The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-05-14
She .hates her head in sadness.

She shakes her head In sadness.
"You can not get it for me-" sh,
says. eff William Fairfield woult
come back and comfort Laura, it woult
gladden. me and do me good" Sh,
pressed her hand to her heart as sh,
speaks, and looks toward Stephen, WHIT
turns from his child with groan
Laura is very unhappy, doctor7''
"very unhappy, child" replies DR.
Bax, in tone Of infinite compassion
for words have passed between hin
and Stephen Winkworth which made
him more than suspect the deformet
girls secret of her hopeless love.
. "You really do not know, DOCTOR
she asks, "what made William Fair
field 60 away 80 SUDDENLY"
''How on earth should l knowl" cried
DR.. Bax, irascibly. ''Some COMPOUNDED
mischief-maker had q hand in it, dare
say. And yet that he should have SO
conducted himself! 1t is unaccount
able, most unaccountable. I was in
his company last Christmas Eve until
nearly midnight, and if had had the
most remote suspicion of what wa
passing in his mind, I would never
have left him, never! 1 have lived in
this miserable world q good many
years, my dear, and the longer I live
the more it puzzles me. How such a
young man-generous and noble-mind-
ed, as believed him to be, could so
basely desert that sweet girl-for she's
an angel, my dear, and so are you!-
is the most incomprehensible piece of
folly it has ever been my bad fortune
to be mixed up in. Upon my word, I
believe the world and everybody in it
have gone crazy. Goodbye, my dear,
l will see you tomorrow"
And DR.. Bax leaves the house, rub
bling his head with an air of great vex.
alton.
William Garfield saw nothing but
the desolate ranges; heard nothing but
the shrieking of the storm, and terri
BILE and hopeless despair gathered about
his heart. He could scarcely keep his
senses at the thought of dying uncared
for in this wild spot. But he could not
bear the cold, and he was fain to Join
his mates in the tent.
81 have never been much of q be-
lieve- IN presentiments, Gentleman
George was saying, "but have got the
idea in my head that if we don't get
out of this tomorrow, we shall never
get out of it alive. We could keep the
snow away for pretty long time, but
without wood for fire, I'd defy the
very devil to keep himself from freez-
ing. Then, we have nothing to eat"
''And the bacca' nearly all run out"
grumbled Cornish Tom. I'D give q
pound of gold for pound of Barrett's
twist. wouldn't care brass farthing
if we had plenty of bacca.'
"Will the old folks at home" said
Gentleman George, lever have an idea
of our fate?'
Don't keep on talking like that,
George" demonstrated Cornish Tom;
'.you' II make me feel as low-spirited as
a bandicootr'
The smile was accepted in its most
expressive sense by his mates, though
it would have puzzled any one of them
to impart accurate information as to
the animal were predisposed
to low spirits. But for forcible figures
Of speech on the gold-fields the bandi-
cOOt was an invaluable creature.
ut isn't my fault, Tom, it comes. I
haven't seen my parents for over ten
years, and though l don't write to
hem, and don't know. indeed, if they
ire alive, 1 can't help thinking of them
1t such time as this. l never heard
you speak of yours, Tom
Haven't got none," said Cornish
Tom, laconically.
'.Have you, Willy" asked Gentle
nan George.
William shook his head.
''You have, know, Dick" George
pursued, 'for have seen you reading
heir letters-and have envied YOU,
nate. You see, was a scape-grace at
nome, and they were glad to get rid of
ne and was not sorry to go. But l
should like to see their dear old faces
again. if they are alive"
''And so you will. George" said
Cornish Tom, energetically; "but we
IRE not going the right way about it.
We must keep stout hearts, and we shall
De all right. At all events, we won't
'tay here till we're so snugly showed
n that we can't escape. Wen start
tomorrow morning amt cut our way
,ut of this
"Harkr' cried William, starting to
lis feet. '.Do you not hear cry?"
They all listened attentively; no
ound reached their ears but the moan
ng of the wind.
ats hard for a man to hear any
hing in such gale as this" said
Cornish Tom. "Great Lord! what is
hat?"
They rushed to the door. A dead
ming roar drowned the shrieking and
moaning of the wind. and, looking
tut, they beheld sight which made
hem hold on to one another in awe
md wonder. An avalanche, slipping
rom the summtt of one. of the lOftiest
anges! Down. down, it Numbered,
hrowing out huge snow sprays, each
me sufficient 10 bury hundred men.
Down the steep side of the mountain it
ushed. increasing in volume with
very foot it rolled, and detaching great
masses of snow and ice, which leaped
'ver each other with awful velocity,
Until they Numbered into the gulley. A
oar as of ten thousand evil spirits; an
ngry rush as of giant army of white
monsters, filling the air with terrible
lights and sounds; and then the ava
ance spread itself with a terrific thud
It the base of the mountain.
The loOkers-on, with white faces,
leld their breaths, all thought of their
wn peril gone in the awful grandeur
f the scene.
1--WE shall be blown into ice-blocks,"
PRESENTLY said Gentleman George, rs a
eep sigh of relief escaped him, if we |
tand here much longer. Thank God
We are not under it!''
With a feeling of devout thankful. |