San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-01-05

| roso SLOWLY In the north and made an
other dash of color in the brilliant sky.
why, l declare, if il amt going to
snow! / wish father would hurry up.
How quickly the clouds have come
and they look heavy, too, as il they were
Just bursting with the piles of snow.
flakes hid away in them. Ny! won't 1t
be jolly coasting, thought 1t hasn't
been half winter yet-no snow, ex.
cept little that melted right away, and
none of the ponds frozen over.
guess had better see if my sled's all
right aud away Jack ran on this hol-
low pretense-this delightful piece of
self-delusion about the condition of the
"Artful Dodger;" for had he not exam
ined it daily for the past two months,
and longed impatiently for chance to
use it? my! there's snowflake, as
sure's the world; and there's another,
and another-swarms of 'em!" ex-
claimed happy Jack to his small but
select audience Of Stub and Jane.
They were very amiable, and frisked
and gamboled with as good an appear.
ance of happy innocence as he desired.
Its getting dark very quickly; not
four o'clock yet I guess it's going to
beapretty big fall this time ,and-whew i!
Stub, hear the wind; sounds squally,
don't it2"
Stub looked with an air of gravity
through the window, and seemed to be
of the opinion that it certainly did ap-
pear threatening.
"What keeps father so late, wonder ?
If it keeps on getting dark as fast as
this the light will have to be fixed pref.
ty soon."
Thick and fast fell the snow flakes
hurrying, scurrying down, as if in haste
to see which could first reach the earth.
Every now and then violent gust of
wind would come that romped and riot
ed among the dry leaves that still chung
to some of the trees, and near at hand
the waves surged, and dashed, and toss
ed themselves on the shore and against
the rocks.
Il know the lamp ought to be lit. I'd
better go right away and do it," said
Jack, addressing his companions. As
they raised no objection, Jack started,
materials in hand, and they followed
to see, no doubt, that everything was
done fairly and squarely. Up the stairs
went the trio, Stub ahead, snuffling
and peering into all the dark corners
Jack, with the lamp and oil in his hand,
following warily, and Jane, with dig,
nifty suitable for lady OF her years,
bringing up the rear. Jack knew how
to set to work. He watched his father
daily, and had sometimes been allowed
to help him; so in very short time 8
friendly glow of light poured through
the windows of the little tower, and
laid bare the deep, treacherous rocks
with blunt distinctness, while they
strove vainly to hide beneath the stormy
waves.
81 suppose we might as we'll get sup
per ready now, against father comes,
and Jack laid the cloth neatly, and cut
the bread with will. Like few rare
and isolated boys of his age, being
hungry was Jacks normal condition
relieved at occasional intervals by be
ing satisfied. Supper was waiting
fathers tea was bubbling on the stove
(Jack's limited knowledge of cooking
had not taught him that tea should
never be allowed to boiD. Jacks basin
of broken bread in readiness for the
scalding milk, some dried beef as spe
cial treat, and plenty of good bread
cheese and butter besides. Inside al
was warm and cozy, CHEEKY and home
like: outside, stormy and clustering.
Two hours passed, and still no father
Jack had made q tremendous effort tt
delay eating till he arrived; but bit by
bit the broken bread had disappeared
followed by other selections from thu
bill of fare, while Jane Tapped saucer
of milk, and the quondam Friday, for
getting his cannibilistic tendencies
made hearty repast on dried beef an(
pieces of Jacks bread and butter.
"Seven o'clock, and father not home
yet! Well, the light will burn an houl
yet without fixing. Father says il
would burn longer than that, but it,
safest to look at it every four hours, ant
he's sure to be here before it wants look
ing to-" So Jack got his favorite bool
from the shelf, and settled down for {
coy read in his fathers armchair neal
the stove. 1t certainly was very excl
ting-where Crusoe and Friday discov
err the arrival of the one-and-twenty
savages, and disturb them at their re
voting repast. But Jack got up SC
early mornings, and was so active al
day, that no wonder his ideas began tc
stray and his eyes to blink and close
Stub had settled himself near for
little quiet meditation-nose between
two black, outstretched forepaws anc
gaze fixed on nothing in particular
while Jane, having first made her toilet
for the night by careful washing and pat
ting, dozed peacefully behind the stove