Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-04
LOST AND WON.
no nance OF a Backwoods Lumbar
Region.

Region.
Inc light OF the just-risen moon shone
Flpon the black letters of the guide-post
(which SAID that it was one mile to Clear
Lake Settlement, and illuminated as
lonely a region as could be found in the
whole world. On one side of the snowy
road a deep pine wood rose tall and dark
against the evening sky. On the other
were stretches OF field and marsh.land.
which, even when warm and green with
summer, had a desolate aspect with their
background of low, mo%notonous hills. and
both before and behind were more lone.
some hills, more dreary fields and black
masses OF woodland. Not one homely
root was visible in the hard, white moon.
light, nor the glimmer of a lamp, nor a
watt OF chlnney.smoke; not even the
tinkle of a sleigh-bell or a %footstep was to
he heard. The silence seemed whis pering
to the hills. One star glimmered in the
orange after-glow of sunset.
1t had been an unusually warm day for
late December, and the faint, delicate
scent of melting snow was still in the air.
though it was growing crisp and cold and
lcicies were forming on the branches of the
tres.
Two paths (which diverged widely as
they trailed through the woods came
almost together as they reached the road.
and presently from one Of these paths
emerged the dark figure of a man carry.
ing a lighted lantern. Stepping into the
road, he paused for a moment at the open.
ing of the other path, and, hearing foot.
steps and a slow, grave voice humming an
old love-song, leaned against the creaRing
Gulde-post and waited for the singer to
approach. lie was young, apparently not
over twenty'eigh or nm years, was
somewhat broad and clumsy build. But
III his face, which was clearly re.
vealed by the Pickering flame OF
the lantern, though he stood
formed features had a most gentle and
amiable cast, resembling those of one OF
Raphael's cherubs in their halo of yellow
hair. A grave smile fingered in his sea.
blue eyes.
look, half amusement. half annoyance,
crossed his mild countenance, and his
smiling eyes became steel colored and
flashed with something like anger; but it
was only for an instant.
'Halloo! that you out o. the woods,
john Barker~ he called, in a smooth,
pleasant tone.
"'Pears tew be; m yeou, Reube Weth.
.erbee,-it seems yeou're eout or the woods,
tew."
.'Of course I am; but then I don't hev
ter travel twelve or fifteen miles ter git
tomorrow night? Your camp goin' ter
turn outW
Some o. the hands ~catilate ter go, I
b'lieve."
"But a sober Teller like you don't care
for such kind er Qualifications much, I
leckon."
81 was thinkin' o. goin'."
"Ah! 'n' that accounts for your journey
to the settlement tonight. Coin to the
tavern. Of course. say, man, we're
bound on the same arranl. WHAT'S goin'
to be done about it"
"What do; you mean, Reube Wether-
heew exclaimed Barker, with a deep
frown upon his rugged features, which
looked almost grotesque in the delicate
moonlight. :,
son, you know what I mean, we'll
enough, John, and you may as we'll take it
calmly. When two men lake a fancy to
the same woman there's likely to be SONS
sarse between 'em; bu5 that's no use.
Now, we'rc both got to the same pcinE on
our way ter ask IL Dfu myv to IL go ter 1.-THE the
]1 nan Z z %ine, ''T q, i If we De should a i' try
arace you might reach The tavern a min.
ute before me, 'n' you might not, for Pm
pretty nimhle IN ALFRED long-winded.
50 ! say, let's have things fair M square.
Dve got a pack of cards in my pocket, m
Pm fur goin' into jones' old camp-.ts
only "a few steps beyond here. IN the cage
OF The woods, you know-'n pIayln' 1t
out"
~ guess I kin resk it m take my
chances as they come" said Barker, III a
voice Which sounded husky and strange.
And ne took great strides along tne crisp
white road.
"Your chances! Why, you know, man,
if l should get there first you wouldn'5
have the ghost OF a chance, M II we should
get there at the same time do you s..poSe
she'd say yes to you M no se ~ mo to set
great store by neither of us, but she iavors
me full MS much as she does any other fel.
Ter, that's certain. l doubt whetner she u
20 10 the dance even with me, though,
There's something the matter Hang H.
l don't sometimes think she's got an.
other teller downriver where she
come from. Still, she's been to Jones.
pritty near a wear now, m he aln't put
in an appearances, IN she never gets a
letter from anybody, Mrs. Jones says.
"What is it to yeou, enynGw!" 70 ws,i
as YER blarsted consate, ter yerselt. l
DOME want ter hear yeou talk anoue nei .
Where's Henrietty Blaisdell? What right
hev yeou ter take a farncy ter announcer
woman, when yeou've been a.Ieep.n, ~, IN,
pany with her for a year n noie: ts
yeou pryin' raound ter see II Drusy gus
LETTERS" .ofo,o
Nonsense, John! As l said pef ore.
sarse WON'T set things straight, W.
just as good a right as you or any o.n ed
,nan ter make up to D:usy' Lam 0'N
Rights seem difrunt to diffrunt io,ks tsl +
ca iiafe. Enyhow, halnt a,sulh I'm
lis en- ter eny more ov your tongas, foi.
a.going along. M you kin 60 ahead OF ioA'
ier rs il suits yon." mo that
WE'RE in a kind ov embarrassin' fia' on IN
the cards would be a consolin' way 10 81
come along, then, but quit chinn'n'
a>out Drusy." ,.cl into the
.oas - n,Loso ,yaird darkness the I'So'