The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1878-03-08

distant hedge, covered up with newly
fallen snow.
The sudden ease with which they
stepped now had the very opposite ef-
feet TO what might reasonably have
been expected. They knew they had
strayed. Where was the railroadP They
must regain II at any risk But the two
older travellers determined TO remain
where they were, sheltered compare
lively behind the hedge, in only foot
of snow, till daybreak. BERTHE rashly
made up his mind TO return in his tracks,
which were plainly discesnible, and
against the advice Of his comrades he
acted upon his resolution.
His one idea was to reach Manchester.
II he did not succeed in averting the
crash there, all his pros
poets would be ruined His hopes Of
ever winning his lady-love would be
completely shattered, and what was life
without love? He must succeed, though
he persisted in the attempt; he would
do his duty, whatever happened.
So he manfully struggled on at times
up to his knees in snow; once, COM
pletely buried in the drift; he fell
down, down, until nothing but small
star was visible overhead The snow
kept closing in. He breathed hard up
wards toward the hole. ellis hands
were fastened to his sides by pressure Of
the drift BY breathing hard at the
tiny hole it became larger and larger
The snow melted. and he got hand
free. At length he got his head out,
and after a severe struggle he fell for
ward, half insensible from cold and
nervous exhaustion. He rolled over the
harder snow for space; down, down
it seemed - il he would never stop-a
hard substance received him-a crash
Of glass, or ice, moment afterwards
fell upon his half-unconscious ears, and
he lay insensible on the ground. A light
was burning steadily over his head.
The spirit remained in the body, but
the clay tenement refused to acknowl-
edge the presence ofthe master. Sense
lay wrapped within the brain, and be
hind the sullenly closed lids. Speech
was there, but somehow il could not
force its way through the stubborn lips
The ears were open to catch the slight
est sound, and eagerly they drank il in !;
but the shaken nerves refused 10 listen,
or at best only grudgingly As yet.
And thus lay BERTHE in trance-dead,
and yet alive; ready to speak, dying TO
utter his thought, and vet dying because
his speech was locked; the pressure on
the brain was not vet Embossed, and
BERTHE lay there almost as he fell, il
seemed to him.
But vet things were curiously mixed
up around him. He could move his
hands, and could feel he was lying upon
soft cushions. Dull TO his ears arose
the sound of those horrible, whirring
carriage wheels. 1t seemed to him as If
he were back again in the railway car
riage. en- route to Manchester
Still, people were about him. Fem
mime fingers ministered 10 him-that
gentle touch just now was very different
from the other tender fingertips OF some
good Samaritan, probablya doctor.
The subtle odor Of a lady's presence
chung sweetly around BERTHE as he lay
sensible to what passed, but unable to
form word. or look his thanks, or even
recognize the gentle care.
Once he essayed to open his eyes, and
oh, how the vision Of that one fair face
he loved hung over his half-conscious
brows, and was for second photo
graphcd upon his brain! Not was
gone--a moment more and the dull
whirr Of the revolving wheels, the even
motion Of the Pullman car, all seemed
to hold him in thral - he lay supine on
the soft cushions.
But this could not last. BY slow de-
grees the brain resumed its sway. He
opened his eyes. Things were very
dim To him, and the cold, chill hand Of
Death apparently was on him. He
could not move his head, but as he
gazed with dull, half-open eyes, the Wis
ion Of his love rose up 10 bid him well
come. oh. lovely vision it came near
er and nearer--it would touch him! yes,
il bent down, and breathing soft
petition for his recovery, then vanished.
r-whirr-whirri
Did he dream still? No; voices dis
tinctly fell upon his ears. Where was
he? A shrill whistle broke the monot-
onous sound; the nndulating move
ment Of the car he had felt, or fancied,
seemed to cease.
Hush!n some one spoke. Berthe
opened his eyes. He was dreaming
still. He lay upon . cushioned
berth in a Pullman palace-car. The
lamp burned very dimly overhead
Daylight penetrated the curtains around
him. He felt very weak and very cold,
but he was not dreaming. How had he
gotthereP-what had happenedP-whe
was the snowp
He called out. A gentleman entered
softly. Where am IP" inquired Der.
tie, family.
Hush, hush quite safe; do not az
itate yourself replied the doctor, a.
Berthe fancied the newcomer To be-