Arkansas weekly mansion., 1885-11-21

iamentsd with brilliant aovsrs Of all the
colors In the rainbow, which hs had pur.
chased for the occasion from the cook at
the camp, who had inherited II from an
uncle that had died twenty years before
Aud from this same youth. who was too
bashful to go TO the dance himself, he OBJ
tanned the loan Of . pair Of embroidered
slippers which hal been sent TO him BY .
sister In the Far West Wetherbee wore
an ordinary cloth suit, made bv . city
most genuemanly looking man In the
When Drusy appeared upon the scene
he was dancing the first dance with Hen.
rietta Blaisieil. He tossed her one Of bis
plsassnt smiles as he whirled bresthlessly
past. and her eye, followed him with
look which poor Barker would have gwen
worlds 70 interpret as he stood sad and
humble In all his unwonted msgnidcence
by her side. The fiddler, who was tin
peddler and poet and the teacher Of
"clphsrin'- school," as we'll as q musician,
played with greas gusto, and was continu-
ally calling upon tbs dancers to warn up
m shake thelr heels moe lively"
"Hers, you Joe, you're quick enough at
n lsgers, but you don't handle them mog-
gersoas o. yourn In no kind OF time" he
shouted to a clum,y lumbsrman, whose
partner, a stout, energetic young woman,
vas scarlet in the face with her exertions
to drag him about to the fierce time Of the
music
Drusy laughed. "Idon't care abou. that
kind of dancing" said she. "I's reg'iar
whirlwind."
"a wa, a-goin' ter ask We ter dancs long
o. mo, Drusy, only was 'most afoari tew,
fur l knowed I shouldn't keep STEP" said
Barke,, timidly. "Rsubs seem, tor be
a.keepin' his balance fustrate. but hain't
built so genteel es he is, nor he'd the exper-
iunce, neither" And he sighed deeply.
"I amt going to dance a. all, John, I'd
much rather look on. think i's real fun
to see 'em scramble about"
He frightened at This, but soon became
proy to melancholy again, for as soon as
the dance was over crowd Of men pressed
to Dsusy's sid. Not even llonrietta
Blaisd,li or the pretty schoolmislress re.
&c We half as much attention. The fact
Of her being Il " hired girl" at the "tahv-
efn" rather aided to than detracted from
her social importance, and there was a
charm about her gay, gracious manner
and bright beauty which was irresistible.
"Reube seems ter te tryin' tow make up
With Henritty as'in," whispered i.,n one c, 9t
"lIe's been kinder slrayin' of ia ths di.
recbion OF tho tahvorn lately; but pinc tim.
be,'s lnoee takin' tben good looks tew some
folks"
"Likely es not Drusy won't hev nothin'
tsw say tew him." said thu girl. "rhat
gawky .lookin' John Bark ,r p .ars tew be
Gangin' raound her consid'able. 'rwould
bt kind er funny ef she should like him
Letter.n And she lnu ,hei scornfully.
BARKER overheard this, and the girls
words, and, above all, h,r laughter, stung
| him to ihs auica. Hs leaned against tbs
pa rio ic wall and m,ditated bitterly.
Reube came over and stood by Drusy's
side, and they talked IN a low, interested
tone. she never talked to him in that
way, never listened to what he had to say
iion. But she would not dance. even with
Reube.
The sleigh.bcll, OF some late comers came
tinklins up to the door.
"Why, Sam, what's kept 20 sof It's
most ne o'clock" excaime ono OF the
lumbermen to rcd.shirtel eomrade who
came hurrying into Their midst.
rs ok man at the camp. The doctor
| from the Mills hez jest been ter 500 him,
but sad he couldn'f do nothin' fur him;
"Shol Who Is itV
"a feller by lhc name o. Seth Hardin;
bos, In some limb 'r'c ,nsarn daown.rivor;
! stopped ter tho camp ovor.night on his
way up ter GFanl Falls, M was took with
ever 10 ravin' like a mu'kceter fore
mornln'."
Drusy's face, which was rosy and smil.
| ing as she stood watching tho movemen S
| OF a nira.lancc, suddenly blanched, and
she graspel u WOO len pillar as II for sup.
port Her very lips were w'iic.
