Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-08-04

Station until tho way train could call for
her. And when had left her safe In tho
charge OF her aunt, saw by the old
kitchen timo piece that it was ten ooook.
35i" Polly will think have slipped back in
tothe Slough OF Despond," said to N.Y.
self, with a half smile; "but III giyo her
an agreeable surprisc!''
Plonghing down amind tho snowdrirt
through a grove of piue trees that edged u
:. sayluo viz, at tho back of my house. I spraug
lightly on the door step; tho door was shut
anu looked. went around to tho front.
Here | effected an entrauco, but the fro
was dying on the hearth, and little Bcrtio
tucked up in his crib, called out:
+" Papa, is that you?"
"Whero is mamma, my son?' asked,
looking eagerly around at the dcsolato
room
"Gone out with the baby in her arms to
ivok for YOU" he said. ''Didn't you moe.
her, papa?"
| stood minute in silence.
"Lie still, Ber,ie," said I, in a voice
that sounded strange aud husky even to
myself. 81 will 70 and bring her back"
And | thought, with dismay, of tho
binding snow storm outside, tho trcachcr-
Gus gorges which lay between there and
tho White Bluokbird, the trnckfcss woods
through which it was difficult enough TO
lind ones woy even in tho sunshine Of
monday, and-worst of ali--thc lonely
track across which an express shot like
meteor few minutes before midnight Oh,
heaven! what possible doom might l not
have brought upon myself by tho wretched
passion in which hud gone away that
morning!
The town clock, sounding dim md
muAled through tao storm, struck eleven as
| hurried down tho hill. Eleven--aud
who knew what a length OF time might
c'apse before could ftd her? And like
fiery phantasmagoria before my minds eye,
| behold the wild rush of tho midnight ex.
press, aud dreuded-[ knew not what For
all that could realize was, that tho storm
was growing fcrcer with every moment,
and Polly and the baby wcro out in its
fury!
AS steadily as | could, worked my way
down toward tho track, but more than once
[ tccamc bcwildcrcd and had to stop and
reflect before | could resume my quest.
And when at length came out close to u
ruined wood and water station on the edge
of the track, knew that was full half
mile bco, he White Black bird.
And in the distance | heard the long,
shrili shrek Of the midnight train.
Some Que else had heard it, too, for as |
stood thus, | saw, faulty visible through
the binding snow, a shadowy figure issue
from the ruined shed and como out upon the
track, looking with bcwiljcred, uncertain
air, up and down-thc form Of Polly, my
wife, with tho little baby in her ar.us!
| hurried down to her as fast as the
rapidly increasing snowd,ifts would let nc,
but it was only just 10 time to drag her
from the place of peril, aud stand, breath.
lcssly holding her back, while tho fiery
eyed monster Of steam swept by with
rush and rattle that nearly took away my
breath
"Polly" | cried "Pol|y! spcak to me-"
S''n -tnrnei her wandering gaze toward
me, with her vague eyes that seemed to
scarcely recognize nc.
Have yuu seen my husband?" said she;
"ono Jacob Cottcrcl, brakeman on the local
cxpress?"
"Polly! little womon! don's you know
mc?' gaspcd
"And thought, perhaps" she added,
"you might hayo met him. It's
very cold here, and and ="
And then she faiuted in my arms.
The long, long brain fever that followed
Sas SOFT OF death Thcro was time
when they told me she would never know
no again, but, thank God, she did. Sho
ccovcred at last. And since that night |
'ever have tasted II drop of liquor, aud
'leaso heaven, never will again. The
'aby, bless its dear little heart, wasn't
'armcd at all. 1t lay snug aud warm on
is mothers breast all the while. But if
hadn't happened to DO close by them at
hat instant, the night express would have
ground them into powder.
And the white stripe came into my hair
lpon the night of that fearful snow storm.
hats how it happaucd, sir.
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