reached that
ran out to the road in front of the simple
cabin, the dog. gave a sharp bark and
bounded forward, and Kate, stopping,
shaded her eyes with. her hand and looked
down the road. What she saw was three
figures on horseback approaching. In-
stantly she turned to the house calling,
“Ruth! Barbara! Come quick!”
A head covered with bright waving hair
promptly appeared at the window.
“TIouse on fire?’ was laughingly tossed
out to Kate dancing in the path with im-
patience.
“No, Bab; but Jack’s coming, and he’s
‘bringing company! Curly saw them first.”
Just here a. shrill whistle was wafted to
the girls from one of the horsemen down the
road, and Barbara, placing her fingers to
her lips, sent back as sharp a one in reply.
Then she ran out to let down the pole bars
which kept the little home enclosure a trifle
set: apart from the rest of the mountain
wilderness.
A boy appearing from a ‘shed at the back,
came to help Barbara. ‘* One. would think
it was the President coming !” he exclaimed,
“Maybe it is a future President,” re-
torted Bab. Then she added, “I see who is
with him; it is Allen Lewis and Virginia
Ferra.”
A little later the party rode into the yard,
and. Jack, leaping from his saddle, turned to
help his companions alight, but both had
reached the ground before a hand was ex-
tended.
“Oh, you are as welcome as April sun-
StOT--
Ln Sight Chapttrs.
shine!” said Ruth, throwing her arms
around Virginia. ‘It’s been a long, long
day, and just as we were thinking that
nothing pleasant was going to befall .us
until some other day, here is the very
thing we like best to have happen!” For
the ‘second time she drew Virginia toward
her, and then turned to welcome the other
guest.
“Now, you must come right into the
house and see how we've fixed things,” said
Barbara brightly. ““‘ We’ve hung up and
torn down and moved about until I am
sure you won’t know. where you are.”
Standing on the threshold, Jack laughed,
while his eyes swept the little room with a
look of astonishment. How the girls had
robbed it of the dreary appearance it had
been wearing! Rugs, which had been in
the weaver’s hands at the village, made
from the odds and ends of carpets brought
from the old home, were now spread over
the rough floor; while pictures, many of
them only simple pencil drawings of the
girls, framed in rustic frames, decorated
the walls and softened the glare of the
whitewashed space.
Barbara’s eyes were fixed upon her
brother. “I’m ‘most afraid it looks rather
inconsistent,” she said. ‘“ So: much home
comfort here in all this wilderness!” and
then she Jaughed.
Virginia-was casting a delighted. glance
from floor to rafters. ‘I wouldn’t know
I had ever seen-the room before !”. she said,
her eyes dancing with pleasure, and a beau-
tiful flush lighting her face.
“But you must come to the kitchen,” said
Barbara, “and see.a typical ranch-house
kitchen.” And then, as the
little- group passed into the
adjoining -room, before the
open door of: which the
mountain peaks were
tured, she cried,
hasn’t that riflerack a
ferocious look!’ I am feel-
sniffs our bacon and. comes
down for nearer~ investiga-
tion.”
She laughed, although
there were tears. of delight
in her eyes as she ‘saw how
pleased Jack and their vis-
itors were with the work ac-
complished in turning the
dreary little mountain cabin
into a home.
“T gathered the ferns and
Curly brought them. home.
I tied them on his back,”
said Kate, looking from one
face to the other for com-
mendation.
“All right, Kate—make
Curly work; that’s what the
rest of you seem to have
done,” said Jac
The side door of the little
kitchen looked out upon a
vegetable garden, and’ here
Tom had done most faithful
service. And now as_ he
pushed his way through the
group to the doorway, he
said: “But + here’s work
that tells!.The girls are fine
at fixings, but when it comes KATE LOOKED DOWN
to dinner they don’t object to THE ROAD.
some freshly-pulled beets !””
“And that makes ~ me
think,” said Ruth, repentantly, as. sheJused to look for, and almost as hard to find, |
turned to the kitchen; ‘* I have an idea that
a little something put on that table, Bab.
by way of refreshments, might not be bad.
Appetites have a wonderful way of keeping
along with a horse, I (find, when I am gal-
loping over the roads.
The sisters, assisted by Virginia, began
placing a tempting meal upon the table,
while the boys, having thrown themselves
down among the pine needles just outside
the door, were talking of things in general.
The soft shadows were falling further away
among the pines, and now and then a cone
dropped down upon the brown needles.
Curly, racing back and forth between the
shadows further away’ and the two men
under the pines, gave vent to his delight at
having company, as plainly as did Kate
singing at the top of her voice as she filled
the tumblers in the kitchen with water
Tom had just- brought from the mountain
spring.
When Curly at last came to see where
his little mistress was, he found her plac-
ing the last tumbler onthe table. She
stopped to’ pat the dog between bis brown
eyes.
“ How good it does ,peem to have com-
pany, doesn’t it, Curl
“The harvest promises well,” Jack. was
saying to Allen Lewis as they rose in
answer to. Virginia’s call to them; “ we
are hoping for the best.”
