The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-06
CHAPTER ~.
A PERILoUs JOURNEY.

"Deed sir, but I've not notion weer
we harel' opined cabby in detected
tones, as, pulling his horse up abruptly,
he opened the trap ut the top of the
cab, and thus summarlly aroused Dick
from slumber.
Dick, who, with his fur-lined ulster
buttoned up to his chin, his hands
thrust into seal-sk n gloves, and bear
skin rug wrapped round his legs, had
been doing confidently for an hour
past, needless Of the anxieties of his
Jehu, the relentitS, opposition of the
elements, ana the difliCuilies of pro-
gression generally.
"Hulloai you don't mean thatP" as he
reused himself now with a start.
Draw up the window, and let's have a
look where we are"
But Dick was scarcely prepared for
the scene which forthwith met his
gaze.
"The devill" he calculated vaguely,
staring to right, to left, before, behind;
"why It must have been showing ever
since we left town; and, judging from
the appearance of things in general in
this quarter Of the globe, it is but fair
to conclude 1t has been showing here,
without intermissiOn, at any rate since
the first Of June. BY the living lingo,
cabbyl are you sure you've not taken
mean advantage of my slumbers to
drive straight ahead to Siberia or the
Polar regionsp Here, jump down and
open these doors-Im so cramped / can
scarcely movel-and when I've stretched
my legs on terra frnd l shall be able to
hazard a suspicion OF where we may
happen to bel"
Dicks injunctions we're obeyed, but
investigation only served to prove the
hopelessness Of the situation; for days
past, even in town, the snow had laid"
and since noon to-day 1t had been fall
Ing heavily-ergo, the country roads had
been converted into one trackless plain
of untrodden snow, with here and there
stunted leafless tree, buried hedge
row, or the topmast bars of a wayside
gate, to diversity the prospect. White,
spotless white as far as the eye could
reach-ayel and how much farther for
the snow was beating steadily earth
wards still, in a slanting sheet which as
effectually obscured the heavens above
as the surrounding world.
Are we across the common" ques-
toned Dick with genuine anxiety.
AYE, that we Just are, sir, so far as
l make out; but I've lost my reckon
ing, Use free to confess, although as
man and boy I've knowed Barnes Com
mon an round about for matter o.
twinty yearlh
what fool was to go to sleep!'
soliloquized Dick in an undertone;
land you trust To-"
"Sleep or no Sleep" interrupted cab
by Indignantly, "I suppose you've no
better eyes L your head than any other
man, ehp an ye can see deyilish little
further Il tn dark than tn best amang
us. An whin snaw's drivin' like a
shower o. live frogs your face, a-whist-
lin 4 yer eyes, an numbin' o. tn
nape O. your neck, its uncommon hard
/ can tell yer, T. distinguish white from
black, or right from left for that mat
ter, when IT'S all straight fiat sailin
like. Talk o. Fleet-street blocks, OIL
Mansion House crowds o. Lord Mayors
day; give me dangers o. that sort tC
grapple wi, say l, an keep yer country
roads an Chrissermas snow-storms fui
SIGH as fancies thim-an' that's moi
mel"
But Dick, having already arrived al
the conclusion that no amount Of vitu
peration directed either against the ele
Inents, himself, fate, or the cabman
would assist them In this emergency
! wisely refrained from being drawn inte