The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-12-24

DO you think il safe. then. TO go
ons-
"Quiie safe. sir, and | don't mind
he cold But his teeth chartered a.
he said IL. and the ruddy glow was all
gone from his cheeks
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 10 the heart in less than an
hour after starting. l 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 are YOU now. sir? Feeling
pretty comfortable. STRIP
| nodded my head, aud crept closer
into the corner. But he was wiser than
|. and would not let me have the sleep
coveted.
You are in = hurry 10 get home, :"
he said. for want Of something better 10
say with which 10 rouse me
YES replied. 81 want 10 be at
home on Christmas eve"
..The best days | ever knew were
Christmases-a good while ago.
He said il a. II he were ever and ever
- old. and what was saddest II all, as
il he were done with Christmas forever.
| told him II the tree | was Ia get, and
how Christmas DAY was kept in the
great cities. He was most interested in
the tree, making me tell him again and
again about H. But after aw lille, a il
he were tired of il, he said
IL never saw tree like that
know about Christmas. though. About
the star and the shepherds, and the
Christ-child YOU spoke of-they that
laid in the manger."
:. Then you know all that any one in
the world need ever care 10 know, |
said.
II may have been an hour. or two
hours. but il seemed but minute after
this that the boy shook me roughly by
the shoulder.
I'VE are Ia get out here he said
l was very stiff in my joints, but |
could get up and climb out Of the stage,
and no more. II was cold dbl not
know il; my limbs were numb, vet 9TH
erNise I was comfortable enough.
crawled out and followed the boy 10
misunderstanding shanty by the road
side, in front of which we had stopped.
There was rough bar running across
the nom, there WAS q thick. black
haired. brawuv looking man behind II,
and there were two or three kegs Of
liqnor behind him. There was an iron
stove in the middle of the room. bench
along the wall. and that was all. The
boy asked for some brandy. drapk a
glass Of il after handing one 70 me,
which drank. and felt 30 much better
for drinking that | called for another
and got il. hat he hoy refused to take
the glass | offered him. - | have had
enough. he said
We were going ont, when the land
lord opened the door before Us. Look
ing out into the storm, he asked incred-
ulousiy.
"Are you going on?''
Z" Yes,- said the boy. . was told to
drive this gentleman 20 Ilium tonight,
and I'm going 70 do il. !"
"If YOU get there at all. il viii be night
sure enough the Landlord said.
Il will get there all the same was
the boys reply.
l<fA u sup htAf --AAAf
- we can 20 on in the morning"
IL would rather take YOU on. sir,
There's no danger. | can't put my
horse mp here. and nv master would
kill me if any thing happened to him.
That decided me TO COON. Besides, !
did not care 10 talk. was beginning
10 feel cold again standing in the wind, (
so we got into the stage. Ii was not
showing any faster than before, simply
because Il could not But the roads
were heavier, andw We tried 10 start. I
the faded horse baked and struggled I
through the drift, for the stage had !,
frozen fast where il stopped.
II was O'Clock now, the light in the !
West growing DINNER and DINNER !
the gloom Of the mountains and the bare
woods coming nearer to u. making
their meaning felt in our souls, filling
mine with an awful dread of the snow
covered road beyond. Ten miles To 90 4
vet. the night coming quickly on. the I
cold GROWN. more intense, the road |
rougher, more precipiious, the horse /
evidently giving out, But the boy took /
up the lines, the bright. frank smile |
upon his face, the CHEEKY word upon his !
tongue. "Good-bye," he said, 10 the 1
man in the doorway.
The man stood for an instant in the !
doorway looking after Us. Goodbye !
he said.
We went on along the road that from |
the beginning Of time il was ordained /
we were TO 70. | crcpt back into my
corner.
"Do not 20 TO sleep" the pleasant I
voice warned me from the front.
THANK YOU replied, cneered and !
warmed by it, hearty glow. IL will
not 90 20 sleep"
Then followed a long silence. in which |