Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1885-11-24

than BOst0ns nature could s'ahd blh
Rse.dsle. on bis way through the guleh,
had heard. as he passed the little cabin
which Boston had built near bis claim. a
man crying out and groAning and. on
entering. found the young stranger delif-
ious. no fire 10 keep out the ffeering
cold. and no food on the shelf.
Thi. ,Sigency resolved i,self into prime
amusemsnt ior Bill. lie kept house.
cooked fof the sick man, (for. like all
pioneers. he had some ,kill In border
cuisine. and. though rather ,ksp,ical As
to the efficacy Of medicine, got one Of the
several doctors tha, houfi.hed in the
town. The sixth day Of bis illness Bos.
ton recovered bis nigh, mind. and reoos'
niyed Bill. who was filed With precipi.
tate rsjoleings.
II guess you ain feeling very smart
Bo'ion smiled ieebly and shook his
head
You've been sick long SPELL vol
un,eered the nurse. eheerfally. "Noa
about like 20 died"
The sick man nodded hi. head feebly,
and then asked
Am going 10 get well =
"wsll, | calc late ,har's chance Il ye
don't gii no sei.back-An ye ain a-goin'
20. ye know" continued Bill. brightly.
Boston said nothing. bu, Jay watching
the other. with iha, CLASSY stare the sick
have
II ,po,e ye amt 20, no folks around
here. hsv ye'" Blll asked, In = solieiiou'
tone
Boston shook hi' head impliisnlly.
! Ne though, fora long time, ~i,h b..
I eye. fixed on the ceiling then he aroused
himself suddenly. ard mo,ionsd Bill TO
bis .lde. When hi. companion bad seat.
ed himself on the bed. Boston laid one
thin hand on biz. and said. while the
tear, Of gratitude and fecbleness gathered
in his eyes
II know would have died here alone.
/ Il !, hadn, been for you
"Gi, ou, p" cried Bill. very indignant
/ ly. Amt we even guess ia be
out thar With my boots on II !, hadn't
been for you 80
II don, knos that care particularly
about getting well. but II do. We are
partners in all good luck
Blll flushed and said
IL guss, you'd better dry up. nov. ~
Boston lay perfectly It'll after thls.
and 1911 thought he was sleeping but
after time he saw bio lips move. and
bent down 20 hear ~hA, he was trying 70
Say.
"Bill." he whispered. "if the worst
comes. IA like my father 10 know. His
name {, Elward PAyson. u No. 1923
Beacon Street My name !, George. |
haven't made the most of my lie. and
the poor old maa j. pat out With me.
nov. And then there were Others -
bat Boston. voice sank. aud be iell
again into lethargic slumocr.
Bill liz hi. pipe and amused himself
By freqaen, .,iuiag. and Poking. Al the
ere, which the wind tired 20 suck up and
out. The sick mans hse,ing rcminis-
cence of his broken past, had suggested
% Bill. wavsring mind his own bitter
re,ro.peciions Presently he tecame
conscioa. iha, the silence had Ia some
way deepcned-ihAt some hitherto un-
noticed noise had ceased, 20 the ear will
become conscious of the presence u a
clock by the cessation Of Il, ticking
Bill went 20 The bed. Il wU Bjs,on's
breathing ,hA, had stopped A sudden
terror took possession u the watcher.
lie feli ihA, be could no, remain alone
With iha, dead man. and listen % the
hideou, wind lie threw bic coat abou,
him. pulled hi. bat over his ears. and
lied from the place.
The drifts were terrible. and the sleet
,hA, bea, upoa his face was Ike the
touch Of death. The ligh, of the rail-
road station ,hone through the storm.
and towards this he struggled. The
sleepy operator In the telegraph room
started up in As,oni.hment a, the huge,
snow. covered figure that staggered ln,o
the room.
my pArdner is dead. | wAnier send
a ,elegfaf 10 Bos;oa. Wha,'ll 1, take =
"How many words p
IL don't know" said Bill. I'm not
up TO this layout Of yourn. Whats the
limi, ?"
Just write out"
"wrie out ," said Bill. grimly. "Oh,
no, I'm no professor in a college. Jus,
yoa write exactly wha, tell you
"All night"
Just say" began Bill, "'Elward
Payson. No 1928 Beacon Street. Boston.
Go, that down.
Beacon Street. Boston, yes" said the
operator
Bill continued
81 take my pen in hand"
"No," said the other. "Ca, all that.
aye see," said Bill, apolose,icAlly. 81
wanter break the news TO the old gent.
However. you know test. Jus, say that
hi. son George died here to-nigh, Of
newmony. Kin ye send that word by
telegraph "
The operator read
DK,DwooD. Feb. 2, ls7s.-T0 Ei,edrd
PrysOn, 1923 BsdcOH Street, Boston
Mas Your sou George died here 10
night OF pneumonia VIII bury him here
aud await your orders.
BILL Ra0epALE.
That's right. Ill have him buried
here till the old man comes. Now, young
fsller, I'm dead broke, but tell you
wha, I'll do. Here's my gun. I'll leave
il in hook with you till | make a bar
gain. l. il a bargain =
The operator Was glad TO oblige Mr.
Rsgsdale, and told him ,ha, the arrange
men, was entirely satisfactory. Bill
stood by the stove q moment.
"Poor Boston" he mattefed, "Pool
Boston. A man can, tell when hi'
turns eomin'."
Then be passed out into the storm ant
the wind elanged the door after him.
o
BY 8 o'clock in the morning the storm
had ceased aad party Of miners pass
ing along the railrOad-track. found. moi
| ann -. a.. .s.sto, fha la.l