Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-02-16

.r': .;. rt "a h;- >uuE r;.hh il.n
t..-.A / b i l.cli h"rri,,:
" .pu c.,-c L ny, IF a.: !ir-'
i."'lII,. v,r" Of til" i''rr Non"n.
le.! r. lying for aught | knew:
.!r.r-,rl lay-'lf t. he stage. ani
lire found. by the light IF my
Ia, tern, that She wa- not dead. bat
unly unrom-ciuu,: | took frr i'll my
arln9 and poured some brandy down
her throat. and after ahoiit an hours
time she opened her big blue eyes.
and aid in !. voice scarce above a
whisper. Where AIN ~ and | told
her She WAS safe. and not to faint
again. and | would find a place 10
make her more comfortable.
"'Please to look at my head before
you 20: think it is cut she said i'll
the same faint tones
Then | thought to myself. What
great Ounce l am to sit staring
down into her face and never think
to look above her eyes" But this
brought me to my senses; l whipped
out my wipe, and after putting some
brandy on it bound it tightly around
her head She thanked me with her
eyes Then l covered her up with
blankets. and left her to find some
sheltered place from the SNOW and
wind. for they We're both going it still
as hard as ever.
After nearly an hours search |
found small cave which was Just
what l wanted, and l soon had a
blazing fire in the front of it. Ithen
went back to the stage and brought
her Il did not know her name them
to my cave and made her up nice
bed of blankets near the fire; my
heart was all the time humping and
pounding away until l thought
'twould Jump out of my mouth.
Boys. amt much on sentiment
or love at first sight, but that wom
ans lone and helpless condition made
me feel as if l could lay down my life
to help her: and when she told me of
her once happy home in New York,
of her fathers long sickness and
death, so soon followed by that of
her broken-hearted mother; how she
had been almost starved while trying
to find some employment, and after
she had about given up to despair
she had got a place as governess in a
rich family in the Catskills. and
when she turned to me with her
great blue eyes filled with tears, and
thanked me and praised my bravery
in saving her life. l tell ye, boys, l
just Topped down beside her aud
cried, and l amt ashamed of it,
either.
when l could get my wind to
speak I said to her:
Madam, I amt nothing but a
poor stage-driver, and you don't
know me very we'll; but 1 have seen
enough of you to know that you are
the only woman in this world that ]
can love; I amt got anything to offer
you but an honest heart that has been
yours ever since I first set eyes on
you this afternoon in my stage; il
you will take me will try by a life's
devotion to make up to you for your
many trials. But have frightened
you: l amt used to this kind OF
business; please forgive me. and
don't think no more about it till to
morrow, and then give me my an
swer'
You see. boys, l thought 1 had
frightened her, she blushed so. and
then turned so pale. and then caught
her breath as if there was something
in her throat that was kinder getting
the best of her and would not let her
speak; but finally she said in those
sweet, tremberly tones of hers
"'Oh, sir, you are SO good and
brave l know you will make me
happy!
Now, boys, maybe 1 didn't catch
that little woman to my heart, and
maybe 1 wasn't the happiest man
this side of the Rocky Mountains.
tell you I don't remember much
about that night after that; was
too happy to think of anything ex
cept That this dear little woman was
all mine; l thought l must be dream
ing, and was afraid l would wake up
but it want dream; it was all true
every bit Of it.
"But to go on with my story; in
the morning, as soon as it was day
light, we climbed back to the road
and took the first team down the
mountain to Catskill and got spliced
and now we have our own little
mountain home, and there amt ne
happier couple in this here country
Now that's my romance. and ]
hope it's amused you. And as it has
let up little we must be of. for my
little woman will be anxiously wor
rying about me-"
And as we started toward our DIES
tination in the early dawn, and !
thought of Bill Adams miraculous
escape, and wondered that he had
ever lived to tell "Thc Coach Driver
Romance