Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-08-31

store Deland 10 life. / cnafed hi.
hands and face. poured brandy down
his throat, breathed into his lev Inns.
and tired to warm his hands ia my
bosom. "
AT last lie stirred and opened his
eyes, but he was delirious, and only
mOaned like al insane man.
What to do with him | did O tknow.
He would die there in that unsheItered
road, and i had nothing with which to
cover him. If he was only where the
stage was, i would put him inside that
and cover him over with the rups. He
could lot walk, and / knew it would
DC hard WORK TO carry him. But at
least, L would make the attempt. /
was a strong fellow in those DAYS, but
II ever you have tried carrying a good
sized man even a quarter of Il mile,
with the snow almost up to your waist,
you know that it is not done SO EASY.
Dozens of times | had to drop him,
aud SIT down in the snow to get breath,
but 4 always rose again and staggered
on. 1t seemed ages to me before I
reached he stage, and succeeded in
getting my burden safely bestowed
therein.
Then there was nothing to do but
wait for neutrality-suspicious. morning.
Asa was still delirious; a fever had SET
IN, and what to do was a question /
could not answer.
When morning dawned it was no
better. Still it showed, and the wind
roared through the trees, and tbs
stage was h~aif-covered in the drifts. T.
hoisted my red handkerchief on one
of the shafts of the vehicle, which | re-
moved for that purpose, hoping il
would attract the attention OF sorna
one, If such a thing happened as any
n passing that way.
Oh, what II Christmas day that wasl
and you may imagine my mental suf-
ferings when my thoughts turned To
my anxious mother and sister, who
had long since expected me home.
l dared not leave Deland to 20 for
assistance, for it was as much as I
could do to keep him where he was:
and if left him lie would stray out ON
the plains, aud freeze 10 death.
The day passed slowly. and when
night came the wind subsidized. +
thought | would try ard gather u
little dry brush from the pines, and
kindle a fire in the foot-stove. which
was carried in the stage; but as / at
tempted to get out Of the stage for
that purpose | slipped, aud l never
knew just how it was done, but nv
leg doubled under me, and when +
tried to rise | knew that it was broken.
1t was not the pain which made me
faint. it was only the shock | felt at
the discovery. There was a long time
when everything was blank, and then
| suppose l must nave partially re.
covered myself, for l remember won-
dering what would become of poor
Deland, and who would have the
partnership.
The next / knew some one was hold
ing my head aud was pouring some
thing hot and fiery down my throat.
Poor fellow" said a voice. which
seemed to come from miles and miles
away; IL guess he's done for"
Then | opened my eyes To see who it
was that was done for. and / saw
Turnbull aud two or three others
standing around.
When next | was conscious l was
lying in the spare chamber at home,
and mother and sister Martha were
crying we me. 1t was q long time
before | could seem TO remember any
thing clearly. but when / did my first
question was to know what had be-
come of Deland.
They told me that he was dead
when the men found me. He was not
inside the stage. but a few rods off.
frozen stiff.
Turnbull had become alarmed for
the safety of the stage when it did not
return the next day, and had set out at
once with a party of men in search OF
it. They had a hard tussle to get to-
the Barrens, and then they wandered
about almost all day before they saw
my signals
Well. l suppose you want to know
about the partnership? got il, for /
had earned it dearly enough, and thu
lumber business has made me "A rich
man.
| retired two years AGO. l am too
old to be troubled with business, and ]
want to pass my few remaining daysiD
peace.
When / die they will bury me beside
Marcie; and | believe that in the next
world all wrongs will be righted, an1
much that has gone awry here will be
Strengthened out there.
/ have tried to do the best / coulf
by every one, and no man has ever
gone from my door cold or hungry.
But there is one thing I always re-
member with peculiar feelings Of
gratitude 10 God. and that is, that i
did my very best to save the life Of
Asa Deland.