Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-17

whoever the unknown benefactor had
been, he must have possessed wonderful
faculties for silence.
There was magic in it, and Norma
called to mind the old Morse tales she
had heard of good-natured demons of the
forest; but, then, all that belonged to
Norway, and not to Minnesota.
Later in the day, as Norma paced here
and there among the drifts, she got one
hint, at least, for these broad though
deep dents in the surface of the snow
drifts could only have been made by
suowshoes.
When she finally found her way to the
stables, Norma saw that her work there
had all been done for her, and good deal
more, aud that even an old wood-sleigh
had been dug out of the snow, as if in
anticipation Of future use.
Inside the house the sfood question:
was fast becoming an important one, SO
closely had the narrow and stinting
policy Of old Jan permitted the current
supply to run down; but, for all that,
Norma Ericsson sang all day tie quaint
and musical rhymes Of her northern an
cestry, which her mother had taught
her years before.
Bitter, bitter cold it was without, but
the bountiful provision of the unknown
friend left little to ask for within, and the
very dancing blaze itself seemed to laugh
in mockery of Norna's curiosity.
The long night came again, Of course,
and Norma tried hard not to go to sleep,
SO that she might listen.
Youth and health forbade any such
doings, however, and Norma woke in the
morning, not to find her fire alight, but
all preparations made outside, in the
shape OF heaps Of fuel.
1t was evident, moreover, that Jan Err
lcson's remaining ox-team had been hav-
ing night OF it. Well they might be
jaded and used up, for, rot only had
some pitiless driver forced them to help
him break road to the timber through
mile OF drifts, but to haul home again a
very respectable load.
ALI that was later discovery of
Norna's, but the first thing to greet her
eyes, as she swung the door open, was
the carcass of a goodly deer that hung
against it, and she knew very we'll how
much better vension- steaks are than utter
starvation They are a good deal better!
The next day and the next went by.
and the terrible cold seemed to have
griped everything with hand Of frozen
steel.
Again and again did Norma Ericsson
SILVER and turn pale, as she thought CT
what would surely have been her fate,
but for her unknown helper.
Old Jan was able to sit up now, and
grumble at the sad necessity OF burning
50 much good wood, just to keep warm
In reply to Norna's speculations as to
who had sent it, however, he testify re-
piled:
II knowed Judge Primer would keep
an eye on US. That coffee you say was
left this morning came from Jones's store
at the village. l lnowed it soon as l
tasted it. It's what the Judge always
buys, and it's two cents a pound more
than I want to give"
True enough, JSdge Primer had by no
means forgotten his cliont, and at last he
succeeded in stirring up Johns chivalry
and his own, now the roads were becom-
ing trifle better broken, and the mercury
ventured few points higher up in the
glass.
1t was with more than a little misgiv-
ing that they started, and they decided
to take some Of their neighbors with
them, Gin case they found anything bad
had happened at old Jan s."
Bitter cold yet, but when the double
team of Judge Primer pulled his COM
Portable, closely packed sleigh in sight of
Jan Ericson's homestead, the curling
smoke from the chimney promptly dis
PEELED all their fears
''Hurrah for old Jan!' exclaimed the
judge. 'Jack Frost didn't catch him
mapping"
Great was the surprise of both father and
son however, when the old man hobbled oul
to meet them, to be greeted with such 8
torrent of what seemed to be genuine graf
itude for the kind attention they had
shown during his illness, and all they had
saved him and Norma from during the colo
snap,
Just at that moment g. man on snow
shoes came plodding down the road, bu
nobody thought much about him, anc
John Primer mustered selfpossesslor
enough " answer:
"Well, of course, we were anxious abou
you and Norma, and we've come now to SET
if there's anything else we can do. Hows
Normal"
I'm pretty we'll, thank you," said tina
young lady herself, from the doorway
Father, you should thank Mr.. Primer fo1
the venison and the Coffee"
The man on snow-shoes had half halt
ed within hearing distance, and could MOI
have lost word Of Jan Ericson's thanks
or the dubious protesting and vet &C
knowledging acceptance thereof by the
Primers:
Is that you, Mr.. Jones?" again inter
rupted Norma, addressing the 'sstore- keep
er, who still sat muffled up in the sleigh
I'm glad you've come. / want you te
read something for me-"
"AIl rightm exclaimed the gallant mer.
chant, springing out into the snow to take
large slip of brown paper from Norna's
extended hand. Where did that come
from?"
"Rcad tread i'll" said Norma.
"Paul Wood! That's plain enoue h
and it's IN my own handwrighting. Oh, ]
remember, did up a whole lot Of things
that day for one and another, and put
the names on 'eln, SOS not to git 'em
mixed"
ooh, that's it, is it?" said the beauty
II see now. Father, John Primer got
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