The Osceola times., 1876-01-22

fused the glass offered him. have
had enough" he said. /
We were going out, when the landlord
opened the door before US. Looking out
into the storm, he asked incrcdulously
"Are you going on3"
"Yes |" said the boy, =" / was told to
drive this gentleman TO Hum tonight,
and Pm going to do it,
"If you get there at all, it will be
| night sure enough" the landlord said.
al will get there all the same" was
the boys reply. .,
"Let us stop here tonight" | said
1--WE can 20 on in the morning"
81 would rather take you on, sir
There's no danger. l can't put my
horse up here, and my master would kill
me if any thing 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,
IL was O'Clock now, the light in the
west growing DINNER and dimmer-t
glooms of the mountains and the bare
woods coming nearer TO us, making their
meaning felt in our souls, filling mine
yith an awful dread uf the snow-covcred
road beyond. Ten miles to go yet, the
night coming quickly on, the cold grow
ing more intense, the road rougher, more
prccipitous, the horse evidently giving
out ! But the hoy took up the lines,
the bright, frank smile upon his face, the
CHEEKY word upon his tongue. Good
bye" he said, to the man in the door
way.
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 it was ordained
we were to 90. crept back into my
corner.
"Do not 90 to sleep" the pleasant
voice warned me from the front.
"Thank YOU" | replied, cheered and
warmed by its hearty glow. 81 will not
90 to sleep"
Then followed long silence, in which
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
unconqucrable drowsiness, fast coming
darkness-then night.
felt hand on my face, then on my
shoulder, shaking me roughly; sweet
cheering voice in my ears, calling me back
to life.
'If you go TO sleep now, you won't
wake up again." it said
woke with sudden start, for AN in
slant, to full consciousness of time and
place. was not cold only sleepy. 81
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 mo often af-
ter that; then saw himas inadrean, fix
ing blanket that he had taken from the
horses back, to the hickory bows over
head, 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 clearly know what he was doing, or
| would have stopped him. did not
feel cold, though | knew afteward that
was then freezing, and did not think he
was cold. l did not think ut all. was
far past that. | had begun a longer
journey 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, eve
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 il was
all bright and pleasant-this real, terri
bic journey through the snow, over the
rough dangerous mountain road, in that
far off December. The dream lasted a
long while, through all that night and
the day following and the night following
that.
When | awoke from it was in a large
room, which | had never seen before.
There were piles Of the softest blankets
upon me, there was great wood fire
blazing ON the hearth and I had never
felt SO warm and comfortable in all my
life There were two strangers in the
room, a man and woman, whose faces
were kindly ones, but sorely troubled.
! When | stirred and they saw | recog-
nized them, they came and stood by my
bed.
"Where am I ?n ] asked of them.
"At Ilium, in the house of the Metho-
dist minister"
"Hsw long have been here?"
"Since night before last. You came
in the stage, and the horse stopped be-
fore our door" the man said
"What day is this?'
at is Christmas day." the woman re-
piled, taking my hand in hers.
81 have been i'll, thenT
"Yes w
There was boy brought me here.
Where is he ?'
"He is here too" The voice that said
1t was husky with tears, and the hand
that held mine shook.
"He has been i'll, too"
"Yes p
"Is he better now"
"Hc was never 80 we'll He will never
be i'll again"
| | looked into the face of the woman
who said this, and saw that her eyes
were red with weeping.
disengagcd the hand she held. and
turned my face to the wall
The woman laid her hand upon my
arm.
You must not feel like that IL is
better 80. He had only one friend, and
he is with him this beautiful Christmas
morning. He had no home here. 1t is