Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-01-11
then the beastly storm. whcr

tho men went out to cut wood h& aid not
90, "he was not wood-chopper;" and
when the little woman asked him IL he
was going with the men in search of
some food he declined with thanks in
no very gentle tone of voice, asking her
If she Thought him fool" Some OF
the male members OF the company kind
of clenched their fists as they heard his
harsh answer TO her and saw the paint
on expression on her sweet face, but
said nothing, only muttering OF some
thing like 'pitch him in a snow-drift,"
at which his lordship glared around, but
no one flinched.
There was another young man in the
party who attracted attention, but not
in the same way as the escort of the
schoolmarm. When anyone suggested
anything that promised relief, he was
volunteer to try it; he cut wood for n
while and then came back and took
snow in the water cooler to the engine
and melted it for drinking water for
those in the car, and did dozen other
little things TO smooth over the dis
comforts of the time. One thing was
noticeable, he studiously avoided tho
little schoolmarm and her escort. When
the escort noticed him working away
his blonde mustache was seen to curl,
which proved that the lip that bore it
was sneering. The little schoolmarm
looked rather strange at times ut the
active young man, and when they
CHANGED to come near each other,
which was seldom, she avoided his
glance.
The hours of the night wore slowly
away, the men worked in relays at
chopping wood, party with one axe, in
the woods chopping, another party with
the other axe was in the baggage car
cutting the wood into proper length to
go into the stoves.
The active young man had helped
pull up the car seats and arrange them
into touches for the ladies, as being
more comfortable and easy than the
seats proper, and he kept bringing in
large armfuls of wood TO put into the
stoves. The escort was walking up and
down like bear in u cage, growing
and everybody's way; he walked from
one car ITO another and kept the doors
on the swing, letting in lots of cold air
and letting everybody know he was
most duced hungry. Somebody sug-
gested to him that there was plenty of
snow, and TO help himself. He tried to
annihilate the offender with Il glance.
The escort went into the baggage car
10 watch them chop wood; box stood
in his way and in passing he CHANGED to
strike his foot against il, this provoked
him and he gave IL a hard kick for
spite. The kick crushed in the side of
the box and out rolled n cracker! This
| discovery was hailed with delight.
Here's co." exclaimed the escort,
81 don't care who they belong to, I'm
going TO help myself. Come, gentle
men. help yourselves and take some in
TO the ladies"
There was no hesitation under the
circumstances; they considered them
selves justified, and the crackers quick
ly vanished out of the box. The bag
gage-master smiled quiet smile when
he looked on the box and saw tho
name Of the person to whom it was
being shipped. The escort after his
supper of crackers. took the warmest
and best seat by tho stove, and went to
| sleep.
The gray dawn began to appear
| through the still driving snow, and
| those who had been sleeping began to
rouse from their iitful slumbers. All
! looked wan and haggard. Several OF
the ladies had been utterly Frustrated
! from the cold, hunger and worry.
| Something must be done. 1t was sug-
| gested to make another attempt TO fad
a house, but the bravest looked out at
the binding, biting storm, and shrunk
back. The active young man looked
out at the storm and doliberated few
moments, then he bIttoned up his coat,
! pulled his cap down over his ears, put
on his gloves, and prepared TO start
out. "Where are you going?" was
asked by several al am going to find
something for the relief of these sick
women or get frozen, | don't know
which" So saying he opened the door
and disappeared in the storm without
! The little schoolmarm uttered half
articulate cry, and stretched forth her
| hand as il to detain him, bat he did not
see or hear her, ana those who saw her,
thought that it WIS from natural dis
like TO soc anyone expose themselves
to danger. The weary hours of anoth-
er day began TO drag along. Those
who had not forgotten to wind up their
watches tho night before, said that it
was near noon, and the active young
man had not returned. Some thought
that he had fallen in drift and been
frozen, others guessed that he had
found shelter, but would not
venture out again. The little school
marin looked sober and anxious,
and moro than once suspicious
moisture might have been detected in
her bright eyes. She went and con-
versed with her escort in a low tone,
but he evidently was out OF sorts and
spoke very gruflly and said, as he hand
ed her some crackers, IF you are hun
cry eat those" He had filled his pock-
cts with the crackers. She gave the
crackers 10 a child and looked at him
with unutterable scorn, as she said, IF
you are not man enough TO go, | will"
She blttone1 her jacket up TO her dim
pied chin, and throwing shawl around
her shoulders was about TO step out of
the door, when one OF the men near her
laid OBTAINING hand upon her arm.
and asked what she was about TO dop
81 am going out to search for the young
man who went out some time ago, as
mn ono olco will ~ Urhio ,paS too ,n,,ok