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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (June 28, 1890)
808 WEST SHORE. , THE HERMIT OF LAKE TAHOE. Mentally we agreed with him. The day following we patronized the little steamer, OUR party had exhausted the wonders of Yosemite, taking dinner with us and eating it on one of the or, rather, the time we had to spend there, and green slopes above Emerald bay. The next morning were enroute for Lake Tahoe. By rail we trav- the gentlemen of our party received an invitation from eled to Truckee and there took the stage for the those of a party camping half a mile farther up to lake. There were seven of us, our number having "go shooting." The ladies urged us to accept, saying lx-en augmented at Oakland by a gentleman and bride that ihef needed rest and quiet, stipulating, however, named Daymer, who, like ourselves, were out for health that we be home by two o'clock. We went, and pleasure. Daymer himself, however, had been a Suddenly, when we had been out some two hours, resident of California since boyhood until the past one of our new friends startled us by firing three suc- three years, and seemed very familiar with all its won- cessive shots. This was the signal agreed upon to call drous scenery; but his wife a slip of a blonde-was us together, or "in case of alarm," Reginald had from Illinois, and spending her first season in the far laughingly added. Guided by the reports we were soon west. We kept the gentleman answering questions assembled about a deserted old house, until one less obliging would have become wearied. " Here's a find," said Swift, ecstatically. " Who The stage moved slowly along the winding road, fol- would have thought of finding ruins here ? " lowing the transparent river's course, giving us time I said we were assembled, but not all-Daymer to look and wonder. Perhaps half of the fourteen was missing. miles between Truckee and Tahoe had been passed " Such an old, deserted place," remarked the finder, when Madge gaily inquired if there were no legends or I thought you'd all want to explore it with me." romances connected with the enchanted spot. You weren't afraid to do it alone, were you, Ted? " There was a moment's silence, broken by cousin asked his brother, humorously. " You see, Ted has Reginald s laugh, as he banteringly replied that a always had a weakness for ghosts and the supernatu- woman would not give a straw for the beauties of ral," he added, turning to us nature unless heightened by a halo of romance. By the way, where is Daymer ? " Reg asked. But there really ought to be something. Have Three more shots were fired, and then we began iltcr "7 I)aymer?" "hunt;nhe ghost," as the eldei Huntley called it T('ntftTl, , . yr , Swift tried the front door, but it was unyielding. to mv t ' ' ng M ' , 1 W,grand' and Tgcther we tramPed around through the weed-grown to my imagma ion it resembles a dog's head," cried yard to the rear door. Reg raised his hand to raL All ey s turned in the direction indicated save my Wait, for heaven's sake I " o n All unbidden they rested on Daymer's face, The house was built of hewn logs The main part Madge's thoughtless qucBt on caused it? were the aura, hi.ilt f i. i j , , sedition, lion, I asked myself. I think h. felt rath than saw Ti 7 M the'e huD5 my --tiny, fh. began tall ilYSctS mZST .1 1 f incoherent, manner, about the "heiriit" kLhil !T -T ,? Iluntley had Pa88ed on a almost imlneJiatei; into a 1 Z y regard it I V" S fte re8ult ot his gam. found ,, it, slop. 8 ? f.'1" lhm& drapery. Madge did not return to her oucstion i, V"C6, " 0 sigllt of h'8 Pal faM lhe Mlt one the conversion hading STZ hin "d ? mot,, Daymer became strangely B.lcnt. I noted 1 to v T 1 1 Reed Hnn mana6e1 this in surprise, then forgot Ycntirc.y for the tint Ifi' U MUtoa when set down at the shore of the incomparable lake "irPr',r We had come prepared for camping according Su' ? " thiS jUMta our first day was chiefly spent in setting up the two and w Id Cv ' ? but 60 Colorle8S tents and getting things running. But in the evening wh " te b recognizable, wo had a treat in the glorious sunset ni t t r P d' breathle6ely; then, with- I have heard Europeans say that Tahoe's sunsets If an8Wer; "ent 0n hurriedlr- surpass in beauty Como's or Maggiore's," said Swift JS VS g! 8 Hke a 8torm-" with an awed expression, "and I am sure I want to passin.lnnJT "J Whf!'B 8Cared Ted" Reed said' see nothing more sublime on earth." P f. g T"d 10 where h brother had stood. Great Scott I Gentlemen, come here !