Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-04-08

And then there would be no more
want; no more freezing; no more empty
stomach no more agony Of thought; no
more loneliness; no more despair.
With this picture bright upon his
mind Old Peter actually fell into doze.
Then as he grew warmer it deepened
into sleep; and he smiled.
All this time the wind had been quiet ;
in fact, it had crept away altogether.
But when the old man slept peacefully it
crept in again and looked on his face
and away. Away over the frozen creek,
whistling through the oak roots, rushing
under the great bridge, and past the hum
BILE church, without so much as greet
ing to the tower.
1t was near midnight, and an nmistak-
able sound sleep was on Old Tickleby.
Then coming stealthily up the little
gorge; slipping noiselessly under the
branches of the trees, and then, stopping
full in the front of the door, was the
Wind. And with it was Something else.
And then they crept slyly around the old
cabin, and then they stopped and list
ened; but, bless you! old Peter never
snored. His sleep was as sound as a log;
and then the wind and its silent COM
panion crept through the door and the
crevice, and stopped.
Old Peter was sound asleep-they
could see it. The wind chuckled, almost
shouted with glee, and raced around the
room, shaking the door, rafting the win
dow, and stirring the dead ashes. And
then the two companions dived into the
bed; and OH! how they hustled Old
Peter. They tore the scant covering
from his face and beheld his smile-and
silence deep fell On them. Then the
wind, in shame, sighed through the door
that it had shaken wide open, and silent
ly and stealthily the fell companion
strobe over the crazy threshold, nor cast
one look back.
Beholdl at the very doorstep stood a
great white steed, which l almost would
have sworn was snow-drift, and
mounting this off it rushed.
And Old Peter Tickleby still smiled.
The morning dawned it was clear and
cold. Soon the sun peeped cautiously
over the horizon, and then mounting the
tree-tops shot it's warm rays conciiating-
ly over the wide Common, now covered
with a mantle of crisp snow. They gilt
tered in the white-fringed branches of
the trees that stood naked and silent on
the banks; and one rich, clear beam
stole softly through the half-open door
of the old cabin, and played tenderly
and caressingly on the features of Old
Tickleby. They threw a generous warmth
on his countenance, and a smile of an
swering sympathy rested on the thin,
blush lips, and, under the cherishing
warmth of the sunbeam, seemed to eX-
pand over the features and light them
with look of perfect peace. His eyes
closed so calmly and the benevolent ex-
preston of an unremorseful heart was
50 surely impressed in his Eneaments,
that when the ray of light had wandered
over the face and white hair, tossed care
lessly over the pillow, it seemed as if a
halo, and the old man looked almost di-
vine in his silence.
With the opening of the day the chin
neys of the village cottages sent up the
pale blue wreaths of smoke that clrcled
away over the trees, and ere long an
early riser would venture out of his
warm shelter and seek to know the con-
dition of his stock; and anon a single
foot-track broke the boundless level of
the snow, and as the day advanced the
village street was slashed by deep prints
of ponderous wagon-wheels, and then
the paths, more decided, were beat firm
and clear.
A farmer passed through the little
town with wagon laden with tobacco,
bound for the distant city, wrapped snug
ly in monstrous shawl that encompassed
his whole body from shoulders to knees,
his pantaloons stuffed warmly in his
great boots that needed only the fairy
attribute of swiftness to make them
seven-league boots" and his home
made mittens of yarn pulled over his
brown, horny hands. He disappeared
| over the hill. Perhaps half an hour
elapsed, and he was seen hurriedly re-
turning on foot.
And then, ere long, it was whispered
through the village-whispere in very
horror-that some nameless fate had
overtaken Old Peter Tickleby, and moved
| the old man down in his cabin.
The path before long was plainly di
verged from the road, and led to the
door of the cabin. Curious men, women
| and children thronged the wav. and thu
| old cabin was crowded.
The farmer stood near the bed, and
after the discussion upon the manner of
| his death had been settled he gently
drew down the covering, and 10! III the
dead mans hand was paper clutched
| tightly.
Friends" said he, there's letter or
| epistle of some kind that may shed
some light on this occurrence"
The combined grocer and Postmaster
approached and peered closely, and re-
IL.