Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-02-02

cold" but his teeth chattcred rs he said
il. and the ruddy glow was all gone from
his checks.
did not talk more then. There were,
| discovered. wide cracks in the bottom
of The stage. through which the wind
poured mercilessly. was chilled through
to the heart in less than M hour after
starting. do not know how far we had
gone, or how long we had been upon the
road. when heard the boys voice.
CHEEKY and bright, asking:
How arc you now, sir Feeling
pretty comfortable, sir ?'
nodded my head, and crcpt closer
into the corner. But he was wiser than
/. and would not let me have the sleep |
coveted.
You are in hurry to get home" he
said, for want of something better to say
with which TO rouse me.
Yes" replied. 81 want 10 at home
on Christmas Eve. D"
The best days ever knew were
Christmas, "A good while ago
lie said it as il he were ever and ever
so old. aud what was saddest Of all. as II
he were done with Christmas forever. |
told him oil the tree was 10 get, and how
Christmas Day WAS kept in the great
cities lie was most interested 10 the
tree, making me tell him again and again
about it, But after awhilc,as If he were
tired Of it. he said,
81 never saw a tree like that. | know
about Christmas. though. About The
Star aud the Shepherds, and the Christ
Child. you spoke of-that they laid in Il
manger."
Then you know all that any one in
this world need ever know sail.
1t may have been an hour, or two hours,
but it seemed but minute after this that
the boy shook me roughly by the shoulder
"Wc are to get out here, he said.
was very stiG in my joints. but |
could get up and climb out OF tho stage.
and no more. II was cold | did not
know it; my limbs were numb,yet other
wise was comfortable enough. crawl.
ed out and followed the boy into
looking shanty by the roadside,
in front of which We had stopped. There
was a rough bar running across the room,
there was thick, black haired, brawny
looking man behind it, and there were
tive Oh three kegs OF liquor behind him.
There was m iron stove in The middle OF
the room, a bench along the wall, and
that was all. The boy asked for some
brandy. drank glass of ii after handing
one to me, which drank, and felt 50
much better for drinking that | called for
another and got ii but the boy refused
TO take The glass offered him.
II have had enough" he said.
We were going out. when the landlord
opened the door before us. Looking out
into the storm. he asked incredulously
"Are yon going on''
YES" said the boy. 81 was told to
drive this gentleman to IIium TO night,
and I'm going to do 1t "
"lf yoa get there at all. 1t will be
night sure enough" the landlord said.
Il will get there all the same, was The
boys reply.
"Let US stop here to night" | said,
"we can 60 on in the morning"
Il would rather take you on. sir.
There's no danger. can't put my horse
up here. and my master would kill me il
nything happened to him"
That decided me TO go on. Besides,
did not care to talk. was beginning to
feel cold again standing in the wind, so
we got into the stage. It was not snow
ing any faster than before. simply because
1t could not. Bnt the roads were heavier,
aud when we tried TO start. the AIDED
horse baked and struggled through the
drili, Tor the stage had frozen iast where
it stopped.
/, was three o'clock now. the light in
the west growing DINNER and DINNER
the gloom OF the mountains and the bare
woods coming nearer to us. making their
meaning felt in our souls. filling mine
with an awful dread of the snow covered
road beyond. Ten miles to go yet, the
night coming q iickly on, the cold grow
ing more intense, the road rougher, more
precipitous. the horse evidently giving
out But The boy took up the lines, the
bright. frank smiles upon his face, The
CHEEKY word upon his tongue.
Goodbye he said to the man in the
door, way.
The man stood for an instant in the
doorway looking after US.
Good Bye be said.
crept back into my corner.
"Do not go TO sleep" the pleasant
voice warned me from the front.
"Thank you." 1 replied. cheered and
warmed by its hearty glow 81 will not
90 10 sleep"