The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-08-08

he gasped, {" with a weeks provisions, l
shouldn't wonder IL they were both In
heaven by this time, What hev you bin
thinking of all this while, ehyn
81 didn't know they had only a weeks
provisions" said Louisa. showing a ghast-
ly face; land had 10 look after you and
the fever
"Well, don't wait another minute round
me Just harness up old Roam and Quick
step, and take some brandy and things
and don't let 'em eat all they want; make
Cruel; keep 'em short. Come, start your
self. and don't be standing still Ike a
ghost and folks a-dying for lack of you"
"And your"
grandma. Roam and Quickstep can do
the distance by nightfall. Take my gun
to keep of the wolves, and little Tim, and
a lantern"
"But how shall | find the way -
Louisa was already inside her pelisse and
mufllers.
BLESS YOU, a baby couldn't miss ii;
the trees are notched with a star, every
half mile, on the left-hand side. There,
take Tim, and be off,"
And as there was not an a~Dle-bodied
man short of Shopton at that season who
wasn't of logging, and as grandma and
Susette could take care Of her patient,
and Ben was starving without her, what
could she do but go?
And how were they faring in the camp,
sixty miles away in the heart of the wood.
which was almost like a primeval forest.
After Mr.. Bruce's departure they had gone
about their work with a will /; while Uncle
Simon was busy on tie howell for the cat
tie, Ben had walked miles and miles
through the timber; and suns had risen
and set. when one morning, before the
week was out, Uncle Simon was surprised
to see the bottom of the meal-chest.
though luck" said he, briefly; "but
| there's swamp pork TO exc it out" And
he plunged his hand confidently into the
pickle, and had something of a chase after
two or three insignificant pieces. The
two men looked at each other In dismay
for an instant.
"But he'll be back day after to-mor
row." said Ben.
but what if he shouldn'tg" asked the
older man, not so sanguine.
What can keep him? At any rate,
we've got legs of our own"
Precious stif ones mine are, Ii
would be a nice excursion. sixty miles
afoot. Why, we shall freeze 10 death -
"Well, let's wait ; no use running from
-FOUR shadow"
And so they waited. "Hell be sure
TO come tomorrow" was the assurance
with which they comforted each other;
and when tomorrow passed without
bringing him, ave will wait another
day perhaps the oxen were disabled OF
the road" For a storm had set in, cold
and clustering; not much snow; just
enough TO make the world lovely. The
wind sang among the pines like he voice
nf an npsrr o ~ nuI ernlfuwa1
great boughs in the forest. and uprooted
blasted trees. and seemed like an invisi-
BILE presence haunting the recesses of the
wholesome im-personation Of Thor.
whose touch was a blow; and all the
while the nov built up its Aladdin pala-
ces, crystal by crystal; wreathed about
the living green, tapestried every boul-
der, hid the dead leaves and hollows
under the screen. for il was by no means |
dep /; the weather was too bitter cold for
more than a light fall, just enough TO
drape nature gracefully in its folds, and
give a promise of TO come.
Before the sky had cleared the last
mouthful of food had vanished, and ex-
cept for a partridge that Ben had made
shift TO kill with a club-for there were
no firearms yet in camp-and a rabbit
taken in a rude trap of their own con-
structing, they had not eaten anything
for two days. But they were robust men,
who would have a tough fight with star
walton before ~succumbing and then there
was no lack of water.
In the mean while they were almost as
much concerned for Mr.. Bruce as for
themselves. He might have lost his way.
they feared, or been overtaken by the
storm or the wolves: he might come
into camp any moment too far re-
duced to help himself, and need
their weak assistance. Since their
stomachs were idle, their brains became
correspondingly active with fearful mag
nations. Every day they proposed set
ting out to walk home-but perhaps he
would come tomorrow; and then they
hated to desert their post; besides, the
weather was singing cold, and, reduced
by hunger, they might faint by the way.
f~rost-bitten, or, unarmed, encounter In
dian devils and wolves, Whatever he
might be able to endure himself. Ben felt
that Uncle Simon's strength was utterly
inadequate to the struggle. They were
beset with a thousand peradventures
there was not only a lion in the way, but
all manner Of perils. real and imaginary.
So they waited, perforce, watching the
DAYS vanish in a tender dream Of color,
and the stars make their silent journey
across the deeps of heaven, and the morn
ing's dawn as the rose blooms, unfolding
petal after petal of exquisite bloom.
They busted themselves still about the
camp and hovel, giving a thousand last
touches, such rs they would never have
thought Of giving at another time, gath
ering fire-wood, and setting the rabbit
trap in vain. And one day the axe fell
from Ben's resolute hand, and he just
dragged himself inside the camp. and
stretched himself before the fire. Uncle
Simon had already given out.
Walking home could hardly have been
worse" Ben said, simply. Perhaps he
WAS thinking Of someh0dv who might