Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-09-13

] lliiltS. ihNi tue hIbW y WHIST uttD. / ne IONl
! lies along the old track"
! The odd track was the line of the Penn
| sylyania Central railroad, around a hill The
rails had been removed, but the cross ties
| atill remained on the abandoned road. Wal
ter inspected it, and after few rods found it
| pleasant walking lie came back for his va
| lisa.
'Tm going to try IT," he called over the
cow-yard fence to his hostess, who was milk
ing.
THE more fool you. Youn be back in
half an hour
It was in the day of gold pieces. lie put
couple in hor hand. ~ cannot pay you for
your kindness" he said shaking il cordially.
IAN right. We've got to help each other,
you know. But I don't take no money; |
don't keep tavern no more than the Suttons,'
| giving him back the money.
Walter laughed, and passing the little giIl
in the road, put it in her pocket. The woman
called ont after him that he'd be back in an
! hour.
The sun was shining through silyery gray
mist when lie started In an hour the mist
was wet and impenetrablc, and as for the sun,
! it was gone. \ mouutaineer would have hur-
riod to shelter, but Walter marched on shout
ing out the Aiarsellaise Why not None OF
his college books had taught him the alpha
bet Of clouds, or fog or winds. The vase
grew heavier with every mile; the snow had
drifted literally waist deep in the deserted
| track. lie determined to try the hills aud
make a short cut across them. Go back, he
would not I'm keep my promise to my
mother" he said
How long he wandered in that short cut he
never knew. The gray, branchloss trunks of
oaks and birches stretched their thick ranks
to the horizon the soft snow lay beneath,
white and traclless: the sharp sleet cut his
face and took his breath He strapped his
trunk on his back and plodded on, his face
white and teeth set.
"Allons allous enians de Ia patrie :" he
fairly yelled, without waiting for the tune.
1t grew darker; but that he thought, was
| only when the moon again came out-now
low down the slope of the sky-that he had
been wandering all day and far into the night
Another hour passed. The snow rose higher
| about his body; half-crazed As he was, it
seemed n living grave creeping up to cover
him; it was matter Of life and death for
him now to 20 on.
But can not 90 on. he said with white
lips. An awful shivering seized him for the
first time in his life he lost control of his limbs
He looked MP into the thick gray cloud with
the feeling that God was there somewhere. If
he knew Him better, he would pray to Him
But il was a long time since hc had forgotten
to pray: like many college boys, he thought
that was q matter for children aud women
more than for mon.
He uustrapped the valse aud ppt it down
under dead tree. and then lay down beside
it. The snow WAS soft and warm he could not
fight against the unnatural drowsness
This is dcuth, then = he said. He had Of
ten thought of tho agony of that last parting
with his mother, and how he could overcome
1t with noble thoughts and soldierly courage
but now he only thought how comfortable the
snow was, warm as u f,athtr-bod If his feet
were only dry His eyes closed. The feath-
cry flakes began to fail on his face.
suddenly. but n little way oil. n roaring
voice began to sing
And the aunts and cousins
Came ont by dozens;
All blood relations to me, Lord Douamore
Walter moved uncasily. and sat up The
| lcthargy of coming death was heavily upon
him; hc knew through it that there was
chance for life but rest was sweeter. He
sank down again Then the boy remen. bered
his promise. and it stung him like n spur. He
| got mp clapped his arms weakly to bring back
the circulation. and staggered on a few steps.
Before him was a low hut, constructed of I'M
planed boards, the smoke pouring through a
| pipe in the roof
| "Oh ts there you'll hare the thru,he, warbilar,
In the vales conyAnient to svate Baliinfsdl"
The voice was nnnistakaLly vicious and
DRINK.
| "Somc hlood.thirsty cut-tllroat" thought
| Walter. who else would be watching at
| this time Of night" He took off his seal
ring, gold watch and diamond scarf pin, and
! dropped them in his boots. There was no
use tempting him to murder. Then he walk
ed ON and pushed open the door.
God save u.s. shouted n kindly voice
and with the next breath Walter felt himself
| lifted i'm "A mir pf Atrnpg arms md .or,.a1 lilo
baby to the fire. The heat oyerpowered
him He tried to speak, and then lay as if
dead or tn mans knees.
And it's Christmas day, you say, jim? y
| christmas it is. Here's your soup now
hot as bazes BE the powers, it'll be the Job
to stretch the pervissions till tomorrow, We
greedy young gossoon, YOU"
Walter laughed and drew himself weakly
up in the bed, leaning against the man y
breast, while he ate the steamng mutton broth
out of a yellow crock, Il never tasted any
thing so good" soaking the last drops into a
crust
''Well, three days ago, when ye came to
that dure, thought it was yer coffin I'd be
maxim for yees instead of soup" jim pulled
up the straw pillow at his back, and settled
his head, stroking back his hair with fingers
black, to be sure, but gentle as a woman's
On a chair by the fire hung Walters clothes,
clean anddry, outraged with dragging through
briars and rocks.
IF it hadn't been for you, jim, I'd have
needed a coffin sure enough" said Walter
"Who did you think was that night?" lit
| tie curious to know if his rank had betrayed
him through his rags and wet
BE jabers, l thought You We're n collier's
boy from the pit. There's one there who has
Just the cut of your face. When l found your
joorly in the boot, knowed different, av
course. There it is, by the by, on the shelf"
He handed it to Walter but the boy let the
glittering heap fall on the bed, and took the
red, grimy hand in both of his.
"Old jim :" he cried. After while he said
"You couldn't have done more for me if had
been your brother"
Jim jerked his hand away with "Sjcksh ="
| He was not given to talking sentiment
"Dye s'pose any man nd sit still wild boy
frezzii' Mt his dure - he said gruilly but he
was pleased. Walter saw it. lie lay wonder
ing why he had become so fond of this fellow
who was nothing but an Irish laborer, set to
watch the railroad, beside which his hut stood
1t was not alone because he had saved his life ;
il was for the strength aud tenderness, and a
queer, pathetic humor, that lay under his dirt
| and Ignorance.
so You thought was a collier boy :" he
said presently why. I'm one of the Du-
ellis of Philadelphia, Jim.
"Al blood relations to me, Lord Donamore!"
he sang Walters face grew red, but he
laughed
The shrek and whistle of train was heard
Just then and Jim disappeared with his flag,
and came back grinning with delight, carry
ing basket. Il towld the stoker about you
yesterday, an he fetched bit of beef and
his ovid woman sent some tay, and one of the
firemen brought you a chicken. BY golly,
we'll have Christmas dinner, after all"
"Why, they never saw me-" cried Wal
\ ter.
Il reckon we've all got to help each other, "
said Jim gruffly, cutting up his chicken.
Father Forbes said at mass on Sunday, that
was the ralo manin av Christmas day"