The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-01-19
"With pleasure, doctor, but you don't


"But my God, doctor, there isn't .
worse stretch from here 70, Denver. A
mountain road, along precipiees and
chasms. Why, you are msd TO think Of
it, even if there weren't blizzard rag
ing. Don't do it, DR.. Stanisy.
sNonsense, Jackson, thiss storm will
soon lift. Wish me safe passage Good
night" w ss
Stanley pursued his way for some time
with considerable rapidity until he gained
the opening between the peaks, when he
was obliged to proceed with extreme
caution. The darkness was oppressive !:
the intensely fierce cold chilled his very
heart, the biting wind blew in terrible
gusts, which broke the snow into atoms
SO tine that breathing was rendered ex-
ceedingly difficult. Every particle struck
his face like fine splinter. At length he
halted, trembling anxiously as he tried to
shield the match while hsr1n sulted his
watch. But it was impossible to fan the
feeble light and he resumed his way NUT
tering
81 have lost my way, should be at
Truefitt's now"
He knew that on each side were yawn-
ing chasms and cleft, but how near he
came to death, God alone knew. The
whirling snow filled eyes and ears and
nose, and his cut and bleeding skin caused
him agony. The wind had redoubled its
violence. He leaned forward and sought
to shield himself from it's fury by clasping
his arms around the horses neck. At
that instant, the animal halted, trembling
from head to feet.
"My God, we are lost p burst from
Stanley. He was benumbed with cold,
his breath came in gasps, and he felt that
unless he could urge his horse forward
he must succumb. He was just making
the attempt, when it flashed upon him
that the instinct of the animal was warn
ing 1t against danger unknown to the
man.
He backed the horse cautiously, and
then dismounting began to walk back
ward and forward by the animals side,
while the fury Of the storm increased,
and his steps became weaker and more
uncertain, and the belief that death was
near grew stronger in Stanley's soul.
He was sinking into the lethargy Of de-
spair when, like dream of heaven, came
the thought Of Alice and her child; Alice
whom he had coaxed into this wild land
only to let her drink of the cup of happi-
ness that she might know the bitterness
of its dregs. Doubtless she was praying
for him now, poor girl. Then he pictured
ker watching for his coming, day after
day, while the shadows fell heavily and
more heavily upon her dear face, and at
last, some traveller would stumble upon
him-and then
He could go no further with his imagin.
ings. His heart seemed bursting, and
with a great effort he cried: "Oh, save
me, save me! Not for my sake, o merci-
full Father, but theirs!"
AS in answer to his prayer, bis spirits
rose in brightest exultation; the blood
seemed to course through his veins like
liquid fire. He felt an insane impulse
to leap, but his feet were heavy as lead.
He shouted, laughed and sang. His mind
contemplated the most enchanting vis-
ions, and before his eyes foated the most
beautiful colors. He felt capable of de-
flying anything and everything. And yet
through this horrible hallucination, q
dual self sc med to direct his movements,
ard preser, him. At length, he made
one desperate effort, and gained the sad
die, then winding his arms again around
the horses neck, prayed God to enable
hlm to hold out till dawn.
He resumed his march, but try as he
would his steps dragged, faltered, halted,
and he tumbled into the snow. With
whinny the shivering horse fell alongside
him.
With the coming of the gray day, the
wind died into sullen murmur, and the
snow fell lightly, almost caressingly on
the PROSTATE figure.
"Stiddy thar, Ecker cried voice, as
two men came from an abrupt opening,
and toiled along through the drifts.
Gracious, we was wise to make camp
in that ere cross cut, wasn't we ?"
"You said that afore," growled the
other, giving vicious cut to the mule he
was driving and whistling to the dog.
"Hyar, hyar!'
"Hillo, it's man and horse; well, if
it amt Jackson's Clinker and Doc Stan
ley! Whar's the flask? Yon look after
the hoss."
at was high noon when the cavalcade
halted before Lorimer hotel, and Stanley,
rather pale and shaken, was helped into
DR.. Denison's Office. A few words put
Denison in possession of the reasons
for Stanley's delay and after Denison had
telegraphed to Alice, he said:
"Now, could you come aud look on
my patients? The bucket in the ST. Ju-
lion hroka and eioht men ware iniured
among them the owner, who had just
come here. This is his room. Hopeless,
l think"
With all his professional control, Stan
ley could not repress start as he gazed
upon the face of the man lying helple ssly
there.
"John Stanley" said the man, have
you come to gloat over me ?"
"No, Mr. Dunbar, however much you
injured my wife, she and | forgave you
long ago."
James Dunbar looked steadily into
the young mans face.
"Stanley," he said, }" The God whom
once knew has sent you to rue. Send
for lawyer, can restore to her some of
her own"
That night the soul of James Dunbar
passed to it's account, and two days later
DR.. Stanley returned home.
The Joy of Alice can be imagined, but
when in the cozy evening hour, wife and
child beside him, Stanley told her of his
meeting with her uncle, her eyes filed as
abe thought of that terrible ending of the
ill-spont life. "Dear John" she began,