The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1880-06-25

town, fifty miles from home, with hum
CRY creditors pouncing upon them at
every turn.
A council dwell, not exactly war,
but ways and means-was held The
boys, by dint Of cheek, got an immense
programme for benefit the following
evening, quieted the landlord with re-
fulgent promises, filled themselves with
grub (and corn juice), retired early,
locked their doors, slid quietly out of the
windows, and took the back track on a
quiet "go-as-you-please." The weather,
however, was against them, and wild |
Western snow-storm ragged upon the
prairie. They were driven to the shelter
of little point of timber, found a
lonely church, got inside quickly, and
made themselves perfectly at home, and
as comfortable as was possible under the
circumstances.
But, pretty well used up, they soon
grew tired of singing and poking fun at
each other, and began looking around
for some place to lay their weary bones.
A few cushions were found and dragged
to the pulpit platform; they doubled up
both themselves and their overcoats and
prepared for snooze, with the under
awaken should replenish the fire.
Slumber they did speedily, heavily,
but not long There came laundering
at the doors sufficient to have awakened
the NOTORIOUS Seven Sleepers, and the
boys fairly shook in their boots, believ-
ing a band Of revenging "Regulators"
were after them, and they would soon
swing by the neck from the steeple or
tree, whichever came the most hanly.
Fortunately they were at the extreme
end OF the church, screened by the pull
pit, the doors strong, and they had
little time for reflection.
"I4et's slide out Of the window and
cut for it, whispered Lick, with chat
tering teeth.
Better hide, suggested Johnny.
Cor get ready for fight" put in
Larry, whose Milesian blood always
doomed at the prospect of scrim-
mage.
"Hold onr commanded Charley, who
was The coolest Of the lot. Wait and
see what turns up"
4 Almost with the words the fastenings
Of the door gave way and in rushed a
party of young girls and boys, shivering
with cold, who crowded around the
stove.
/" Who could have expected to find a
fire hereg' said one, stamping his fee
and blowing his fingers
"Lucky there was" responded an
other, " for since that miserable old
sleigh broke down have nearly per-
ished.n
Charley Bennett drank in every
word and whispered to the now re-
assured boys. But unsuspecting the
presence of others, the sleigS-riding
party made merry over their mishap.
now that they were safe, crowded the
great stove with wood, and some of the
most daring even hinted that the FIRE
had been started by ghosts who hat
found it uncomfortable roaming arounC
in such weather.
"Dont talk that way" said one O.
the bevy of beauties, as she clung tt
her companion and looked around II
terror.
"Oh, don't please" chimed in an
other. ait is bad and wicked enough
to break into church, and am certain
something terrible will happen. am al
in tremble."
20 am 4, 10 KISS duu COuSOlO Oh
darling, whispered Larry.
"Hushl or I'll choke you' CON
mandcd Charley. Remember what
i told you"
But, though he succeeded in keepin
order in his part of the house, it wa
7 not so easy in the other. The mer
mention of ghosts had caused the bloc
to forsake the cheeks of the girls, an
- they declared they would sooner wal
: all the way home and be frozen
= DEATH than remain any longer.
:" "Think of the pretty little deal
: wading through the snow" whispere
Larry.
I "Be quiet, will you2" and stron
hand was instantly laid on his throi
a and a brawny fist shaken in dangerol
4 proximity to his nose, and he " &C
,e iapsed" into silence, as he afterwal
Ia said.
e And by degrees the other compar
a also were auieted. Going home afo
! over the prairie in such bowling stor
! was an impossibility; there could be ]
Z stirring until the sleigh that had be-
sent for came. and SO to pass the tin
a they began singing. But suddenly tn
Ia paused, lOokeu AT cdch OthSA WIN SJ
v starting out from pale faces and qu'
+ tions with trembling lips:
's "What sound was thatT'
Il "The wind" suggested one OF t
st number in the lowest Of whispers.
ID cit sounded like stringed insti
ID ments"
te "Guess they think it is angels playi
at. on the golden harps" interposed Lar
ID to Immediately have his wind shut
n. by Charley.
,st I" knew 1t was" exclaimed one OF !
th girls. / heard it as plainly as could
gs Harkp
ce A sound as of.a far-away song, und
,e, toned by the melody Of harps toucl
'es by the softest of fingers, came to tn
lal ears and held them spell-bound. n
ga the words seemed to float in the
! - e~o. kaR, ft Al