River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-06-20

II shall be fiery lonesome, TO Iii
alone some mOre," said poor Pete
Il shall haf those new neighbOrs, but
nobody in my own house"
Perhaps it will be pleasanter thar
ever" | said, "who knows?"
'.No."
You will have two neighbors in.
stead of one"
Yes. two neighbors instead of one
friend.
You can go over to Chris house
after the days work is done. and sit
and talk with him and his wife"
But shall hat to begin TO cook
again on my turf stole"
Perhaps not, perhaps she will be
very kind to you. She will cook
bread for you. and she will get you tC
help her set out vines and flowers, aud
fence in little front yard tor your two
houses, and plant treel"
Perhaps"
And if you are sick, she and Chris
will take care of you"
Yes
'And Sundays. when they drive over
to knudtsen's 20 meeting, they will
take you too, and then you can see
some OF the people that came from
. your town al home"
Perhaps" said the old man. 1--WE
shall see when she does come. Irather
haf Chris alone for my friend, and moi
liz all alone in my house"
/ Chris made a fine bargain for a
mule. "A large. strong. gentle creature,
that belonged to farmer few miles
west WhO was selling out" and pre-
7 pairing 70 get back to Ohio. AnG then
/ the wiLter set iu-cold and clustering.
The road Chris travelled in going TO
the pos -Otiice lay past my house. He
c.lmc Ly every Wednesday-that ]
Judged. WAS the day when his Mime
sofa mail came in. No rain, no snow,
no sleet, no cold. deferred him from
traye:ing three miles on Wednesdays
to get his letters II JaclS-that was
his male could make his way. Chris
/ drove. II not, Chris walked.
He .ras not particularly cOmmunica-
/ tive. like Pete. and although he often
| stopped on his way to rest awhile at
ny barn, he had never said any thing
10 me Of his plans. One day-a
Wednesday in April-the snow was
three feet deep. The white flakes were
still falling slowly and steadily Chris
had passed in the morning on his way
to the Office. and though it was now
past three o'clock and already begin
ming to grow dark, he had not been
/ seen returning.
Chris must have decided to stay
away tonight" l said to my foreman.
as we stood in the barn door, watching
the falling snow. The wind is rising.
] dare say he was afraid to risk it. j"
1t grew dark fast and the wind kept
rising. The air was full of the flying
flakes. 1t was no longer showing. but
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 viii 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 few little birds were
hopping merrily about on the snow.
That was Thursday morning. Friday
came and passed. and we heard moth
inc Of Chris. But early on Saturday
there came . knock at my door, and
who should come in but Pete. The
old man was nearly exhausted. He
,,rOpped into a chair and said nothing
for moment.
so Chris went down Wednesday
did hep" | said.
Yes
Did he get back?'
Yes
THAT same day?"
Yes"
.'Alive?"
Yes"
is he all right now?n
No
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
al Pete's door, too benumbed even to
knock. There Pete found him, took
him in, aud had been caring for him
ever since. without assistance
'.He is ferry weak STILL" said Pete;
The can not sit up. And he did get a
letter on Wednesday from Minnesota.
Hilda SAYS she shall be here to-day
aud tell Chris to meet her SO he haf
TO send me.
You are not fit to walk thePe." |
said. I'm going down, you can ride
with me
20 before long we were on our way.
We reached the station half hour be-
fore the train arrived. and it was easy
to see that Pete was not sorry to know
that help was coming. He went over
TO the house Of the Norw egian mis-
sionary to see If he would go back to
marry Chris aud Hilda, and then we
heard the shrek Of the engine, and the
long train rolled in.
Pete was standing on the platform,
his long fur-caP pulled down over his
ears. his hands thrust into tho pockets
of his coat that reached the ground.
lie wa= as stiff rs an image.
Several passenger alighted, and !
was BEGINNING 10 wonder which OF
them we were TO carry back, when
suddenly Pete gave great shout,
dashed among them. and threw his
arms about young girl.
lit are Ola" he cried. 1T are my
own Ola
And sure enough IL was. The peo-
pie looked from the car windows and
smiled. rs The train moved away. and
Pete was too much excited TO say
any ,ling but 1T are Ola, it are
/ Ola
Aud no one was more surprised than
Ola herself Hilda had dreaded the
I lonely journey. ard had persuaded her
! friend Ola 60 come. too. and keep her
I company. and make visit.
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