The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-11-19
IA eoRE STRAIT.

nv pipe and drop Of beer, got up again
and says, Now, tell you what it is,
lass, it's Just two miles to the town, and il
SHOWS like fury, 30 if you can think ofany.
thing else you want, just say 50, and III
get it some time"
"Ohi 'tisn't worth while to 60 if il
SHOWS" she says, anevcr mind, and I'll
make shift without But OF" she cried,
all at once, fathers coming tomorrow,
and you've no tobacco"
Well, I'd never thought about that, for
when I'd had my fingers in the little jar
there seemed enough for me, even II next
day was Christmas Day; but with COM
pany-why, there would not be halt
enough. 30 that settled it, andI got my
stick and hat; when Polly declared /
couldn't 90 out night like that without
something round my neck, 30 she tied a
comforter round twice, close up to my nose
and ears.
SHOW, don't be silly, SAM" she says.
"Why, wots silly" says.
Why, your being such an old goose,
and making 90 much fuss after being mar
ried all these months. Now, let go, do, "
she says. But didn't, of course, but held
her for Just few moments while looked
down in her laughing eyes that seemed to
have grown brighter since we'd married
and then smoothed-no, / didn't, for no
hair could have been smoother passed
my rough, chopped-about old hand down
the bright, shiny hair that felt so proud
of and then kissed both her pink cheeks,
and eltsomehow half glad, half sorrowfnL
for it seemed to me that was too happy
for 1t to last.
There, now" she says, at last, make
haste, there's a dear, good boy! and get
back; perhaps shall be done by that
time, and then wen have snug bit OF
supper"
But / couldn't get away, somehow, but
watched her busy fingers getting ready the
things for the next days dinner-chop-
ping suet, stoning plums, mincing peel
and all in such q nice, neat, clean way,
that it was quite enjoyable.
"Now, do go, Sam" she says, pretend
ing to pout, "for do want you back so
So made start of it; unattached the
door, when the wind came roaring in,
laden with fakes of snow; the sparks
rushed up the chimney, the candle
fiickered, while Polly gave me just one
bright look and nod, and then l shut the
door. But, there-I couldn't get away
even then, but went and stood by the win
dow for q minute, where the little
branches of holly were stuck, glistening
green, and with scarlet berries amongst
the prickly leaves and there stood look
ing In at the snug, bright, warm kitchen,
with Polly making it look ten times more
warm and bright. 1t wasn't that it was a
handsome place, or well furnished-foE
those sort of things don't always make q
happy home-but plain, humble, and
poor as it was, it seemed to me like a
palace and after watching my lass for q
few minutes as she was buster than ever
now frowning, now making little face al
her work-now with bright light in hel
eye, as something seemed to please her.
all at once thought to myself and, whats
more, says to myself-"Sam Darrall,"
says, "why, what donkey you are, moi
to get what you want, and make haste
back !" which, when you consider that il
was showing hard, blowing harder, and
that where l stood the snow drift was ove1
my knees, while inside there was every
thing a reasonable working man could
wish for, you'll say was just about thu
truth.
So I gives myself a pull together
bitches up my shoulders, sets my hea6
down to face the wind and the binding
snow, and then, with my hands right a
the bottom of my pockets, off goes.
Now, we'd been together into the town
that night to bring home good basketfu
of Christmas cheer; for even if you d.
live in the black country, amongst the Goa
mines and furnaces, and work as a pi
carpenter at making brattices, and the diff
ferent woodwork wanted, that's no reason
why you shouldn't spend merry Christ
mas and a happy one. But now Their
was this tobacco and the lemons to get
and from where we lived, right across tn
heath to the town, being two miles, ant
me being alone, made up my mind to Gu
off a corner, SO as to get back sooner. 81
turned out of the road as soon as / wa
out of the colliery village; makes sure o
the town lights; and then, taking m.
stick under my arm, set of at trot t.
the left of the old pits.
The wind was behind me now, ant
though the snow made it hard work walk
like a white statty right through the tow
street, then thronged with people, when
goes into q shop, and after good deal O
waiting, gets my lemons and tobacco, pay
for 'em, and starts off home.
gets out of the road to take that shor
cut; and now l began to find out wha
sort of a night it was; for the wind wa
right dead in my teeth, while the way il
which the snow cut into your eyes wa
something terrible. But / fought my wa
on, setting up an opposition whistle to tn
wind, and thinking about the warm fire
side at home, with the snug supper-table
and then l thought of what blessing
was in 6. hard winter to live close to the pit
mouth, and get plenty of coal for next I
nothing. We could afford good fir
there, such as would cheer the heart G
some of the London poor, while wage
were not so bad.
Every now and then had to stop an
kick the snow off my boot-soles, for
collected in hard balls, so as to make wall
ing harder; then, not having the tow
lights to guide me, found I'd wandere
bit out of the track, so that the groun
grew rougher and rougher, and more tina
once | stumbled. The wind beat wors
than ever; the snow blinded so, that
could not look out for the lights of tn
village; and at last began to think ths
I'd done foolish thing in trying to max
short cut. But then one is always slo'
about owning to being in the wrong; {
] Numbered and ST lmbled on; but at las
after walking for some time, was oblige
to own to myself that / was lost in ii
snow.
"Stuff and nonsenser 1 says the ne,
minute, and then l has a look round I
try and make out where was, for kne
every foot OF it almost; but nothing coul
j see but snow falling almost like she,
all ro.,uA mn that L nnnld only
few feet each way, while the snow whel
stood was nearly up to my knees.
listened, but there was nothing to be hear
but the whistling of the wind; shoutet
but the cry sounded muffled and close, jul
as l had been in a cupboard; then
walked little one way, and then turne
and went another: and at las. 30 my no
Tor, found that was regularly confusc
and could not make out in which dire
ton lay town or village, while the sno
covered in every footmark in very fe'
minutes.
Now, did not feel alarmed, only botl
cred and confused; for l felt sure that, if
kept on walking, / must come to son
place or another which knew, unless
walked right out on to the great vast
where might go for miles and miles wit
out finding house; but i was hard
likely to get there, and the thing mo
cared for was my poor gal at home gettir
upset about me, and thinking that l
stopped in the town drinking with son
mates, being Christmas Eve, when l
promised her over and over again mo
faithfully that I'd always have my drop
beer at home.
There's no danger, that's one comfort