The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1888-01-11


@ VI. Vasser, of Mississippi.
81 nlet first-class position in Il
and thqaRs Office to accent 4 n
muddy c4 In the oftice Of ss.4a, Sesrefar,
camped NSrior. over all, ! =
fire blazing tine strips OF COW browning
smoking n a skewer Of wood; how war1ii ~
was, ho7 savory the steam Of scorching
meati md then again be remembered his
manifold calamities, and burrowed and wal
lowed in the sense of his disgrace and shame
And next be was entering Franks restau-
rant in Montgomery street, San Francisco;
he had hordered a pan stew and venison
chops, Of which he was immoderately fond,
and as be sat waiting, Munroe, the good at
tendant, brought him a whisky punch; he
saw the Strawberries float on the delectable
cup, he heard the ice chink about the straws.
And khen ne woke again to his detested fate,
and found himself sitting, bumped together,
in windy combe of quarry refuse-dark-
ness thick about him, thin fakes Of snow
flying here and there like rags of paper, and
the strong shuddering of his body clashing
his teeth like hiccough-
We have seen John in nothing but the
stormiest conditions; we have seen him reck-
less, desperate, tried beyond his moderate
powers; of his daily self, cheerful, regular,
not unthrifty, we have seen nothing; and it
may thus be surprise to the reader, to learn
| that he was studiously careful Of his health
| This favorite preoccupation now awoke. IL
| he were to sit there and die Of cold, there
would be mighty little gained; better the
/ police cell and the chances of jury trial,
than the miserable certainty of death at a
dixie side before the next winters dawn, or
death little later in the gas lighted wards
| Of an infirmary.
He rose on aching legs, and stumbled here
and there among the rubbish heaps, still cir
| cumvented by the yawning crater of the
quarry; or perhaps he only thought 80, foE
the darkness was already dense, the snow was
| growing thicker, and he moved like a blind
| man, and with a blind mans tsrrors Al
last he climbed fenee, thinking to drop into
the road, and found himself staggering, in
stead, among the iron burrows Of plowland
endless, It seemed, as a whele county.
And next he was In a wood, beating among
young trees; and then he was aware Of 9
house with many lighted windows, Christ
mas carriages waiting at the DOORS and
Christmas drivers 9or Christmas has double
i edge becoming swiftly hooded with snow.
From this glimpse Of human cheerfulness. be
fed like Cain; wandered in the night, un-
4 piloted, careless Of whittier be went; fell, and
lay, and then rose again and wandered fur.
ther: and at last. like q Transformation
scene, behold him in the lighted jaws Of tht
city, staring at lamp which had already
donned the titled night cap Of the snow. Il
came thiekly now, aFeeding Storm anl
while be yet stood blinking at the lamp, hi
y feet were buried He remembered something
liks It in the past, street lamp crowned an(
caked upon the windEard side with snow
/ the wind uttering its mournfnl hoot, himsel
, looking on, even Is now; but the cold hal
struck too sharply on his wits, and memor.
failed hinf as 70 the date and sequel Of fh'
rezniniscenee
His next conscious moment was "a th
Dean bridge; but whether be was John
Nicholson Of bank In California street, O
zone former John, clerk IN his father'
5fHce, be had now clean forgotten. Anotha
blank, and be was thrusting his pass key int
she door lock Of his fathers house.
) Hours must have passed. Whether croucheI
} On she cold stones or wandering in the 6eld
} among the snow. was more than be eouI,
} tel: but hours had passsd The finger Of fh
hall clock was Close on Y, narrow peep .
: | zas fn tie hail lamp sl5sd shadows; and th
: door Of the back room-his fathers room
r was open ard emitted warm light At >
: late an hour, al this was strange; the light
| should have been out, the doors licked, fh
, good folk safe IN bed He marvelsd at q
frreeuIarity, leaning On the hall table, an
ularveled 70 himself there; and thaHed an
grew once Ecre hungry in the warmer Al
of The house.
The clock uttered fts prem01i5ory czfct
I five minutes Christmas day w0ald b
: among the days Of tie past-Christma'
what Christmasl Well there Was no q