Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-03-25
was the last time he ever tripped on the

was the last time he ever tripped on the
fantastic toe, thanks to me.
Aunt Lakeland was getting feeble that
winter, and she begged me to stay till
spring, for now that sister Nell was mar
RED ! had to do the visiting for both,
and had been nothing 10th before; but
must say that / felt miserable and sore
about Eben; and it seemed to me all at
once, that he must think stayed because
couldn't tear myself away from his
nelghborhood, and that / was sorry for
what | had said down in the maple
grove; and so, when mother wrote that
there was to be grand bali at Water
edge on Christmas night, | announced my
intention of gciDg home. We had had a
remarkably comfortable season, though
the sleighing was tolerably good; yet
there had been no very cold weather,
and folks seemed TO believe that the ma
ture of winter was changed, and there
wouldn't be any to speak of Aunt
Lakeland said everything to keep me,
and Eben even thawed enough to say
that three wasn't the crowd he'd thought
1t, and the season would be ten miles
longer without me. But go | would.
| suppose you can send me down to
Faring to meet the Wateredge stage with
john" I asked.
But John, the hired man, had rheuma-
tism
q wouldn't trust you with anybody
but Eben this season OF the year. John
would be sure to lose the way il he
hadn't rheumatism. You might wait for
the mail-carrier, and drive back with
| him.
The mail arrived only once week a
| Lakeland.
81 shall do nothing of the kind" said
l. ~ shall start tomorrow. if have to
walk"
"We couldn't hear to your walking"
said Eben, laughing, unless you wear
my snow shoes"
Very well, them" said Aunt Lakeland,
who was trife put out, "Eben must
take you himself, though there's no more
| need of your going than there is of my
going to Gretna Green. You'll like
enough get showed up at Faring and not
reach home till after Christmas, and
serve you right. Come, Eben, can't
you say something to make her stay."
"I've said my say"
Il believe she only wants to be coaxed,
after all, persisted my aunt.
Il dare say; it's way women have,
but never humor them in i'll"
wouldn't have stayed after that If it
had rained blue devils all the way to
Earring. Oh, aods a headstrong piece!
| was set upon showing Eben that there
! were attractions in Wateredge.
1t was showing lazily the morning we
| started.
take plenty of wraps, children" i'm
plored Aunt Lakeland. 81 know you
will get blocked up by storm"
Nonsense" said /. "This is only a
spit, and it's as mild as new cider"
And, true enough, it nas only only a
spit; it ceased showing altogether before
we had gotten five miles from Lakeland,
and when we were fifteen miles on our
journey old Lightning lost shoe. We
had expected to reach Faring by five in
| the afternoon at latest and at noon we
! stopped at q wayside farmhouse and
| got dinner, and Eben tried TO hire another
| horse, for the road was rough, and pres
| emily Lightning would be lame; but the
| farmer had driven span into Faring
that morning and wouldn't return till
| the next day. So we logged on again.
| Eben, however, knew of place OFT the
high-road where he thought he'd be able
| 10 get our horse shod, but by the time II
| was done IL seemed almost dusk, and
| when got into the sleigh again the cold
cut me like knife. You know how
short the December afternoons are, and
1t must have been growing colder and
colder every minute, only we hadn't
thought about it. People in the back
| woods get used to it, only this was some
thing hadn't bargained for; and just as
was wishing myself back in Aunt Lack
lands snuggery Eben reined up and
said he must have taken the wrong turn.
1t was pitchdark by this time; we
I couldn't have seen our horse if he hadn't
been black, or if the ground hadn't been
covered with snow, and the cold pinched
me at every pore.
"Oh, dear"' / cried; show much
trouble I've given you, Eben p And
what do you think he answered.
Nothing is trouble that do for you,
Lefty"
1t was as good as hot soap. stone, II
you'll pardon the comparison; 1t stirred
the blood to my fingers ends, till ! was
all of glow. Well, we got back upon
the highway, as we thought, but II
proved mistake, and we turned to the
right, and we turned to the left, but Far
ing seemed to be playing hide-and-seek
with US.
"ThIs beats everything" said Eben.
a thought knew every inch of the road
and every road in the country"
"Everything-looks- differently
by daylight" gasped, my teeth chatter
ing in my head.
"You are freezing to death, Lefty
said he. "What blockhead am" and
Just then shaft broke, and there we
werei Lost on a dreary country road, at
nine O'Clock of bitter, starless night
As luck would have it, we had come to
grief only few yards from log-hut
which stood out darkly against the snow,
"The inmates must have gone to bed, "
said Eben, "but we will rouse them y
and he knocked upon the rude door,
which swung open at his touch. we had
happened on road made for their own
convenience by the lumbermen, and the
hut was the remnant of last year Is
camp, deserted and comfortless as last
years nest.
at is a shelter, at least said Eben.
:" i will build a fire, Lefty, and stop your
chattering. "And ne built fire, Heaven
only knows how, with nothing but the
matches he carried in his pocket TO light
his steps; and he sat me down before
| Ale <~r.taf.l hlozn ouaf he'd in 10 I'm flo In.