Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-16

have delicacies and there was no one
but herself to buy them.
With a great effort she controlled
herself, unpacked the few things she
had uufoldcd, went out and told the
people " here she boarded that she had
concluded not to go home, then went
to her room and sobbe1 as if her heart
would break. But she knew she was
RI lit, and wrote home letter, SO pa
thetic for its very keeping back of her
grief, aud presenting all the brightest
spots there were in the dark picture,
while her heart was ready to break.
Then she worked and waited q whole
week for letter, and when it came he
was no better. Another letter came
with the sam. story, ami then another.
saying she hal better come aud see
him, even if she could not stay. 1t
cost so much to go, and he needed so
many things, but she must See him,
she told herself, and she would go
without something to make up far it.
little. How changed he was in these
weeks, so pale ami thin, and SO weak.
He wante h.r there with him, he
could not let her go back, he said: she
must stay with him. and he clung to
her and sobbed in his weakness. How
could she go, and he 30 very sick :?
5 he might never see HIM again-and
yet how could she stay? There were
20 many things he must have; the doc
tors mentioned this and that, which he
must be supplied with, and they all
cost so much, SO very much, there. If
she stayed at home, who would buy
them? No, she must go, though it
broke her heart, for he might live if
he had all these things.
SO she went, with the sound Of his
sebs i'll her ears and the feeling Of his
arms about her neck, and l think a
burden on her heart that has never
wholly left it-and she was only girl,
Just young girl in her teens who bore
all this, like the daughter you pct and
shield from all harm and care. She
more, half starving for the weekly let
ter and half dying of a sickening feel
ing of terror when it came, for it never
brought her good news. One day she
felt such an oppressed feeling all day
long, she went about her work like one
in a dream. They all knew at school,
and were kind to her and felt so sorry.
Just as she left the door of her school
house At night, a sleigh drove up and
stopped. She knew in an instant they
had sent for her.
els he dead?" she gaspcd. before
the man had said q word.
He looked at her white face with
great pity for her, and said, "No,
Miss; but you had best make haste"
She got in and he drove her to her
boarding-place and the woman there
helped her GA with her wraps and told
her what she must wear, or think she
would have frozen, for it was bitter
cold. but she did not know it.
He was just alive, the driver told the
woman when Rebecca did not hear,
but he had not told her. She had not
asked. She knew it because they had
sent for her, and she only thought of
getting there before he was dead. They
tucked the wolf-skin robe about her,
the driver and the woman, and put hot
brisks at her feet, and she kept urging
them to let her be and start. The
driver spoke to his team and they were
of, and the woman went into her house
sobbing, but Rsbecca had not shed o
tear.
Just alive and 60 miles to drive
there was no railroad, no telegraph.
"Drive fast" she said once, and with
sort of gasp.
Yes, Miss, answered the driver
" I'll do my best. It's our fastest team;
them was our orders-the fastest team
and make good time"
=" They sent for you, from home ?"
she said.
eyes, Miss; by the mail, to-day,
when it come down from there. He
started in tho night SOS to git us off
sooner; twas bitter Geld. ye fr.ze
his feet
Poor fellow" she said. Even with
all her own burden, she could be sorry
for the stage driver who had suffered
to do them kindness.
This man had come only few miles
from the town to reach her and his
team was fresh. He let them go all he
dared, but, like good driver. reserved
his best speed for the last. Still they
went rapidly, but it seemed to her that
they crept. The sun went down and
the moon came up, round and bright.
The stars shone as they only can shine
on such cold, clear nights, and the
snow glistened and sparkled about
them. The great trees rose up on each
side of them, and their large trunks
cracked and snapped like pistols as
they passed. On and on they went,
hour after hour, and the man told her
to keep up, that they could get through,
aud pulled out his watch. with great
difficulty, from under his big overcoat,
every now and then, to tell her what
time it was and how far they had come,
for he knew all the way. When they
got on the last half, it seemed to her
they were almost there. an6 then the
road appeared to lengthen, for it
seemed hours, though the driver told
her it was not an hour since he had
told her they were on that half. At
last they were 80 near she knew the OBJ.
jects as they passed them. II was long
past midnight when they got there it
would be morning.