Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-04-02

sen HUN ialifiiS, Us us fps parleu, ana
he gasped:
my God! he's dead"
And then the horrid reelection seized
him that he was there alone with the
king of terrors-all alone with the cold
and silent dead, and his feet took unto
themselves wings, and he fed fled like
the wretched little coward that he was,
tearing through the hall like wild
man, and screaming at every step.
Down the stairway he flew, three steps
at time, bounding like a rubber bali,
and yelled with all the force OF his
lungs:
Jacks dead Jack Rogers is dead
and cold as clay!"
The servants heard him first, and ran
to meet the hali-clad lunatic, with gap
ing mouths and wondering eyes. His
suspenders dangled ut his sides, his
slippers had dropped on the way, and
his shirt, by your leave, had escaped
from the confines of his pantaloons; so,
while he was attempting an adjustment
of his apparel, the door of the widows
chamber flew open and the little lady
popped out she was attired only in Il
robe dc nitit-pardon Us, but 1t was so
handsomely embroidered that it was a
shame not to give it passing mention
and her lace was pallid with fright.
Bob beheld her and broke forth anew.
"P-p-poor Jacks dead" he chartered,
while his teeth ratified Il tattoo, and his
limbs shook like aspen leaves.
80, my darling jack my dear, dar-
ling Jack! is he dead?' she walled,
wringing her hands and gazing inquir-
ingly into Bob's face.
Hes dead, indeed" responded Bob,
whose fright had given way to astonish-
ment; land he's stiff as poker"
"Then bring light" she shouted to
the maids, as she rushed away to poor
Jacks room.
They came with the lamp, marching
along in single file, with Bob in the
rear of the column, the girls silently
sobbing, and the half-dressed boarders,
who were now aroused, shivering in the
cold morning air. They found the
widow weeping over the recumbent
form on the bed, ana lamenting most
wofully for her dear, departed Jack.
Bob listene to her terms of endear-
ment. and witnessed her manifestations
of grief with much amazement, and
his mind was quite busy with unpleas-
ant thoughts, when there occurred n
stir among the bedclothes, and the dead
mans body erected itself into sitting
posture.
To say that there was CONSERVATION
in the room at that moment would
hardly express the state of affairs.
Every body ran away, only the widow
remaining, and it is safe to assert that
Bob was the first man out of the door
The widow, however, held her ground
bravely, and when Jack beheld her
there in her white night-dress. with her
beautiful eyes swimming in tears, his
establishment may be imagined.
Dear Jack. she sighed, " | thought
you was dead.
"Mrs. Lamar" he said, dolefully, 81
did not suppose you'd care q CONT
mental"
"Oh, Jack, !" she answered, while her
face cleared up with IA smile, chow can
you talk so; and what makes your nose
so paleo'
He placed his hand upon that mem
Der and the same ashy palenes5 over
spread his whole face, as he exclaimed:
"Hope | may die if it isn't froze.
There's no more feeling in it than there
is il frosted potato"
"Egad," broke in Bob, who had ven
tured back to the door again, 81 was
half right after all. II his nose is gone
there is not much lett.
you mean, spiteful thing" snapped
the widow, stamping her foot upon the
floor, 81 know what's the matter with
you. Get out of here in mnutel"
Pique was what was the matter with
him, and he did get out of there with
out further notice.
Upon examination it was discovered
that Jack Frost had really bitten Jack
Rogers nose, which was altogether too
prominent and too tender for the expos
ure it had been subjected to during the
previous bitter night; and when the
room was warmed up and the nose be-
gan to thaw out a howl of anguish arose
from poor Jack, which it was painful to
hear, and which once more brought
tears to the eyes of the sympathetic
widow. The practical little lady hustled
about, however, and soon prepared an
unguent composed of equal parts Of res
in and beeswax melted together and
which valuable recipe was published
gratuitously-which she applied with
her own fair hands to the frozen organ.
All, who would have not endured the
frost-bites of forty winter nights, and
who would not nave frozen his nose and
his ears and all his toes to be attended
by a nurse so charming
Jack, albeit his pain was so intense,
was not the man upon whom so tender
care could be bestowed without appre-