The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-04-18
JAKE'S PIPE.
BY JOHN X. MUSICK.

BY JOHN X. MUSICK.
Jake was young German who was in
the employ of Mr.. Mills, Dakota farm
er. He was an honest, faithful fellow,
noted for his industry and steady habits.
The only peculiarity that Jake possessed
was pipe. The pipe was monster in
size, and the sturdy Teuton was seldom
seen without it. 1t was rather expen-
sive luxury to Jake who always had it
filled with the very best tobacco he
could obtain at the little frontier town
But Jake never indulged in any other
luxury, and as he was such an honest,
industrious young man, his friends were
inclined to overlook this small vice.
Jake was a great favorite with the
children of his employer. Mr.. Mills had
three ,hildren: Freddie, Susie and the
baby. Even the latter, Notwithstanding
its tender years, seemed to intuitlvely
read kindness in the face of the good
hearted fellow, and he had not been
long about the farm house before it
would crow at sight of Jake and extend
its small arms toward him the moment he
came in from his work.
''She will go from her mother any
time to Jake" said Mr.. Mills. as he
watched the babe sitting on the knee of
the hired man.
Freddie and his little sister were
equally as fond of him as the baby.
Many romp he took with them when
his days labor was o?er, and many the
sleds and rude toys which he constructed
for their amusement
At work or at play, Jake seldom was
seen without his enormous pipe. 1t was
not always lighted, to be sure. but it
seemed to become sort of second ma
ture to always have it in his mouth, and
he felt lost without it. The pipe was a
dangerous plaything for the baby. It
burned its little fingers more thar once,
and Mrs. Mills. losing her temper, de-
clared she wished Jake's pipe was in
Guinea. Jake was very sorry at causing
pain to the little baby which he loved,
but he steadfastly adhered to his favor
lite pipe and seemed to have no incina-
tion to Danish it to that indefinite locali-
ty, which Mrs. Mills called "Guinea."
The first part of the wiz ter of 1887
and 1888 was very mild in Dakota, and
the people Logan to hope that they were
to be spared the Inconvenience, and
even horrors, of the Northwestern
billiards." Up to the first of January
the winter had been exceedingly mild.
One morning, Mr.. Mills, who had had
experience with Dakota winters, said
that he did not like the atmosphere.
His wife wanted to know what was
wrong; the skies were clear, and the
snow melting. Mr.. Mills said that there
was peculiar haziness about the skies
which portended a Dakota blizzard. AL
though that was his inion, he was
not so firmly established in it
as to insist on Freddie and Sill
sic staying home from school that
day. They went as usual, and the day
promised to be the midest they had
known for weeks. But 1t was only only
one of those deceptive days which so
often catch the unwary in Eakota. The
school house was nearly mile from the
home of Mr.. Mills. BY the middle of
the afternoon Mr.. Mills became so much
alarmed at the appearance of the sky
that he dispatch d the faithful Jake Oh
swift horse after the children. Jake,
as might have been expected o: him, car
rled his large pipe. He reached the
school house, and taking Freddie behind
him and Susie before, started to return.
Parents from all directions, alarmed at
the possible approach of blizzard, had
come in haste for their little ones. Jake
was hurrying the horse homewa~d as
rapidly as the poor, tired animal could
90, when heavy gust of wind strucl;
them and almost uuseated all three. The
horse came to standsti1 and shivefed.
With this gust OF wind came a dash of
snow.
SITS growing dark" said Susie.
"lhe clouds are rollin' right down
upon u.s." Freddie answered, and so il
seemed. In less than a minutes time
they were enveloped in more than mid
night gloom. Jake spurred the horse
and tried to urge him on: but after
piunglng FOR few hundred feet in the
darkness and drift, he came to stand
still, stood quivering with cold and dread,
and refused to be driven any further.
ooh, what will we do?" cried Susie.
~ am freezing; I want to 60 home, ]
can't see; mamma, mammal
"Don'd cry lectle gal," said Jake, 90
will take you home all right, see if
don'd."
It was now so dark that they could
not sec any object foot away. The
brave young German spoke encouragingly
to the children, assuring them that he
would protect them, and at last got
them to believe he could do so. He
dismounted from the horse which could
not be driven a rod further, and held
each of the children by the hand. telling
them not to move foot. A solid wal
of snow was falling around them, an6
in five minutes they would be covered