The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-03-19


take upon himself the greater part OF that
duty. lie excused himself to "The limo
cent by saying that he had often been a
week without Sleep Doing whatr ask
ed Tom. 'Poker! replied Oakhurst, SEN
tentiously; when man gets streak of
luck-nigger luck-he don't get tired.
the gambler, rcflectively, is mighty
certain Is that it's bound to change. And
that makes you. We've had n streak OF
bad luck since we LEFT Poker Flat-yor
come along. and slap you get into 1t, too.
If you can hold your cards right along
you're all right. FOr,' added the gam
bier, with cheerful lrrelcvancc,
1rm proud TO live In the service Of the Lord,
And I'm bound 10 die In Ills army"
The third day came, and the sun, look
Ing through the white-curtained valley,
saw the Outcasts divide their slowly-de-
crcasing store of provisions for the morn
Ing meal II was one of the peculiarities
of that mountain climate that its rays diff
fused kindly warmth over the wintry
LANDSCAPE ,as II In regrctfil cOmmiscration
of the past. But II revealed driit OIL driit
of snow piled high around the hut; q
hopeless, unchartered, tracklcss sea Of
white lying below the rocky shores To
which the castaways still clung. Through
the marvelOusly clear air, the smoke OF
the pastoral village Of Poker Flat rose
miles away. Mother ShiptOn saw 1t, and
from remote pinnacle Of her rocky fast
ness. hurled In that direction final NAL
edction. IL was her last vltuperatlve at
tempt, and perhaps for that reason was
invested with certain degree OF subliml-
ty. II did her good. she privately inform
ed the Duchess. 'Just you go out there
and cuss, aud see." She then set herself
to the task of amusing '.the child" as she
and the Duchess were pleased to call II
ney. Plney was no chicken, but Il was a
soothing and ingenious theory OF the pair
10 thus account for the fact that she didn't
swear and wasn't improper.
When night crept up again through the
gorges, the ready notes of the accordion
rose and fell In fltfnl spasms and long
drawn grasps by the flickering campfire.
But music failed to fill entirely the aching
void left by insufficient food, and new
diversion was proposed by Pincy-story
telling. Neither Mr.. OakhurSt nor his fe-
male companions caring to relate thcir
personal experience, this plan would
have failed, too, but for the Innocent,
Some months before he had chanced upon
stray copy of Mr.. POpe's ingenious trans
latlon Of the Had. He now proposed ts
narrate the principal incidents OF that
poen-having thoroughly mastered the
argument and fairly forgotten the words
in the current veriiacular Of Sandy Bar
And so. for the rest of that night, the
Homcric Icmigods again walked the
earth. Trojan bully and willy Greek
wrestlcd In the winds, and the great pines
In the canon seemed TO bow 10 the wrath
ofthc son of Pclels. Mr.. Oakhurst listen
cd with quiet satisfaction. Most especial
ly was hc Interested In the fate OF Ash
heels" rs The Innocent persisted In dc,
nominating the "swit-fOOtcd Achilles
SO with small food and much of Homer
and the ACCORDION, n week passed over
the heads of the outcasts. The sun again
forsook them. and again from the leadei
skies the snowtlakes were siitcd over the
land. Day by day closer around them
drew the snowy circle, until Mt last they
looked from their prison over driited walls
of dazzling white, that lowered twenty
feet above their heads. IL became more
and more difficult to rcplenish their fires
even ifom the fallen trees beside them,
now half-hidden In the drifts. And yet NO
one complained. The lovers turned from
the dreary prospect and looked Into each
others eyes. and were happy. MIR. Oak
hurst settled himself cody to the losing
game Abeforc him. The Duchess, more
cheerful than she had been, assumed the
care of Pincy, Only Mother Shipt0n-.
once the strongest of the party-secmed
TO sicken and fade. At midnight on the
tenth day she called Oakhurst to her side.
"I'm going" she said, In u querulouls
weakness, "but don't say anything aDou'
Il. Don't wakcn the kids. Take the bun.
die from under my head and open it.
Mr.. Oakhurst did so. Ii contained Mother
Shipton's rations for the last week, ull'
touched. -"Givc 'cm to the child" she
said pointing to the sleeping Piney'
"You'vc starved YOURSELF" said the gam
bier "That's what they call II" said the
woman, querillously, rs she lay down
again, and turning her face to the wall,
passed quietly away.
The ACCORDION and the bones were put
aside that day and Homer was forgotten:
When the body of Mother Shipton had
been committed to the snow, Mr.. Oak
hurst took The Innocent aside, and shoY'
cd him q pair Of snow-shocs, which nc
had fashioned from the old pack-saddlc.
"There's one chance In hundred to save
her yet" he said. pointing to Piney; "but
It's there" he added, Poker Flat. I'll you
can reach there In two days, she's safe.
"And you" asked Tom Simson. "lll
stay here" was the curt reply.
The lovers parted with long. embrace.
"You are not going too" said the Duci-
css. as she saw Mr.. Oakhurst apparently
waiting to accompany him. "As iar rs
the canon" he replied. He turned sud-
denly, aud kissed the Duchess, leaving
her trembling limbs rigid with amaze
ment. >.
Night came, bnt not Mr.. Oakhurst. II
brought the storm again and the whirilhg
snow. Then the Duchess, feeding the
fire, found that some one HAD quietly
piled beside the hut enough fuel to last a
few days longer. The tears rose 10 her
eyes, but she hid them from Pincy.-
The woman slept but little. In the
morning. looking into each others faces,
they read their fate. Neither spoke; Dllt
Plncy. accepting the position of the
stronger, drew near and placed her arm
around. the Duchess's waist. They Kept
this attitude for the rest Of the day. That
night the storm reached its greatest fury,
aud rending asunder the protecting pines,
Invaded the hut.
Toward morning they found themselves
unable to feed the fire. which gradually
died away. AS the embcrs slowly black
cned, the Duchess crcpt closer to Piney'
and broke the silence of many hours
''Piney can you prayy"
mo. DEAR" said Piney, simply. =,
ul,. ...t,l,,.,t EnnuinU Rylctlv
why, felt relieved, and putting her head
upon Pincy's shoulder, spoke no more.
And so reclining, the younger and purcr
pillowing the head of her soilcd sister up
on her virgin breast, they fell asleep.
The wind lullel as if II feared to wakcn
them. Feathery drifts of snow. shaken
from the long pine boughs. s.ilew like white
winged birds. aud settled about them rs
they slept. The moon through the rited
clouds looked down upon what had been
the camp. But all human stain. all trace
Of earthly travail, was hidden beneath the