Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-02-17

swayed TO and fro, making 1t necessary
that the occupants should guard
against being thrown from their
seats. Rufus, tired and weary,
wondered II they would ever reach the
end of the journey. He dozed once, in
spite of the uncomfortable condition OF
things, and awoke with q start. Then
he dozed again in earnest and dreamed
vaguely. Now he was in his room at
home; and his mother was standing at
the side of the bed, looking down at
him. Next, everything was confusion
and the house was filed with the neigh
bors. Somebody was telling him that
IL was an auction, and that they were
selling all the furniture; that his aunt
in the city had sent for him to visit her
until he got chance TO live somewhere
else. Finally, the old house seemed TO
be rocking with the wind and the win
dows were rafting very loud; lights
were flashing here and there, also, and
people were calling one another. Sud-
denly he felt himself hurled TO the floor
and heard frightiul crash.
whoa, Bess! Whoa, IsayI" 1t was
the voice of the stage driver, calling TO
his horses. Rufus was wide awake now,
and in an instant was aware that the
coach had tipped over. The two old
gentlemen, the old lady and himself
were all in heap together.
Don't any of you move!" said one
Of the men. i've got IL hold OF the
door here above us, and can throw it
open"
He did so in n moment ana crawled
out. His companion, after groaning
much and declaring that his legs were
both broken, managed to follow; and
then Rufus extricated himself from the
robes, and helped them assist the old
lady to climb out. She was much fright
ened, and had such difficulty in stand
ing that the two old gentlemen forgot
their own aches Mt once. and carried her
to house rod or two up the road,
where light glimmercd. RUFUS, in the
meanwhile, hurried to unbuckle the
harness that held. down the foundering
horses, which the driver was bawling
at from some place where he had been
thrown.
That's right, boyl That's right" he
said, as the horses sprang 10 their feet.
Now give me n bit of a hand; for
something's the trouble with my left
leg and I'm gittin' drefrul weak"
Rufus, after taking of the unbrokon
lamp on the upper side of the coach and
lighting it, discovered that .he driver
was pinned down in the snow by part
OF one of the wheels, which was resting
on his legs.
There, that's i'll Lift ag'in, my boy,
with all your mightm the man said.
seizing the wheel himself, also, and,
with great effort. dragging his lin BIS
free.
He had scarcely achieved this, though.
before he fell back in swoon Il; and
Rufus, holding the lamp over him. saw
that his ankle had been cut and that Il
was bleeding frighttully. But, instead
of being scared and running away to
the house for aid. Rufus took off knit
scarf he had about his neck and tied 1t
around the drivers leg. just above the
wound, rs tight rs he could draw it. He
had read mewhere that this was the
way to check bleeding from n vein or an
artery, and he had the satisfaction i'm
mediatcly Of seeing the appliance take
effect and the blood cease flowing so
rapidly. Then. exercising his wits
still further. he rolled the man on one of
the buffalo robes and dragged him over
the snow to the house.
In the end it turned out that Rufus
promptness probably saved the drivers
life; mt least, the doctor, when he
arrived, half hour aflerward, said as
much. But it all slipped out of Rufus
mind the next day, rs soon as he
reached the city, with its crowded
streets and whirl of excitement. Once
only before had he ever been there, and
the noise bewildered him for awhile.
Standing alone in the busiest part OF
one of the great thoroughfares. he
watched the people coming and going.
until he became very homesick. He felt
poor and mean, too, dressed in his coarse
country clothes; and IL did not seem as
though he ever could 6nd any chance
to earn his living in the city. In the
evening his aunt told him that he ought
to get one of the newspapers in tho
morning and look through tho adver-
tisements of wants. This he did with
much eagerness, and, after answering
two by letters, he selected one vacancy
TO apply for in person.
A lawyer wanted n boy to tend his
Office and run errands. Rufus thought,
as he hurried along the streets. that he
would be able to do that. and more
also. perhaps, If the lawyer would only
give him the opportunity. His hopes,
thoxnh q grsN o,a..