Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-04-18

self. mebbe. But now, goodbye,
and he started for the door. "Youns
man." said Big Mike, stepping between
Jonas and the door, Its nOthin' more
nor less than rank suicide fer you t.
venture out on the prairie tonight. The
StatOotS don't pervide fer mans ma,
king fool of himself, an you stays
here. Don't he, bOyS?'
Yes. SIR" said the men heartily.
mo, sir; | am going. can catch to-
morrow nights Eastbound train at the
railway station. and in three days shall
know the truth. Oh, that L had not
trusted that villain" and Jonas hid his
! face in his hands.
But, man, you can't live three hours
in this blizzard, and you will surely
lose your way
mo, won't. I've lived here too long
for that Let me GO
! Big Mike did not prevent it, and the
man passed out into the night. The
group looked blankly at one another.
The cool man was the first to speak:
BOYS, we must follow him." All
seemed to have come to the same con-
clusion, for they dOnned their "slickerS'
without a word, and soon were breasting
the storm.
A terrific gale was sweeping down
from the north, and they must travel
in its teeth. Spreading out in line
few feet apart they took their way
slowly against the sleet and snow
across the plain. They had travelled
perhaps mile without finding the COM
rade whom they expected would fall ex-
hausted by that distance, when sudden
" a long-drawn wall came to their ears.
They stopped. Again it came, pitt
full shrek of woe, riding on the north
winds back. They pushed on more
rapidly than before. After few mo-
ments the cries became clearer, and
then bulky mass lOomed up in the
night, and they recognized the stage
with its horses. Bewildered, numb and
frightened, the driver was crying for
aid, hoping that some traveller might
hear him.
Hello! Jake!" cried Big Mike, as the
men came up. "Are We loSt?"
"Y-yes, was the response of the young
driver.
"GOt any passengers"
"Y-yes; One-a woman"
"Waal, crawl in boys, an We'll pilot
him back"
The little rescuing party was only too
glad to Chamber into the stage with its
passenger huddled into one corner, and
give up what they now considered
wild goose chase-that of hunting
man who was determined to lose HIM
self.
In few moments the tired four-in-
hand had halted at the station and the
numbed party was crOwding around the
generous fire. The one passenger proved
to be bright little body who was
straightway voted "a trump on ac-
count of her grit in standing the cold
and danger. In few moments she
had told them how she had travelled all
the way from New Jersey alone and was
going to her brother, ranchman who
lived fifty miles southeast at the very
end of the stage line.
She had scarcely finished her story
when there was another rattling at the
door, and with surprise the herders saw
that it was the lost settler.
81 can't make it boys" almost sobbed
Jonas, as he staggered up to the fire. 81
lost the trail and had to come back. But
l did want to see Katie so bad"
Jonas Smart" said Big Mike, rough
ly, "yOu are chump. Why don't you
have some sense and not" But he
did not get any further. The CHEEKY
little woman on the other side of the
store came across the store and slipped
down by Jonas knee.
"Perhaps," she said, sbyly, "yOu won't
have to go far"
Like one possessed, Jonas looked at her
and then in front of all his comrades
clasped her to his heart.
''Forgiye me, darling" said he, sit
was not my fault"
She did forgive him. The stOre-keep
er's wife fixed her up room for the
night and the next day they talked it
all over; how she had waited and hoped
for his coming; how her family had be-
come broken up and how she was on
her way to her brothers ranch, con-
vinced that her former lover was dead.
She did not go, at least, for some
and then she was not Katie,
but Mrs. Jonas Smart.
And to this day the cowboys on the
prairie will tell you of the strange events |
of what they call Jonas Easter.