The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-03

into his well warmed bed, when he was suddenly
startled by loud ringing Of the hall door bell.
"What the foul fiend can that mean ut this time
Of night" exclaimed Old Hurricane, dropping his
night cap, and turning sharply around TOWARDS
Wool, who, warming pan in hand, stood staring
with astonishnent, "What does that mean, ask
your
"Deed, 7 dunno, sar. less It's some benighted
traveller in search o. shelter out'n dc storm"
"Humph! and in search of supper, too, OF course,
and everybody gone away or gone to bed but you
At this moment the ringing was followed by q
loud knocking.
'Marse don t less You and me listen to it, and
then we amt bged to sturb ourselves with an
swering of it, suggested Wool
Sheath sir, do you think that am going to
turn deaf to stranger that comes to my house
for shelter on such night as this? Go and answer
The bell directly
Eyes sar."
"But stop-look here, sirrah-mind am not to
be disturbed. If it is a traveller, ask him ill., set
refreshments before him, and show him ~ bed.
I'm not going to leave my warm room t. welcome
anybody TO night, please the Lord. Do you hearr'
Eyes, sar,' said the darkey retreating.
As Wool took a shaded taper and opened the
door leading from his masters chamber, the wind
was heard bowling through the long passages ready
to burst into the cosy bedroom.
"Shut the door, you scoundrel!' roared the old
man, folding the skirt of his warm dressing gown
across his knees, and lowering closer to the ire..
Wool quickly obeyed, and was heard retreating
down the steps.
"whewn said the old man. spreading his hands
over the blaze with a look of comfortable apprecf
alton "Wlat would induce me to go abroad on
such night as this? Wind blowing great guns
from the northwest, snow falling fast from the
heavens, and rising just as fast before the wind
from the ground-cold as lapland, dark as Erebus!
No telling the earth from the sky Whew!" and 10
comfort the cold thought, Old Hurricane poured
out another glass of smoking punch, and began to
sip il.
"How thank the Lord that am not a doctor!
If were doctor now, the sound of that bell at
this hour of night would frighten me; / should
think some old woman had been taken with the
pleurisy, and wanted me to get up and go out in
the Storm to turn out my warm bed to ride ten
miles through the snow to prescribe for her.
doctor never can feel sure, even in the worst of
weathers of good nights rest But, thank hea-
ven, ! am free from all such annoyances, and ii
am sure of anything in this world it Is Of my COM
Portable nights Sleep said Old Hurricane, as he
slipped his punch, slnacked his lips and toasted his
feet.
At this moment Wool re-appeared.
Shut the door, you villain! Do you sintend to
stand there holding it open on me all night?" Vo-
citerated the old man.
Wool hastily closed the offending portals and
hurried TO his masters side
"Well, sir, who was it rung the bel?"
Please Master, sar, it wer de Reverend Mr.. Par
son Goodwin"
Goodwin Been to make sick call SUPPOSE
and got caught in the snow storm. | declare it is
as bad to be parson rs it is to be doctor. Thank
the Lord ! am not parson either; if 1 were now,
might be called away from my cozy armchair and
fireside to ride twelve miles to comfort some old
man dying of quinsy. Well, here-help me into
bed, pile on more comforters, tuck me up warm,
put bottle of hot water to my feet, and then go
and attend to the parson, said the old man, getting
up and moving towards his inviting couch.
'sar! sarl stop, sar, if you please" cried Wool,
going after him.
"Why, what does the old fool mean," exclaimed
Old Hurricane angrily.
do Sfr 10 dur;n
he must see you yourese'f, personally, alone!'
See me, you villain! Didn't you tell him that /
had retired!'
Eyes, Marse, l tell him how you wer' gone to bed
and asleep mOrne'n an hour ago. and he ordered
me to come wake you up, and say how it were q
matter o. life and death'
Life and death? What have to do with life
and death? won't stir If the parson wants to
see me he will have to come up here and see me in
bed" exclaimed Old Hurricane, suitng the action
TO the word by jumping into bed and drawing all
the comforts and blankets up around his head and
shoulders.
Mus fetch him reverence up, sar?"
eyes, wouldn't get up and go down to see
Washngton-shutt the door, you rascal or I'll throw
the bootjack at your wooden head"
Wool obeyed with alacrty and in time to escape
the threatened missile.
After an absence of a few minutes he was heard
returning attending upon the footsteps of another.
And the next minute he entered, ushering in the
Rev. Mr.. Goodwin, the parish minister of Bethle-
hem, st. Mays.
How do you do? How do you do? Glad to see
you, sir glad to you, though obliged to receive
you in bed Fact is, caught cold with this Sc
we're change of weather. and took warm negus
and went TO bed to sweat it of! You'll excuse Inc
Wool, draw that easy chair up to my bedside for
worthy Mr.. Goodwin, and bring him glass of
warm negus. 1t will do him good after his cold
ride"
II thank you Major warfeld, will take the
seat, but not the negus, if you please, tonight"
Not the negus! Oh, come now, you are joking!
Why, it will keep you from catching cold, and be
most comfortable nigbtcap, disposing You to sleep
and sweat like baby! OF course you spend the
night with us!'
al thank you, mol must take the road again in
few minutes"
"Take the road again tonight, Why man alive,
il is midnight, and the snow driving like all Lap
and!"
"Sir, am sorry to refuse your profered hospi-
tally and leave your comfortable roof tonight and
sorrer still to have to takegou with me" said the
pastor, gravely.
Take NE with you'll No, no, my good sir, no,
no, mat is too good joke-ha! hal"
"Sir fear that you will end it a very serious onel
Your servant told you that my errand was one OF
imminent urgency
"Yes something like life and death"
"Exactly-down in the cabin near the Panel
Bowl there is an old woman dying
There, knew il. was just saying there might
be an old woman dying: But my dear sir, what
that to me? What can DOR
Humanity, sir, would prompt you.'
But, my dear sir, how can I help herr am not
physician to prescrbe-.n
'She is far past physicians help
"Nor am priest to hear her confession-.r
Her confession God has already received"
wen, and I'm not lawyer to draw up her will"
mo, sir; but you are recently appointed one OF
the Justices OF the Peace for Allegheny"
yes; well, what Of thau That does not com
prise the duty Of getting up ont Of my warm bed
and going through snow storm to see an old wo-
man expire"
81 regret to Inconvenience you sir; but in thi-
instance your duty demands your attendance at the
bedside Of this dying woman"
81 tell you can't go, and won't. Anything in
reason III do Anything can send she shall have
Here, Wool, look in my beeeches pocket and take
out my purse and hand il. And then go and wake
up Mrs. Condiment and ask her to fill large bas-
ket full of everything a poor old dying woman
might want, and you shall carry it,
"Spare your pains, sir The poor woman is al
ready past all earthly, selfish wants! She only asks
your presence at her dying bed"
But can't go! T. the idea Of turning out of my
warm bed and exposing myself to snow storm this