Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-08-14

Il e
but good morning, but the next day
her father was no better, nor the next
though the doctor assured her that 'hs
was doing as wen as could be expected
And 30 the fever ran to the ninth day
and turned, and the patient fell into 9
quiet sleep, and awoke too weak and
languid to put words together, or to re
member any thing but that he had suf-
fered fearful nightmare and it was over
1t was perhaps the third day after the
fever turned that he suddenly took up
the thread of life where be had dropped
it, and asked. ."How long have 1 been
a-laying here, Lus'' .rgteg e,I. ..s
Twelve days." .u
where's Ben and Uncle SIP"
"Why you left them in camp father. %
"Left 'em in camp Twelve days ago, p
he gasped, "with q weeks provisions
I shouldn't wonder IL they are both In
heaven by this timel What hev you
bin thinking of all this while, eh?
~ didn'tknow they had only weeks
provisions" !" said Louisa; 4tand had to
look after you and the fever" l.
"Well don't wait another minute
round me just harness up old Roam and
ouickstep, and take some brandy and
things-and don't let 'em eat all they
want; make Cruel; keep 'em short.
Come start yourself, and don't be stand
ing still like a ghost and folks a-dying
for lack of you.''' s1g,1-,-, ei,,1.
Sand your f.i. -,i-..,-. 49, at t..a
"lll take care of myself, and soil
grandma. Roam and Quickstep can do
the distance by nightfall. Take my gun
to keep of the wolves, and little Tin, and
n lantern.' 5Isy9.e a. l.rr.sla.
@But how shall find the way p''Lou-
lisa asked. @JeQt45u lt .ur 5000
"Bless you, baby couldn't miss it;
the trees are all notched with a star,
every half mile, on the left hand side.
And how were they faring in the
camp, sixty miles away in the heart of
the woods. After Mr.. Bruce's departure
they had gone about their work with a
will; while Uncle Simon was busy on
the hovel for the cattle, Ben had walk
ed miles and miles through the sweet
scented wood, spotting the timber; and
suns had risen and set, when one morn
ing, before the week was out, Uncle ST.
mon was surprised to see the bottom of
the meal-ehest. s6'aeis s9s.l O..
though luek!" said he, "but there's
swamp pork to exc it out" And he
plunged his hand confidently into the
pickei and had something of chase af-
ter two or three Insignificant pieces.
The two men looked at each other in
lismay for an instant. 4Has
"But he'll be back day after to-mor-
row." said Ben. A,''.f ?"
''But what if he shouldn 't?'' Asked
The older man.
What can keep him? At any rate
we're got legs of our own.'
Precious stiff ones mine are! 1t
would be nice excursion. sixty miles
foot. Why we shall freeze to death I"
.Weli lets wait; no use running from
four shadow" Yrrr rt.. ..5l ann,
And so they waited.
"He1l be sure to come to morrow"
vas the assurance with which they COM
orted each other; and when Tomorrow
passed without bringing him, "We will !
wait another day; perhaps the oxen
we're disabled on the road" a1al
Before the sky had cleared the last
nouthful Of food had vanished, and ex-
'ept for a partridge that Ben had killed
With club-for. there was no firearms
ret in camp-and a rabbit taken in |
'ude trap Of their own construction, they
lad not eaten any thing for two days
But they were robust men, who would |
ave tough fight with starvation be-
ore succumbing; and then there was
10 lack Of water. y.,q s.- a...,,..f.
In the mean while they were almost
IS much concerned for Mr.. Bruce as for
He might have lost his way
hey feared, or been overtaken by the
wolves; he might come into camp any
moment too far reduced to help himself
md need their weak assistance. Since
heir stomaches were idle, their brains
'ecame correspondingly active with
earful imaginations. Every day they
setting out to walk home-bufl
'erhaps he would comesto-morrow ;and
hen they hated to desert their post; be-
ides, the weather was stinging cold,
nc, reduced by hunger, they may faint
y the way, frost bitten, or, unarmed,
ncounter Indian devils and wolves!
Whatever he might be able TO endure
himself, Ben felt that Uncle Simon's
trength was utterly inadequate to the
struggle. They were heset with thou
and peradventure; there was not only
lion in the way, but al manner of
'erils, real and imaginary. So they
waited, perforce, watching the days van
sh in tender dream of color, and the
tars make their silent journey across
he deeps of heaven, and the mornings I
avn as the rose blooms, unfolding pc
al after petal of exquisite bloom. They
usied themselves still about the camp
nd hovel, giving thousand last touch
s,such as they wouldn't thought of Civ
ng at another time, gathering fire-wood
nd setting the rabbit tray in vain.
Ind one day the ak fell from Ben's
esolute hands, and he just dragged
imself inside the camp, and stretched h
imself before the fire. Uncle Simon
ad already given out. .r.a. Ii
"Walking home could hardly have
cen worse Ben said simply, perhaps
e was thinking of somebody who
hight have met him, kindly at the jour
ey's end in view of the dangers he had ,
Perhaps Bruce III come yet, "return- |
d Uncle Simon. ia' fl, foaHa II
Through chink in the camp door
'en watched the sunset fade like a fire
mong the woods, and one by one the
tars shine out, each in its appointed
olitude, and the northern lights palpi-
ate rosily along the sky. The bowling
+ wolves echoed dismally, while now
nd then branch cracked in the forest,
nd the wind trebled among the pines.
hen he beard no more till smothered I
roam from Uncle Simon caused him to !