Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-08-14
little BERTHE tucked up in his crib called

little BERTHE tucked up in his crib called
out:
''Papa, is that your
"Where is mamma, my SOM" l asked,
looking eagerly around at the desolate
room.
"Gone out with the badly in her arms
to lock for you,'' he said "Didn't you
meet her papaa"
l stood minute in silence.
"Lie still, Bertie,'' said l, in voice
that sounded strange and husky even to
myself. 81 will go and bring her back"
And l thought with dismay of the
binding snowstorm outside, the treach-
erous gorges which lay between there
and the White Biackblrd, the trackless
woods, through which it was difficult
enough to find ones way even in the
sunshine of MONDAY, and-worst of all
the lonely track across which an Sex
press" shot like meteor few minutes
before midnight. Oh, heaven! what pos
upon myself by the wretched passion IN
which had gone away that morning.
The town clock, sounding dim and
muffled through the storm, struck eleven
as hurried down the hill. Eleven-and
who knew what a length of time might
elapse before l could find her? And like
fiery phantasmagoria before my mlnd'S
eye, l beheld the wild rush of the mid
night express, and dreaded, l knew not
what For all that l could realize was
that the storm was growing fiercer with
every moment, and Polly and the baby
were cut IN its fury!
AS steadily as could worked my way
down the track, but more than once |
became bewildered and had to stop and
recollect before could resume my quest.
And at length came out by an open
wood and water station on the edge OF
the track, knew that was full half
mile below the White Blackblrd.
And in the distance heard the long,
sh-ill shrek of the midnight train.
Some one else had heard it, 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
uncertain air up and down--the form of
Polly, my wife, with the little baby in
her aims!
| I hurried down to her as fast as the rap
increasing snow drifts would let me;
but it 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 away
1 my breath
'Pollyl'' 1 cried. "Polly, speak to
metz
"Have you seen my husband?" said
she; zone Jacob Cotterel, brakeman on
the local eXpress?"
"Polly, little woman! don't you know
mel" l gasped.
;sAnd 1 thought, perhaps" she added,
vacantly, "you might have met him. It's
very cold here, and-and-"
And then she tainted in my arms.
The long, long brain fever that follow
ed was a sort of death. There was a
time when they told me she would never
know me again; but, thank God! she did.
She recovered at last. And since that
night have never tasted drop of liquor,
and, please heaven, never will again.
The baby-bless its dear little heart
wasn't harmed at all. 1t lay snug and
warm on its mothers breast all the while.
But if l hadn't happened to be close by
them at that instant the night express
would have ground them into powder.
And the white stripe came into my
hair on the night of that fearful snow
storm. That's how it happened, sir.