Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-06-04

when he went off on those tramps I told you
Of Nate had some books brought out with my
stutt, and left them in my store. AS | had
not anything else to do, read those books
through and through, and learned something
from them, too Forif you'll only givea man
a dozen books, he'll learn more from them
than from whole library. Well, learned
something, but the spirit of the books did me
no good. They were such as Nate liked to
read, and of course they hadn't any love Of
man in them. Well, these books made me
worse and worse, and when any trapper
would come in to sell furs, how mad | would
get as heard him telling where he got 'em,
and what good luck he had. And didn't
curse that painter awful hard
There" I'd say, 'Ifit wasn't for that
Internal beast, might have been trapping
too, instead of being shutup in this miserable
log hut"
+" AS said, lived this way about two
years, and might have been that way yet, if
it hadn't been that took sick don't know
what the doctors would have called my trou-
ble, but reckon it was some kind of fever.
1t took me right down.. I hadn't any life
left moved round the store just like ma
chine when did move, which wasn't often.
At last the sickness got the best of me, and |
lay in my bed for a couple of days. Nobody
happened to come in till noon on the second
day, when in walked Nate Cooley. Nate saw
l was sick, but he didn't know what to do for
me.
I" He looked at my tongue and felt my
pulse and shook his head, as much as to say,
"It's hard case of yours, old boy"
"Our town wasn't big enough for doctor
The nearest one was fifteen miles off at Neo-
sha We backwoods folks don't want a
doctor often. We are pretty healthy as
general thing, and if any of us get sick now
and then, why, we've got a sort of knowledge
of the plants that grow round us, and we use
them.
"My case was to much for Nate, for he spoke
up:
" Tom you must have the doctor and I'm
going after him. I'll send somebody down
here 10 look to YOU" and before could speak
he was out of the door.
I" He had been gone half an hour perhaps
when Mr.. Grant came in the cabin. Mr.. Grant
was one of the tQWnsiolks lhat never had
much to do with. | knew he was man Of
some learning, but they used to call him
Praying Grant for he'd never do any work
on Sunday, and he used to have prayers in
his family every day-so they said. Well,
praying wasn't in my line and kept clear of
him. And | was mighty mad when saw
that Nate sent "Praying Grant" to my cab
in. However, | was on my back ana feeble
as baby. So when Grant went to fixing up
things and getting someting for me 10 cat,
what could | dos He was handy man, |
tell you, and it wasn't long before there was
good fire blazing and something stewing
over it for me, Then he fixed 4 bed in front
Of the fire, putting down some soft, warm
furs, and then lay ing my blankets on top =
and he moved me as gentle-like rs if he was
a woman ara was d child. "&ate met me
says he, "and told me how sick you was,
and said he wished I'D come Down here while
he went on to Neosha H'll be back, | eX-
pect, an hour or two after sundown, for he
took my span of greys, and on a crust like
this they can travel right smart"
"Wel, fell into kind of doze-like and
late, for it was dark, and heard the wind
whistling round the old cabin, and, saw the
snow blowing in through the cracks. Grant
was looking out of the window, and | asked
him what time it was lie said il was only
NV y CloCh, Dut tUdC d SuOW SlOTIu
set in, and he was afraid Nate would try to
come tome. eff he does," says he, chat
the last of him, for there never was such a
storm here before"
perhaps it was the fear that Nate would
come back, perhaps it was the whisling of the
wind, did it, but something or other made me
mighty wakeful. | wasn't outside, to be sure,
but from what they told lie afterwards, and
from what remember Of that night, there
never was such snow Storm 1t was about
three years ago to night. | shallnever forget
it. Oh how the wind did blow there were
heaps of sGoW IN my cabin half foot high,
that leaked in through the cracks, to say no.
thing of what came down the chimney
When it got along to be about nine O'Clock,
Grant made up a bed side of me and lay
down, saying that Nate wouldn't be back till
morning, and that | had better try to get
asleep, if could. That man Grant, for all |
disliked him, got the power over me-
He could make me do anything he warted,,-
SO dropped off to sleep. About the middle
of the night ! heard noise outside that
woke me up didn't know exactly what it
was 1t sounded something like Indians and
something like horses whinny. | listened,
and pretty sGQn heard two more sounds
One knew was man, and the other was a
horse. In about five minutes, probably,
though it seemed a year to me, heard the
mans voice again and this time heard the
word "help," l knew that wasn't Indians, SC
nudged Grant and told him what I'd heard
Grant sprung up. never saw him so eXcit
cd.
1t must be Cooley"
~ IIn tt fha lon onA amt Of loorc
quicker than can tell you. Ina few minutes
he came in and brought Nate Cooley.
knew twas him, though he was all covered
up:
Nate, what's the matter ~
"Hes froze," said Grant.
L don't remember anything more for 6
month.
When came to, was in Grants cabin
AS | grew stronger, they told me all abou
that night. But it was some weeks before
was able to hear the whole story. It's very
short, though. Nate got to the Doctors ant
found him at home He told him what hi
wanted, and the Doctor started out will
him. They had not been gone ten min
utes when it began to snow. They did no
care much for little snow, and only whip
ped up the horses bit. To get to Neosh;
you had to go through valley. Our towr
was up on the prairie. They drove through
the valley easy enough, but when they got t
the prairie they were blinded by the snow il
a minute, and there wasn't any sign of TIN
road. They drove ahead the best way the,
could, till at last Nate said the horses knew NOR
than they did.
So they let them as they would A
first they took right into the face ofthe wind
l suppose they made short cut for home
but Nate and the Doctor had all they coul
do to keep those horses going. They whip
ped 'em and hollered at 'em but the poo
beasts could hardly : get along Aftera tim
Nate said he began to s feel ST. sleepy; l The Doc Doc
and took some himself, for he knew that the
got asleep that was an end OF 'em. Well Nat
Kind of woke up. But he was too tired
stand that night, and he sunk back drows
again. The Doctor tried every way he coul
L I IL