The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-03-20

49, SSo sup
her comes,'
lily, and cut
"a few rare
being hun
g.ss condition. re.
lieyed ayystsintervals by being
satisfied. Supper was waiting-fath-
er's tea was boiling and bubblinE on the
stove (Jack's limited knowledge of
cooking had not taught him that tea
should never be allowed to boil, Jacks
basin of broken bread in readiness for
the scalding milk, some dried beef as
special treat, and plenty of good cheese,
bread and butter besides. Inside, all
was warm and cozy, CHEEKY and home
like; outside, stormy and clustering.
Seven o'clock, and father not home
yet. Well, the light will burn an hour
yet without fixing. Father says it would
burn longer than that, but it's safest to
to be here before it wants looking to-"
So Jack got his favorite book from the
shelf and settled down for q coy read
in his fathers armchair near the stove.
1t certainly was very exciting-whers
Crusoe and Friday discovered the ar
rival of the one-and-twenty savages, and
disturbed them at their revolving repast.
But Juck got up early mornings, and
was SO active all the day, that no won
der his ideas began to stray and his
eyes to blink and close. Stub had set
tied himself near for a little quiet med
itation-nose between two black, out
stretched forepaws. and gaze fixed on
nothing in particular; while Jane, hav-
ing first made her Toilet for the night
by careful washing and patting, dozed
peacefully behind the stove. Tired
Jack slept, and dreamed he was
Crusoe and had just built a beautiful
sled, and he and Friday coasted
down among the cannibals and sent
them flying on all sides; and the old
clock licked, licked, while outdoors the
snow blew in whirls, and a weary man
fought hard against the wind and sought
to find again the beaten path to his
home. Hour after hour passed, till the
faithful hammer striking 10, woke Jack
in bewilderment at not finding himself
in his own little bed.
whats the matter? he said, shaking
himself and standing. "Why, how late
it is! What can have happenedt to father 2"
Stub reused up, but could not answer
the question, SO wisely kept silence
people don't always, you know.
"The light! the iightl Oh! suppose
its gone outl I must 60 up this very
minute to see, though it's awfully dark.
and the stoves gone out, too; but Ican't
stop to make it up now. Come, Stub,
you can go with me if you want to" said
diplomatic Jack, who really didn't like
to go through all those dark passages
and stairways alone, but who wouldn't
have Stub know it for the world.
Jack reached the foot of the ladder,
and was slowly mounting, when his foot
slipped and he fell. Stub looked at him
helplessly, and waited for him to pick
himself up. Jack had kept hold of his
lantern, and fortunately it had not got
extinguished; the oil can fell at a little
distance.
Whats the matter now? What, ails
foot? said he, making several inc &C.
tual attempts to stand. "My, how it
hurts" and he held it in his hand while
he bravely kept the tears back. 81 guess
I've sprained it, or something. What
shall I do? Icould manage to slide down
stairs again and wait there till father
comes. But then the light; that ought
to be attended to. Oh, why amt father
back!" and he WINGED with pain as o sud-
den twinge came to his ankle.
"Oh dear, its tough work" said he as
with the oil can slung across one arm he
tried to climb the ladder with one foot
and one knee.
II guess I better give II up-pshaw!
What's q fellow good for anyway, if he
can't put himself out of the way for
other folks once in q while. How the
tower shakesl What a night it isl"
The ascent was made at last and the
light reached. "Just in time" said
Jack; "the oils all but finished. Iguess
l didn't put as much in as father did,"
and he hoped around the narrow space
and trimmed the lamp. 1t took him
some time, and the boys fingers were
getting stiff with cold while his ankle
kept bringing q look of pain across his
face.
II shall freeze before I get it DONE"
groaned Jack, putting his finger ends
into his mouth to warm them. "My
foot! my foot!" he shrieked, as forget
ting it for an instant, ne had stepped
Oh it. Stub in the room below, gave a
howl of sympathy, and dashed franti-
cally at the foot of the ladder to reach
his comrade.
II can't stand it any longer! Oh,
father, father!" and Jack fell uncon-
scious on the floor.
All was silent once again in the
house; no voice save the old clock tick
ticking the seconds away-the last
minutes of the old year.
Loud blew the wind in the face of a
footsore man, bruised by an outstretched
branch, unseen in the darkness, and
striving, with unsteady steps,, to reach
his home. Out at sea a noble vessel
was battling with the storm, and happy
happy hearts unconscious of danger,
were thinking of the glad meetings of
the morrow-thinling of the dear faces
that should welcome their return in the
bright new year. Anxious hearts were
beating in secret, as the pilot and the
captain paced the deck uneasily, and
peered through the storm and
Questioned of the darkness, which was sea and
which was land
"Fishing Point light ough. to show
to the nor'ard," said the captain.
"l've Msen looking for it" returned
the pilot, 4but thess1ow is SO binding
I've not been able to see 1t yet. There
it isl" he exclaimed, after some minutes
more of weary watching, and the snow
cloud seemed parted by q warm CLEAN
of light. And miles away, in storm
rocked tower, lay a PROSTATE form, cold
and ~motionless, while the Joy bells Of
the glad new year were ringing in the
hopes and triumphs OF q thousand