Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-01-08

about it. But after awhile, as if he were
tired of it, he said:
=" I never saw a tree like that / know
about Christmas, though. About the
star and the shepherds and the Christ
child you spoke of-that they laid in a
manger."
"Then you know all that anyone in the
world need ever care to know" | said.
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.
"We are to get out here" he said.
I was very stiff in my joints, but I
could get up and climb out of the stage,
and no more. If / was cold l did not
know it; my limbs were numb, yet other
wise was comfortable enough.
crawled out and followed the boy into a
miserable 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 two or three kegs of liquor
behind him. There was an iron stove in
the middle of the room, bench along
the wall, and that was all. Tie boy
asked for some brandy, drank glass of
it after handing one to me, which |
drank, and felt so much better for drink
ing that called for another and got it !;
but the boy refused to take the glass [
offered him. 81 have had enough" he
said.
50 We were going out when the landlord
opened the door before US. Looking out
into the storm, he asked incredulously:
care you going on?"
"Yes!" said the boy, ct was told to
drive this gentleman to Tlium tonight,
and I'm going to do it,"
eff you get there at all it will be night
sure enough" the landlord said.
"I will get there all the same," was
the boys reply.
"Let us stop here tonight" said !;
eve can 60 on in the morning"
81 would rather take you on, sir!
There's no danger. / can't put my horse
up here, and my master would kill me if
anything 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. 1t was not snow
ing any faster than before, simply be.
cause it could not But the roads were
heavier, and when we tried to start the
jaded horse balked and struggled through
the drift, for the stage had frozen fast
where it stopped. ~
1t 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 60 yet, the
night coming quickly 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 smile upon his face, the
CHEEKY word upon his tongue. Good
by" he said, to the man in the door
way.
The man stood for an instant in the
doorway looking afte: us. "Good-by," P"
he said.
We went on along the road that from
the beginning Of time it was ordained
we were to go. crept back into my
corner. --------
"Do not go to Sleep" the pleasant
voice warned me from the front
"Thank you," I replied, cheered and
warmed by its hearty glow. 81 will not
go to sleep"
Then followed long silence, in which
I had views of the falling snow, the
white hills above us, the white hills still
below us, in which heard sounds from
creaking, grooming branches, from the
wind sweeping savagely past us. Then
uncomfortable drowsiness, fast-coming
darkness-then night. Fl
l felt hand on my face, then on my
shoulder shaking me roughly: a sweet,
cheering voice in my ears calling me
back to life.
eff you go to sleep now you won't
wake up again" it said.
woke with sudden start, for an in
slant, to q full consciousness of time
and place was not cold, only sleepy.
II am quite awake" replied. Have
we far to go?"
Give miles," and the voice was still
the same CHEEKY voice that had heard
from the first. He spoke to me often
after that; then saw him, as in a dream,
fixing blanket that he had taken from
the horses back to the hickory bows
overhead to keep the snow from driving
in upon me, for was covered with it to
my knees. AS God is my Judge did not
then know what he was doing, or would
have stopped him. I did not then feel
cold, though / knew afterward that
was then freezing, and did not think he
was cold. / did not think at ALL I was
far past that. had begun longer jour
ney than had started upon
In that longer journey / dreamed of
home, of the wondrous Christmas mira
Gle, the lighted tree: of the glad faces of.
children, whose voices heard. / heard
one of them repeat two or three times,
with startling distinctness, "We are lost"
/ was conscious that the child who
said it had thrown herself into my arms
and was lying there dull, heavy weight.
But aside from the cry it was all bright
and pleasant-this real, terrible journey
through the snow, over the rough, dan
gerous mountain road in that far-oH
December. The dream lasted long
while, through all that night and the day
following, and the night following that.
When awoke from it was in large
loom, which / had never seen before.
There were piles of the softest blankets
upon me, there was great wood fire blaz-
ing on the hearth, and I had never felt
so warm and comfortable in all my life.
There were two strangers in the room, q
man and a woman, whose faces were
kindly ones, but sorely troubled. When
/ stirred, and they saw / recognized
them, they came and stood by my bed.
"Where am II" / asked of them.
Sat Ilium, in the house of the Method
ist minister"
"How long have / been here?"
"Since night before last. You came in
the stage, and the horse, stopped before
our door," the man said.
"What day is this?"
at is Christmas Day." the woman re-
piled, taking my hand in hers.
II have been ill, then?''
"Yesr:
"There was 8 bow brought me here.