There was something Jack saw in Allen
Lewis’ eyes, and be seemed to interpret it,
maybe, as “‘ Not best to crow too soon,”
and te answered :
know that. all through. these
wiountalas are -small ranches that don’t
pay for working, but nevertheless I am go-
ing to believe that we folks here can turn
out a living;” and he gazed off over the
mountain with. such a courageous, brave
look that Allen felt a twinge of envy that
so much enthusiasm could be called forth
: so little that was certain. But he
only said:
“Well, it’s a°good deal to realize that
there are uncertainties. These hot valleys
are full of failures, but yet they do not see
all failures.”
Jack turned mockingly upon his friend.
“Who's talking of failures?) We here
don’t know such a word!”
And then the two, with the dog racing
by their side in evident delight that at last
supper was ready, made their way to the
girls. (To be continued.)
—_-——_
LOVE THE SPCRet.
I believe that love the secret of th
world; it is. like the Sityosooher" 8 stone they
but when one finds it, it turns everything to
gold. Perhaps, when the angels
through it, we may climb up to them again.
It is the one thing that lifts us above the
brutes. Without love man is a brute, and
nothing but a brute; with love he draws near
to God. When everything ,else falls away
love will endure, because it cannot die while
there is any life, if it is true love, for it is
immortal.—Selected. »
=
“The skies are blue, which stretch above,
And all is well, for God is Love.”
left the|and some students take advantage of this ~~
’}earth they left us love behind, that by it and
THE ART OF RETOUCHING,
BY RUBY COLESTOCK. r
“Yes, retouching is an important part of
this business,” the photographer. was saying.
“You see the sunlight is merciless. It finds ..
out every least blemish and defect, that ~
nobody ever thought of noticing, and puts it
down in black and white.’ Then it is the re-
toucher’s business, without any sacrifice’ of
character, to soften these’ defects till they -
no longer mar the attractiveness of the face.’”
If we should finish up our pictures without
retouching the negatives, not one person in
a thousand would accept them. a
Retouching is: an- important art. in the.
photographic world, and something very ~
similar is important in everyday life. There ~
is a sort of critical faculty which is. all the ~
“They are real, not make-believe. You do not
really know your friend or acquaintance till: °
you ‘have taken all these things into ac-
sonnt. ”. And then another faculty takes .a °
hand and tones down all these things that -
seem so harsh and ugly. This big fault is”
made to look smaller. ‘This’ eccentricity Is °;
softened. And at last the character stands
before us, itself. still, but attractive and «
ebarming. ®
Retouching, carried to proper lengths, ig*
not deceptive. It is only just. - When you’ ~
see your first proofs you are very likely to
ery in dismay, “Do I look like that?’ No,
indeed you do not. The infinitesimal wrinkle ;
has become,a positive blemish. The slight
irregularity of feature appears a noticeable - °4
defect. The retoucher must do her work
before your friends are really able to recog-
nize you. The critical exposure of weaknesses
does not show us people as they really are...’ :
Charity, the divinest sort ot retouching, * is get
juster than harsh judgmen
wai en gaily becomes a burden, ft should be -
A Double Advantage. :
The girl who does her studying with some
slower-witted classmate is in-
clined to waste a little pity.
on, herself. But the occasion ;
does not call for sympathy so.
much as for congratulation...
The trouble with the girl who ~
sees things in a flash is that, °
her “forgettery ” is equally
rapid. It is the old , Story of -
“easy come, easy go. a
Now when you are studying
with a girl whose brains do
not quite keep pace with:
yours, difficulties are contin
ually cropping up. She intere*
or, “I-don’t understand that.”
Accordingly you stop and ex: .
plain, and make yourself very
emphatie before the brighten-
ng of her face shows that she -
has grasped the idea.
she who says “Thank. you,”
but you have equal reason to.
do so. For in the effort of
explaining and forcing that
piece of knowledge on her :
comprehension, you have got-.
ten a grip of it yourself which
will hold when much of your
easily gained information has
vanished. .
Not every girl who is quick
of comprehension can study
with a slower one, of course. ;
But when the quick-witted
girl is obliged to do-it, she
need not feel that she has
been hardly dealt with. In
accommodating her pace to.
that of a slower mind and
helping another over diffi-
culties, she reaps an advan-
tage equal to, if not greater -
than, the aid she bestows.
Educated in Streaks, ot
There are some classes which are too large
to allow each member to recite every day, ©
fact. There is a story told of an Irishman -
who fed his pig well one day and starved it
the next, explaining that he liked his bacon
with “a strake o’ fat an’ a strake o’ lane.”
Some girls are pursuing their studying on the
same principle, but it may be mentioned
does
it is not equally desirable in_ an
that, while a “Jane strake” in bacon
very well,
educa .
Now, suppose a schoolgirl neglects her: les-
son because she recited yesterday and is very |”
sure she will not be called on again to-mor-.>