Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-03-04

only put every five-cent piece that you
spend for liquor into little Bertie's tiny
savings bank
"Pshaw!" said I. sim not drunkard,
and never mean to become one. And
no one likes to he preached to by his wife,
Polly. Remember that my girl, and you'll
saveyourself deal of trouble.''
kissed her, and went away. But that
was the beginning of the little grave shad-
ow that grew on Polly's face, like creep
ing fog over the hills, and that she has
never got rid of since.
1t was sore point between us-what
the politicians Gale vexed question. I
felt that Polly was always watching me:
and didn't choose to be put into leading
strings by woman. So I-shame to say
i'll went to the Blackbird oftener. than
ever, and didn't always count the glass
es of beer that 1 drank, and once or twice,
Of particularly cold night, I let myself
be persuaded into drinking something
stronger than beer; and my brain wasn't
the kind that could stand liquid FIRE with
impunity. And Polly cried, and lost my
temper, and we'll DOM like to think of
all these things now. Thank goodness
they're over and gone!
| That afternoon, as stood on the back
| platform of my car, with my arms folded
| and my eyes fixed on the snowy waste of
fiat fields through which the iron track
seemed to extend itself like an endless
black serpent. looked my own life in the
face. I made up my mind that had been
behaving like brute.
"What are those senspless fellows at the
White Blackhird to me,' muttered I, s'as
compared with one of Polly q sweet bright
looks? will give the whole thing up.
Ill draw the line just here now. We shall
ne off duty early tonight. I'll 60 home
and astonish Polly!'
But, as night fell. the binding drift of
great storm came with it. We were be-
lated by the snow which collected on the
rails, and when we reached Earldale there
was little girl, who had been sent on in
the care of the conductor who must either
wait three or four hours for way train
in the cold and cherries station, or be ia
ken home across snowy field by some one
who knew the way.
| Il thought of my own little children.
"Ill take her," said land lifting her
up gathered my coarse, warm coat about
her. and started for 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 had left her safe
in charge of her aunt, saw by the old
kitchen time-piece that it was ten o'clock,
"Polly will think have slipped back
into the Slough of Despond,' l said to my
self, with half a smile "but I'll give her
an agreeable surprise -
Flowing down amid the snow-drift,
through grove of pine trees that edged a
| ravine at the back of my house, sprang
lightly on the doorstep the door was shut
and locked, 1 went around to the front.
Here effected an entrance, but the fire
was dying on the hearth, and little BERTHE
tucked up in his CRIB, called out:
"Papa, is that you ?''
"Where is mamma, my SOD ?'' said I,
looking eagerly around at the desolate
room,
s'Gone out with the baby in her arms to
look for you,'' he said. ''Didn't you meet
her. papa p
Istood a minute in silence.
Lie still, BERTHE" said 1, in voice that
sounded strange and husky even to myself.
II will 60 and bring her back"
And thought with dismay of the blind
ing snow-storm outside, the treacherous
yorges which lay between here and the
| White Black bird, the trackless woods,
| through which it was difficult enough to
| find one s way even in the sunshine of noon
day, and-worst of all-the lonely track,
across which an express" shot like a me-
teor at few minutes before midnight
Oh, heaven what possible doom might l
n It have brought upon myself by the
wretched passion in which I had gone
| away that morning.
The town clock, sounding dim and muf-
fed through the storm, struck eleven as
| hurried down the hill ! Eleven-and who
knew what length of time might elapse
before could find her ? And like fiery
phastasmagoria before my minds eye, l
beheld the wild rush Of the midnight ex-
press, and dreaded knew not what. For
all that could realize was that the storm
was growing iercer with every moment,
and Polly and the baby were out in its
fury
AS steadily as I could worked my way
down toward the track, but more than
once became bewilds red, and had to stop
and reflect before could resume my quest
And when, at length, 1 came out close to
a ruined wood and water station on the
edge of the track, knew that was full a
half mile below the White Rlackbird.
And in the distance heard the long,
shrill shrek of The midnight train!
Some one else had heard 1t, too, for, as
stood thus, saw, family visible through
the binding snow, shadowy figure issue
from the ruined shed and come out upon
the track, looking with bewildered, un-
certain air ur and down-the form of Pol
ly. my wife, with the little baby in her
arms!
hurried down to her as fast as the rap
idly increasing snow-drifts would let me,
but was only Just in time to drag her
from the place of peril, and stand, breath
lessly holding her back, while the fiery
eyed monster of steam swept by with a
rush and rattle that nearly took our
breath avail
"Pollyl" cried, "Pollyl speak to mel"
She turned her wandering gaze toward
me, with her vague eyes that seemed