Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-11-13


telegraph room started up In astonishment at
the huge, snow-covered figure that staggered
into tbe-room
my pardner is dead. l wsnter send
telegraf to Boston. whatll It take?'
'How many words p
II don't know" said Bill I'm not up TO
this layout of yourn. What's the limit2"
Just write out
"Write out ?" said Bill, grimly. "Ob. no,
I'm no professor in college just you write
exactly what tell you"
"All right"
"Just say" began Bill, :" Edward Payson,
No. 1928 Beacon street, Boston Got that
down."
Beacon street, Boston, yes" said the
operator.
Bill continued:
II take my pen in hand"
NO" said the other. ''Out all that"
"Ye see, )" said Bill apologetioally, II want
or break the news to the old gent. However,
you know best just say that his son George
died here tonight of newmony. Kin ye
send that word by telegraph 2"
The operator read
DEADwooD, Feb. 2, 1873 TO E,ltoard Pay
son. 1923 Beacon street, Boston, Mass
Your son George died here tonight of pneu-
monia. viii bury him here and await your
orders. BILL RAGsDALE
That's right I'll have him buried here
| till the old man comes. Now, young feller
I'm dead broke, but I'll tell you what I'll do
| Here's my gun. I'll leave it in hook with
| you till make a bargain. Is It bargain 2"
The operator was glad to oblige Mr.. Rags
dale, and told him that the arrangement was
entirely satisfactory. Bill stood by the stove
| q moment.
Poor Boston," he muttered, "poor Bos-
ton. man can't tell when his turns COM
| in"
Then he passed out into the storm and the
wind changed the door after him.
|
By O'Clock in the morning the storm had
ceased, and party Of miners, passing along
the railroad track, found, not 100 yards from
the station, the dead body of Bill Ragsdale.
It was frozen stiff, but two rough holes in
bis forehead showed that he had not died
from exposure. few hours later Dr. Nor
gan rode stalwart broncho as far up the
gulch as he could go, then dismounted, and,
after great difficulty, reached the door of
| Boston's cabin. He entered and found Bos-
ton the only occupant There were only
few embers on the hearth. He uttered an
exclamation and turned to the bed. Boston
made slight motion with his head and asked
feebly:
where's Bill?"
81 don't know" said the doctor. How
do you feel to. day ?"
Better, but was very bad last night"
The doctor blew up the embers, put on
more wood, tucked the blankets about Bos-
ton, and began looking for something to
cook. "Hows the chest and back 2" he
asked.
Very little pain" said Boston. II won-
der where Bill is"
The doctor was busy in the manufacture of
broth and did not hear him. He admins
tered some medicine and gave the patient
two applications. 1.-THE turning point is
passed" he said to his patient, you're bound
to get well nowI"
Then he returned to town, but came back
In the afternoon with Col Molly and sup
ply Of provisions. Don't tell him about
Bill, he cautioned. The next day he called
again. Col Molly was sleeping in a corner
and Boston was sitting up in bed.
In two days more Molly came back to town
and Boston, pale and very weak, was walking
about the cabin. He had heard of Bills
death, and turned down another sombre leaf
In his book of memories. The terrible storm
had swept down the telegraph wires, and
among the delayed messages received by the
operator about a week after Bills death was
the following;
Boston, Feb. 8, 1S7S.- Biz Raqsdale
DeddoOOd' George Payson's father is dead
All bills will be paid. Will come in the
spring HENRY SCRANTON.
All the operator could do was to return
word to Mr.. Scranton that Bill Ragsdale was
dead.
In the meantime George Psyson recovered
from his convalescence, and began a more
earnest and systematic life. He left the town,
secured position in q stamp mill short dis.
tance away, and the spring found him there,
graver, with few premature gray hairs in his
aaWd 4. H. u.
up, and some recollection, which could not
have been all pain, lived within him and
kept fire in his eye and q vivacity to his
speech.
One raw April day, when the snow lay in
irregular patches over the ground and the
mist rolled slowly up the side of the noun
tains, the stage, numbering along the muddy
street, had in it two travellers of an unwonted
type. The losfers, smoking on the verandah
Of the hotel, held their breAths with amaze
ment as they saw stately old gentleman de-
scend, and hand out, with all the unctuous
grace OF the old school, q lady so beautiful,
80 pensve and young, that she seemed like
one of the pale flowers pushing its head up
through the snow in the barren woods. But
the rapid inquiries as 10 their identity left the
natives no wiser, and they were obliged to
sleep on the mystery.
The next morning, however, the keeper of
Of gossip. The old gentleman had sent for
him and made special inquiries after one
George PayAQn, who had died in February.
No one knew Of such a man, and this in
formation, or rather lack of it, was conveyed
to the old gentleman, who gave his name as
Henry Scranton. He seemed greatly aston
ished and disappointed, and later in the day
hired team of mountain ponies and drove
out towards the mining camps. On the way
he renewed bis inquiries without success. At
last, however, he happened TO mention that
Payson came from Boston.
'"Ihars q chap at Stevens's mill they call
Boston," said the man whom he addressed
81 reckon he'll know about the man you're
after"
The wagon was driven to Stevens's stamp
mill, and just as the old gentleman was assist
ing the young lady to Rlight, his eye caught
sight of q familiar figure directing some
workmen q hundred feet away, He started
little, took long look at the man who had
attracted his attention, and then turned to
the young lady with an assumed expression
of nonohalanoe.
my dear, he said, ''rm afraid we haven't
been rightly informed about this man."
"Why 2" she asked, deJectedly. "What
makes you think so ?"
"Well, the fact is" be replied, at has Just
occurred to me that there might be some mis-
NANeS
winter"
''Do you mean about the date ?" she asked,
''or the place 2"
The old man was trembling, and he moved
80 that his tall form shielded her from the
group Of workmen.
mot the date nor the place" he returned,
laying one hand impressively on her shoul-
der, "but the man"
She let her cheek fall on the hand upon her
shoulder with the quiet patience Of dumb
animal.
Pm sorry, father, If you have had all this
trip for nothing, but as for the rest don't
know that II matters much. We might as
well go back 10 the hotel"
"Wel nc" said the old gentleman, 81
don't think that would be the best thing to
do" He drew her mantle about her and held
her close In q caTessing manner "Now, ii
you will try TO remember, Eunioe, how every
thing works together for good, and how apt
sorrow is 70 turn into joy"
She burst the mantle apart and placed her
hands upon his arms.
Father r. she cried, what joy could come
to me now2"
He stepped aside, and pointed TO the CEN
Nwal - l..N.