New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-08
JUST HIS DUTY.
u Story of the Great Minnesota Snow
Storm.

- story of the Greae Minnesota SNOW
Storm.
1t was in the year of the great Mime
sofa snow storms. You heard Of them,
dare say. Most people did; and I've littl
doubt that, to ladies and gentlemen sit
ting by their snug fresides in London, O.
even New York, there was something
pleasantly exciting in the daily accounts
from the far Western States, Of how the
snow kept fall, fall, falling, day by day
and week by week, in one soft, steady
sheet of dazzling white, till it rose high
over walls and hedges, blotted out roads
and fields, and streams, and made hills
and streams alike one dead, blank level.
People read with eager curiosity of whole
coach loads frozen up in one night, OF
travellers lost in the whirling drifts within
yard or two of their own homes, of men
going out to seek for stray cattle, to be
found dead and stiff within an hour or so.
"There is something not altogether I'M
pleasing in the misfortune of Others y
says that cynical old Frenchman, who
seems to have only lived for the sake of
opening our eyes to the weaknesses and
meannesses of our fellow creatures; but
indeed, thought he was in the right of it
during those weeks of winter, while the
snow kept falling in the West; and we,
safe and warm under milder sky asked,
what news from Minnesota" as we
would have asked, "What was done in
the House last night?' or, "Is Patti
really engaged for st. Petersburg this
season."
Bah One mans meat is another man
poison. Why should I grumble because
men and women found subject for
harmless gossip in the SHOWS which cost
me one of the dearest lives God ever sent
to flower on this decayed old world of ours?
His name was Hugh Garston, and he
vas the master Of an infants school half
way between Rock Rapids, Iowa, and the
village of White Water Springs. Also,
he was an Englishman, like myself, and
an undergraduate of Exeter College, Ok
ford. Opposing elements, grant you;
but easily reconciled when you know his
story. Hugh's father had been gentle
man of property, given to travelling in
his youth; and having rambled as tar as
Iowa one summer, had there fallen in love
with and married trapper's daughter.
As soon as the deed was done he be-
came very much ashamed of it; deserted
his wife as soon as possible, and returned |
to his ancestral halls in Yorkshire. I'm |
fortunately the trapper's daughter was not |
person of delicacy. Instead of taking |
her desertion as a gentle hint that Mr..
Garston was tired of her, and resicning
herself accordingly, this young woman
picked up change of linen, and not only
started OF IN pursuit of him, but actually
found him in his own home; and, arriving
at the hall with tortnight-old baby in |
her arms, she presented the baby to the
hall master as his son.
MIR. Garston was at once moral and
resolute man. He had determined not to
place trapper's daughter at the head of
his table, and he kept to his determine
lion. He felt the obligation of providing
or his son, and did so. Threats of prov
ng the marriage Illegal and promises of
lindness to the child were accordingly
Used to subdue the mother, and both sue
'eeded to perfection. The trapper's
laughter gave up her baby and, under OBJ
lgation to return to her people and
rouble no one any more was assured that .
iugh should be acknowledged and pro-
ided for.
So far, so good. She went. MIR. Gar 1
ton kept his word, and in due time Hugh
rent to college. In the latter's twentieth
ear, however, something occurred which 4
armed all this good to bad. Mr.. Garston c
ad destined him for the church. Hugh t
eclined to enter it for the paltry reason II
nat he did not believe in the thirty-nine \
rticles which he was going to subscribe. Il
quarrel ensued. Unpleasant disclosures q
'llowed. Hugh learned for the first time s.
lat his mother was not dead, but living IL
nd disowned, and that the second Mrs. p
nrStOn-Oh ypSf cha ho1 | "
lie scene some time back, an unexcep- io
enable person of property and position n
we'd her marriage to q lucky and legal n
sw In the first ceremony. W
Passion is productive of hasty words.
Use men pay no heed TO them. Hugh
Is not wise Within a week he had N
rown up father, college and prospects, IN
i'd departed to seek his mother in the WI
r West. Please to remember his tra ~ rne H
God i'll excuse, and excuse him-as I &c
When l next met him it was out there les
d he was returning from his mothers no
neral. He had found her living alone mi
a small house on the hills, keeping a las
all school, and suffering from linger- CHI
internal disorder which made life one
g torture to her. Hugh brought the WI
It medicine that torture could admit ca,
presence and his love; and under that AL
tile balm Mary Gars.ton fingered two Nj
rs, resting from her labors in peace sal
happiness, while the young Oxonian the
It school and house for her, and tended brt
like nurse, servant, and son in one. Ih
now she was gone, urged he
to give up this wretched life, and log
in better in England, with my aid. ski