Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-08-20

oHae sue nus never get RID OF since.
1t was q sore point between t,s-- what
the politicians called a vexed Question.
felt that Polly was always watching
me- and ] didn't wish to be put in lead
ing strings by woman SOL shame
to say It'll went to the White Black.
bird oftener than ever, and didn't Of
ten count the glasses Of beer that
drank, nnd once or twice Of q particu.
z 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 Ill these
things now. Thank goodness, they are
over and gone =,
That afternoon, rs stood on the back
platform of thy car, with my arms fold.
ed and my eyes fixed on the snowy
waste Of the Hat fields through which
the iron track seemed to extend itself
like an endless black serpent, / looked
my own life in the face. made mp my
mind that had been behaving like q
brute.
''What are those senseless fellows at
The White Blackbird to me ~ muttered
], 'as compared with one of Polly's
sweet, bright looks' III give the whole
thing up. III draw the line Just here
now, We shall be off duty early to.
night. III 60 home and astonish Polly p
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 q little girl, who
had been sent on in the care Of the con-
| ductor, who must wait either three
four hours or be taken home across n
snowy iiell by some one who knew the
way.
thought Of my own little children.
''Fll 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 have slipped
back into the Slough of Despond," said
to myself, with half smile; out ri
give her IN agreeable surprise !"
Plonghing down snow.drift amid
grove of pine trees that edged u ravine
at the back Of my house, sprang hight.
" on the doorstep; the door was shut
md locked. went around to the front.
Here effected IN entrance, but the fire
was dying on the hearth, and little Der
tie, tucked up in his crib, called ont
'Papa, is that yonV
'Where is mamma, my son ~ | asked,
eagerly looking around ut the dtsolate
room.
Gone ont with the baby in her arms
too look tor You. Didn't you meet her.
papa"
! stood u minute in silence.
'Lie still, BERTHE" said !, in voice
that sounded strange and husky even
to myself. 81 will 90 and bring her
back
And thought, with dismay, of the
binding snow STERN outside, the treach.
erous gorges that lay between there aud
the White Blackbird, the trackless
woods, through which it was difficult
enough to find one's way even in the
sunshine OF monday, and--worst of
all--the lonely track, across which an
express shot like a meteor few min
utes before midnight Oh, heaven!
What possible doom might not have
brought upon myself by the wrctchod
passion in which had gone away that
The town clock, sounding dim and
mutfed through the storm, struck elev-
en-, ~ | hurried down hill. Eleven
and who knew what length of time
might elapse before | found herr And
like % fiery phantasmagoria before my
minds eye, | bcheld the wild rush OF
the midnight express, and Dreaded
know not what! For all that could re-
aIize was, that the storm was growing
iiercer with every moment, and Polly
and the baby were ont in its fury
As steadily rs | could worked my
way down toward the track, but more
than once became bewildered and
had to stop and reflect before could
resume my ouest. And when at length