Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-03-27

son introduced me, and as I greeted
her l could see that [ had intruded upon
sorrow. No doubt the boy had deliv-
cred the harsh message I had sent, and
he and his mother were in deep dis
tress.
[ sat down in front of a huge wood
fire that was blazing and cracking on
a mud hearth. 1 talked of the snow
storm, but the thoughts of the silent
woman were on something else.
"Mrs. Stout, 1 spoke to your son this
afternoon with great severity. I
thought l had reason to do SO, but I
now think I was unnecessarily bitter.
No boy who is willing to work ought
to be discouraged. I do not know
what to think Of Basil. He seems to
study most industriously, but he seldom
knows his lessons. He is one of the
best boys in school, but I almost despair
of teaching him anything that ought to
satisfy you, him or myself"
"Basil is a good boy, :" said she.
"Why does he net learn his lessons?'
I asked.
81 can not tell"
sis he dull?"
"Not at helping his mother. There
never was a handler boy, nor a better.
Ever since his father went away Basil
has been like a man about the house"
II thought Mr.. Stout was dead"
"No. He is in Montana. He went
there when things began to get dull
here. The mines were worked here,
you know, before the Bustlebury dis
trict was discovered"
"The Chrysalis district is prosperous
now" 1 saii.
Eyes. But there was a time when
no n could make anything here, and
my husband was afraid of sinking all
he had laid by. So he went to Mon
tana."
GLOW IS he pleased with the mines
thereY"
cat first he wrote that they were
good, and that he was making money
fast, but afterward he met with misfor-
tunes and lost nearly everything. Then
he prospered again, and wrote that he
would come home in the fall, but he
was taken sick in August, and we've
been very anxious about him for four
or five months. Basils like a home
sick girl, for there never was a boy
fonder Of a father than Basil is of his.
He's the only child, and MI. Stout al
ways treated him like d companion,
and the boy was like the fathers
shadow wherever he went. And now
he's SO troubled about his father THAI
he's not himself. He wanted to start
right off to Montana to take care of
him, but. my husband gave him strict
orders, whatever happened, to stay
with his mother, and he sent word that
good friends in Montana. would take
care of him. But the troubles on the
boys mind day and night. 1t would
kill him, l believe, if his father should
die"
''Basil, my boy" said I, holding out
my hand to him. 'forgive your teacher
for being so unkind this afternoon"
His eyes filled with tears as he took
my hand. He could not speak.
"Your words hurt him, sir, for he
has taken a very great liking to you"
Mrs. Stout told me of the trials she
and her son had endured in the absence
of her husband.
CATER MIR. Stout had suffered those
losses, more than a year ago." said
she. 'there was a time when he
couldn't send us any money for three
months. Basil Just turned hunter and
fisher. and what he shot in the mount
aims and caught in the brook fed us,
and brought in money enough to keep
us from want"
I began to think of returning to my
lodgings 1t would be late by the time
| should reach them.
Mrs. Stout was silent again. The
stiffness within allowed Va to notice tho
fury of the tempest.
81 must go!" said I, rising.
"You mustn't think of going back to
town tonight, SIR"
"No," said Basil, II will kindle a fire
in the other room. Mr.. Nicholas, and
in the morning it'll be easier to find
your way"
As he said this, there came a loud
rap at the door.
"Some one is lost In the Storm" said
Basil.
He opened the door. "A man en-
tered, clothed in fur and covered with
snow. We saw he was the driver of
one of the coaches that ran between
Denver and Chrysalis.
"Ihe coach must be lost" said Mrs.
Stout.
The driver slowly opened his eyes.
"Where am II" he asked.
"Among friends" I answered.
''Rest yourself. You are exhausted"
There's no time for me to rest" he
said, rising to his feet. GLOW fur am
l from ~Chrysalis?"
1.-TWO miles above the village, on the
Brag-Bubble Brook
Il must rustic round an git into
town."
where's your coach?"
.On top o. the range, showed in"
! The ''pass" was a high one. The
summit was miles from Chrysalis;
fully five from Mrs. Stout's. The
coach road lay for more than a mile
on the top of one of the lower noun
tains Of the range. From the peaks on
both sides the snow drifted iuto the
road.
"Why didn't you go back to the sta
| t1on at the other side? That would