WHATS the nader, Dru'yp said weth'
| erbee, in q tone Of gontlo soliritud,.
Sine beckonod him aside.
"Reube," aid sh', the color sursing
into her che,ks again, al must go out
TO Ferntld's camp. | mus go at once
Oh, Rsubei could You take mo thcref
Toms gone over to the Point aftcr his
Aunt Harriet with our team, and there's
no knowing when he'll get back. emit
wait! | must go, this momcnlW She
claspel her hands lightly together and
lookcl pleallngly up intohls face. "Don't
hesitate, Reube. That dying man Is my
| husband"
"Your husbandi' he exclaimed, with a
strange fash in his mild blnc eyes. and
with pallor which almost cqlalcd her
own ovsrsprca Ting his faco for an lns ant.
al don't think you'd better set out for Fer
nali's camp toni III, Dsusy. 'ris aiteen
miles at the shortest, over the worst road
in tho county. Bat you think you musp
Tho glance / at Honcictta Dlalsd,ll, who
Sas looking rcp,9aeh'nliy at him In ali
Sud somebody to tax, you. Maybe tho
Boy over TO SCOTS able, he'd know the
way"
Dru,y gave him q look which ho did not
soon FORGET. Was there not more In u
than bafti "A endcayor, than disappointed
trustY foor John Barker saw II, AMI II
lingsr ID In his mind also. 1t was coutin'
uaiiy la,hln bnfors his vision for years.
"Drusy," said John, 81 hadn't no notion
o. spyin' on yeou. but was a. siandin'
where I coul1n't help overhcarin' what
yeou said. Ycou looked kinder faint,
M Lemm, takc ycou ter Fernali's
camp. hahn got nothin' to stop hore
fur, 'n kin gilt my hoss harnessel in u
| inv. Some o the fcllcrs from cour camp
I'D In weth mo, but thcy can git a chance
| on oth,r teams-'n' Il not, they kin walk,
| hain't got nothin' but hoss-sled to offer
| ye, but I guess | kin makeit comior able" |"
"Don't speak Of that, John; l shan't
forg t your Kindness IN n hurry" SAID
Drny. with trembling lip.
The dance went on with iocun care
lcssncis. Wetherbe, disappeared with a
hushe and frOwnel couutenanco.
Tho hors'-alcl glilei swiftly along
over the crisp white road. The hills were
showing their barron beauty to the last
look OF tho moon, which wa, sinking
silver by the waysido betrayed The abid.
ing.placc OF frozen streams A tall maple
| tree lifted II barr branches to the sky, like
skolston fingers clutching star
Dru.y sat silent aud mOtionless In tho
bottom NJ the sled, while Barker stood,
tall and grim. bsidc her, hol ling the
rcns with a careful hand. Il wac neces.
snry for him 10 stand, that he might be
able 10 see the cradle'holrs ani hump, In
| the road ahead of them he said. III,
moon had disappeared whom they entered
the wood,, aud ihp dense darkness was
| only broken by an occ islonal star. 3team
overhead and tho rcl tight Of tho lantern
which hung on one OF the stake, OF tho
sled
"Drusy, did you caro- fur thet man
thep. sick out ter the camp-your-hus'
bsn'p said Barker, breaking the silsncc
| In q hesltating tone.
"Oh, | did once, Joha, but he tren,o Cd
mo badly; ho--" Her voice broke In a
great sob; aud after that neither spoke
until they reached tho camp. though II
was nearly an houf later.
The way was long and rough, and tho
might was growing intensely cold. Once
or twice hc b,nt down aud tucked the
rob,s more closely ab nut hor. But she lid
not heed tho c)lii she wa, lost In her own
thoughts,
Tho camp, which they reached Just 10
fore midnight male a bright spot In the
darkness of the woo H.. Tne Hrcliyht
shone through every cbInk IN i,s dark
logs, making rcd bar, upon the snow.
TIC sick lnan was sloepins, aud by hi,
side sat the cook, who was acting as
nurse, an old man WAC had been a sailor
aud wore gold rings In his ears. lie was