Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-08-16

III was sore point between us-wha
n the politicians called vexed question
l felt that Polly was always watching
me; and didn't wish to be put in lead
ing strings by a woman. Sol sham,
TO say Ill went to the White Black
bird oftener than ever, and didn't of
ten count the glasses of beer that
drank, and once or twice of particu.
lar cold night, ! let myself be persuaded
into drinking something stronger than
beer; and my brain wasn't the kind to
stand liquid fire with IMMUNITY. And
Polly cried, and lost my temper, and,
well, / don't like to think of all these
things now, Thank goodness, they are
over and gone.
That afternoon, as stood on the back
platform OF my car, with my arms fold
ed and my eyes fixed on the snowy
waste OF the fat fields through which
the iron track seemed to extend itself
like an endless black serpent, looked
my own life in the face. ] made M nv
mind that had been behaving like a
brute.
"What arethose senseless fellows at
the White Blackbird to me ?" muttered
!, "as compared with, one of Polly's
sweet, bright looks9 I'll give the whole
thing up. III draw the line Just here
now. We shall be off duty early to-
night. I'll 60 home and astonish Polly "
But as night fell, the binding drift of
great snow storm came with it. We
were belated by the snow which col
lected on the rails, and when we reach.
ed Earldale there was little girl. who
mad been sent on in the care of the con-
ductor, who must wait either three or
four hours or be taken home across q
snowy field by some one who knew the
way.
l thought of my own little children.
Cpl take her." said land lifting hsr
up, grathered my coarse, warm coat
about her and started on the long, cold
walk under the whispering pines along
the edge of the river.
| honestly believe she would have
frozen to death if she had been left in
the cold station until the way train
could call for her. And when left her
safe in charge Of her aunt, ! saw by the
old kitchen time piece that it was ten
o'clock.
"Polly will think that l have slipped
back into the Slough of Despond," ! said
to myself, with half smile; "but I'll
give her an agreeable surprisew
Ploughing down a snow-drift amid q
grove of pine trees that edged ravine
at the back of my house, sprang hight
ly on the doorstep; the door was shut
and locked. ] went around to the front.
Here effected an entrance, but the fire
was dying on the hearth, and little Ber-
tie, tucked up in his crib, called out:
"Papa, is that you p
"Where is mamma, my son |" asked,
eagerly looking around at the desolate
room. {
"Gone out with the baby in her arms
too look tor you. Didn't yon meet her, I
papa !" s
stood minute in silence. c
"Lie still, Bertie," said |, in voice s
that sounded strange and husky even q
to myself. 81 will 90 and bring her Il
back" $
And | thought, with dismay, of the Il
snow STERN outside, the treach- G
'rous gorges that lay between there and
he White Blackbird, the trackless a
woods, through which it was difficult v
nough to find ones way even in the e
unshine Of a MONDAY, and--worst of a
.ll-the lonely track, across which an h
xpress shot like a meteor a few min a
ties before midnight! Oh, heaven! u
What possible doom might ] not have
ronght upon myself by the wretched IL
assion in which had gone away that u
forming. "
The town clock, sounding dim and w
luf1ed through the storm, struck elev- u
u, as hurried down hill. Eleven "'
nd who knew what length of time 81
light elapse before | found her. And III
Ike q fiery phantasmagoria before my al
ind's eye, ] beheld the wild rush of III
lie midnight express, and Dreaded ca
now not what For all that / could re- ut
lie was, that the storm was growing Vi
Greer with every moment, and Polly ."
nd the baby were out in it's fury! "s
AS steadily as ! could / worked nv Tic
ay down toward the track, but more "
ian once ] became bewildered, and On
I'd to stop and reflect before ] could ri