The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1888-09-07

N--SI
A.lxsH
he soRRowFULLy WATCHED Ills FATHER
OUT oF SIGHT.
Nobody kin hcv any luck cf they hang
round saloons 'sted o. huntin' fer It,
Bad luck was the pet superstition on
which John Barnacle laid all his fail
urcs and misfortuncs. For years he
had driftcd about the mining camps,
searching for good luck. but always
losing it in the liquor-bottlc. His
wife, a patient. broken woman, a
died the winter before, worn out by
the hardships she had been compelled
TO endure. But before her death she
had extracted from him a promise Of
| reform.
When his father had become lost 70
sight around a bend In the trail, Bat
entered the dug-out, swept and busted
Il. washed the breakfast dishes and put
things generally to rights. Then ne
took the pick and shovel and went TO
work in the tunnel. His father had
fired a blast the day previous and the
tunnel was half choked with earth and
fragments OF rock.
To clear this mass away was hard
work for a boy; but Bat labored stead
lis. and by nightfall had accomplished
a large part Of the task.
A. the sun went down a somber line
OF cloud crept up from the northwest
and the wind shifted into that quarter.
shortly after dark il increased In vio-
lence. and Bat. going out hoping for
the sound Of footsteps that would an
nouncc his fathers return. found the
air filed with fine. sand-like particles
OF snow. which. shifting his face, stune
and cut 1t like bits Of broken glass.
Chilled and sick It heart, he crep'
back into the dug-out, piled the Tue
higher in the little sheet-iron stow
and ~endeavored 70 prepare his simple
meal. His worst fears were realized
The blizzard had come. What u nj
father. intoxicated and helpless, shouls
be caught in It?
He tried TO persuade himself that hi
father had remained at the camp. n
was an old m~ountainecr. and, Bat ar
cucd, would not be likely to start 70
home with the signs Of q blizzard .
~plainly disccrnible. But a drunken MAJ
0 lacks Judgment and caution, q fact Ba
; wen knew; and then he might hav
q set out early in the afternoon, and
! overcome BY liquor, fallen BY the sid
y OF the trail.
Again and again Bat opened the doc
Q and strained his eyes through tn
pitchy darkness. Each time the sno'
whiricd in in binding drifts an
the icy blast extinguished the lam
that he had placed in front Of the par
it Of glass which served for a window.
. the hope that it might guide his fatns
home should he be wandering an.
'e where on the mountain side
n When the supper was prepared. 4
ID stead OF eating it he set il away. I
IN had been ravcnously hungry on qul
T. ting work. but somehow the coffee ~
lost its appctizing odor. the steamir
ID nap-jacks seemed nat and heavy a.
the crisp bits Of bacon reminded hi
y, Of chips.
"a. Suddenly there came a light tap !
d. the door, followed by a low Whit
be Had he not been listening 50 intent
liz the bowling winds would have Dor
the sounds away unheard. lie spra'
id 70 the door and threw II open. She
who had followed his master IN
cd morning. came in with the whirlil
in snow. his shaggy coat as white a. y
drifts outside.
as Bat held the door open. needless
A. the shifting winds, and, shading !
ais ewes. endcavorcd TO pierce the tn
al darkness. +.
CO. lie called again and again, y !
nt- thunder or the storm drowned his ca
m Then he remembered the old musl
be- that was always kept loaded In !
TO duc-out and left the door 70 get t. \
int door swung wildly, then banged 70 9
rse the sputtering lamp went out, piu'
: a Inc ,hc room II darkness. except wh'
10 the fire from the sheat-iron stove =
Dry . rudy glow across the earthen no
Paving NO heed to this Bat dragt
his the gun from its corner ana ag
rsc pulled the door open. Amoment Ia
he pressed the trigger. The glo
In was pierced for an instant by the IA
liz, nat lcapcd from the muzzle 81
We musket. But the mufled boom
the explosion was swallowed up in
rise roaring Of the winds. Bat liste
Ime anxiously for several minutes, y
pay closed the door, showed the bolt !
place and again lighted the lamp.
!, To- The room was intensely cold and
ain; crammcd more wood into the ~
on The dog, shaking In every limb, q
,icL ~lo.or II him a II for cofnpnnionsh