Oxford eagle., 1889-06-13

u
in the field They were great friends.
and were no small help 20 one another.
Chris provided all the food for both.
and beyond that neither OF them had
to spend much money Chris plan.
as learned from Pete one day. was
10 Get every thing in readiness for the
spring work-his Oxn dug finished.
a still rIlder dug-out made for the
mule. the necessary tools and in-tru-
ments laid in he meant 10 buy a
mule then. cheap. and keep him over
the winter. Very early in the spring
here Pete's voice failed him little
Chris was to be married
Il shall be ferry lonesome. 70 lH
alone some more said poor Pete.
Il shall haf those new neighhors. but
nobody in my own house.
Perhaps it will be pleasanter than
ever. said. who knowss'
Mo-
You will have two neighbors in
stead OF one
Yes. two reiShbors instead OF one
friend
You can 90 over 70 Chris house
after the days work i done. and sit
and talk with him and his wife
But | shall haf 70 begin TO cook
again on my turf s;OSe-"
Perhaps nos. perhaps she will be
very kind to you She will cook
bread for you. and she viii ct you To
help her set ont vines and towers. and
fence in little frOns yard tor your two
houses. and plant sr-~S-
Perhaps
"And IL you are sick. sh. and Chris
viii take care 0f yosA-
Yes
And Sundays. when they drive OEsr
% knGdts.-n's to meeting. they will
take you too. and then you can see
some OF the people tha. came from
your toSn AZ hon@-
Perhaps" said ths. old nan. We
shall see when she do..- CONE Irarhsr
haf Chris alone for my frssaI. and nc.
lif all alone ia my hous.~
Chris made 4 sne bargain for a
mule. large. ssrOag. gentle creature.
that belonged to 4 farmer a tex miles
west Who was selling Out~ and pre-
pairing to s-t bark 70 Oaio4 And then
the winter set ia-sold and clustering.
The road Chris travelled in going to
the post-ofti'''s lay pas: nv house. He
came By every wedn.sssay-that. I
Judged was the day when his Mime
sofa mail came in No rain. No snow.
no sieet. no cold. deferred him from
travelling three miles o1 Wednesdays
to get his letters lf Jaek-that was
his mule-so9lt make his ~ay. Chris
drove IL not. Chris walked
He Wa not particularly eonnunic..-
tive. like Pete. and although he often
stopped On his waF 10 r,-st awhile n
my haru- he had never said any thing
to me- Of his plans Que dav-a
Wednesday in ApriI-the snow wa
three feet deep. The white fakes were
still falling slowly and steadily. Chris
had passed in the morning on his wav
to the Office. and though it was now
past three o'clock and already begin
ming 20 grow dark. he hal not been
seen returning.
Chris must have decided 10 s.av
away tonight | said ID my foreman.
n We stood in the barn door. watching
the falling snow The wind Is rising.
| dare say he was afraid to risk it
IL grew dark fast and the wind kept
rising. The air was full Of th. ayIn-
fakes 1t WAS no longer showing. bu,
the wind drove the white drifts about
like clouds. and it grew colder and
colder.
We made every thing snug. and shut
ourselves up for the night.
1t Is the last storm Of the year. we
said Spring is here. and when this
snow Is gone the sod will turn green
and the trees put out their leaves. and
winter will be over
The wind howled drearily all night.
But in the morning it had died away.
and the sun was shining warm and
friendly. and n few little birds were
hopping merrily about on the snow.
That was Thursday morning. Fridav
came and passed. and we heard moth
ing OF Chris But early on SATURDAY.
there came a knock at my door. and
who should come in but Pete. The
old man was nearly exhausted He
dropped into a chair and said nothing
for 4 moment
so Chris went down Wednesday.
did hes" said
Yes.
did he get backar
Yes
That same day-
Yes
''AIives'
Yes
is he all right now7-
Mo-
And then Pete told how Chris had.
on that Wednesday afternoon. started
for home; Of his struggle with the
storm. how again and again he fell
from sheer weakness. and then rose
and fought his way on until he dropped
at Pese's door. too beauubed even 20
knock There Pete found him. took
him in, and had been caring foe him
ever since. without assistance.
He Is ferry weak still said Pete.
ne can not sit up Aud he did get a
letter on Wednesday from Minnesota