Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-02-16


bed out of the seat cushions and three
or four overcoats borrowed from the
men. By the time he got things in
shape he had learned that her lover
was an old friend of his. From that
minute the Judge took her under his
own special protection and relieved the
conductor OF the responsibility OF her
safe arrival in Bradford, He made the
rest OF the men go to bed and sleep,
while he sat up all night tending the
fire and keeping watch over his new
found charge, The night wasn't very
cold, but the way it did snow was 4
wonder. Before morning the cars were
half covered under, and by daylight
one half of the train was ont OF sight.
You see, we we're in a fix, with no hopes
of getting out.
Along toward 9 o'clock in the morn
ing the young lady woke mp and asked
how soon the train would get through,
and the Judge, who had madc q careful
survey of the surroundings every half
hour since the night before, answered
in good. natured way that the train
might be delayed a week for all he
could see at that time, Would you be-
liove nc? if that woman didn't burst
out cryingl But she WAS as brave as
man the next minute, and she even
smiled when the Judge proposed to 90
and hunt up something for breakfast.
1t wasn't much OF a breakfast, but it
was the best the the train could afford.
A box of biscuits was found in the
baggage car, along with a barrel of
apples. Every box and barrel in the
car was broken open, but not another
eatable thing could be found. We had
an elaborate bill of fare that day
apples aud biscuit for breakfast, biscuit
and apples for dinner, while for supper
we had baked apples and toasted bis.
cult. 1t showed all day and nobody
left the cars. At night the Sudge ap-
pointed "a relay of men to keep the
fires going and to gauge tho weather
every half hour, he himself taking the
Hrs: watch. During the night it
stopped showing, and truly it was
high time, for it seemed as though the
whole crop Of snow had been exhaust.
ed. In the morning We had q sumptuous
breakfast Of apples and biscuit. The
more impatient Of the men, seeing that
the snow had ceased falling, made AN
endeayor to beat a path up the track,
but they might as we'll have stayed in
the cars, In the afternoon they tried
again, and the snow being somewhat
settled they succeeded in getting some
little distance from the train.
You, being a city man, would naturally
ask why We didn't get on. and walk
back to Smethport, bat when l tell
You that the snow VAS neck high to a
tall man and as soft as feathers you
will not wonder that We we're helpless
We could do nothing but go back TO
our fires and baked apples for the third
night. The men sat up half the night
in their car discussing way OF escape.
Stranger, / am proud to say that not
single man thought OF himself; it was
all for the young lady. We could see
that she took the imprisonment and the
delay very much to heart, although she
never uttered a word OF complaint. It
was mighty hard TO think OF her shut
up in a snow bank when she should be
attending her Cwn wedding, and the
boys felt nearly as bad about it as she
did.
In the morning the Judge made the
important discovery that the provisions
had given ont. Being healthy men
We had made short work OF the apples
aud the biscuits. There was just enough
for breakfast and dinner for the young
lady. The men were terribly hungry
when this became known. II is anus
ing to think OF tho melancholy manner
in which they wandered around the
baggage car, prying into every corner,
ransacking the boxes and overhauling
the barrels. It wasn't at all funny
then. but was thing of remarkable
seriousness. By dinner-time the men
declared themselves half starved.
but there was nothing to eat. The day
was spent in looking ou. at the blank
ness Of the snow and in trying TO beat
ps.h away from the train. Night
came, and the men went hungry to bed.
There were the most discordant grum-
blings among them until the Judge
came in aud said that the young lady
had eaten the last half biscuit for sup
per, aud then they forgot their own
hunger in genuine pity for her. Even
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