News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-02-07

he muttered; "but I'll iist stay hyar til
mornin', anyway"
The sun had gone down behind a BAN
of tawny, purple clouds, and an ash,
pallor overspread the sky.
'Goin' ter have bad weather." Oh
served Joe Scaggs, as they rode through
the fast-gathering darkness.
Late that night Bill punched Joe il
the ribs with his elbow, and said:
"Joe, hits gittin' colder an all gi
out. W've got ter git up an find some
more covers. Gee wh;z listen ter tina
wind l''
Bill got mp, and struck a light ani
put on his clothes.
The weather had suddenly grown in.
tensley cold. and the wind was roaring
across the prairie, and sweeping through
the dead grass with a sharp Missing
sound.
Bill opened the door and looked
ont.
A great gust of wind swept into the
room, whirling cloud of snow flakes
with it and extingulshing the light.
A blizzard ! =" exclaimed Bill,
slamming the door and relighting the
lamp.
Joe had also got up, and was putting
on his clothes.
eve must see ter the hosses," he
said, drawing on his heavy boots.
''They'll freeze ter death in that shed if
they hain't blanketed"
he opened the door and went out,
and in few moments returned.
'The hosses air gone he exclaimed
"broke loose and been driven away by
the blizzard.
Zone Nv US must go after EN-" ex-
claimed Bill. "Hit won't do to lose
'em. They'll die in this storm if they
don't find shelter"
"Yes, an you'd die dozen times fore
ye'd find 'em in this storm"
'Poor animals !" exclaimed Bill, "but
hit can't be helped"
Bill kindled fire in the little sheet
iron stove in the corner.
The air was growing colder and colder
every moment, snd the circle of heat
surge of the wind as it shook the loose
boards on the roof aud sent the sleet and
snow Kissing through the crevices.
The two men drew their chairs near the
stove after replenishing the fame from
pile of coal in the corner of the room.
Morning came at last, gray and desc
late, with binding clouds of snow and
sleet sweeping across the prairie. The
storm showed no sgns of abating, but
was increasing in its fury.
joe" said Bill, breaking the silence,
nobody can't come from Atticy ter-day
and the pervisions thar's nothin' in the
house ter eat"
Joe got up and looked out at the
small window.
''H'it's as ye say, Bill; thar can't no.
body come from Atticy ter-day-"
And then, huskily: "H'it may be week
Tor they can"
The two men looked at each other,
and each read the others thoughts.
Thar can't nobody git nowhar, and
mebby not fer week. Bill, we air in
bad fix.
Bill made no reply, but filed ae1ar1e
black pipe, lit it, sat down by the fire,
and began putting away in silence.
Joe brought more fuel from the corner
and filed up the stove.
The day passed and night came down,
and still the storm ragged and the snow
fell in binding clouds.
1t was at the close of the fifth day,
and neither Bill nor Joe had tasted food
for four days, and as they looked out
across the desolate, snow-covered plain,
their hearts sunk within them.
"Bill," said Joe, huskily, eve can't
hold out much longer. Hitll be more
an a week fore any one could git hyar
or we could git away"
"Yas, an that will be too late," an
swered Bill, an ashy pallor overspread-
ing his thin face.
The next morning Joe arose, kindled
the fire in the little stove, and sat down
in silence.
Bill did not get up, but remained in
bed, a pinched look settling over his
features. 1t was getting late in the af-
ternoon when he called Joe to the bed
side.
"Joo." he said, feebly, "I h'ain't got
much longer ter stay with We. This
yere cold is freezin my thin blood, an
I'm gittin' weaker an weaker.
"Come, come, Bill !' SAID Joe, great
lump rising in his throat. "Cheer up,
mebby somethin' Il turn up; mebby-'
"Tain't no use. Joe. We've all got
ter go sometime. 'Tain't no use III
hopin' when thar h amt nothin' ter ex-
pect.
Joe made no reply STOPPING down,
presently he drew little box from I'M
der the bed and took out small piece
of dry, hard brea and laid it by the side
of Bill.
"I saved hit fer We, Bill" he said,
turning away.
Mono p said Bill; "h'it's better
fer one nv us ter go an both NV us. Meb-
by, as ye say, somethin' II turn up,
A muff1ed sound like footsteps in the
snow came from the outside, and some
thing like the sound of human voice
mingled with the kissing wind
Joe listened, but the sound was no
repeated. He opened the door and look
ed out.
a few feet from the threshold, hal
buried in the drifting snow was the
prostate figure of a man, a large
bundle of something ut his side. A mo
ment, and Joe was STOPPING over th
PROSTATE figure. He shook him but he
did not speak. Then by series of he
roic efforts he dragged the unconscious
man into the dug-out AS he did so :
bundle that was strapped about the
shoulders of the unfortunate became de
tached, and rolled over on the floor, dis
pI.~ing a small bag of flower and {
chInck of bacon.
"HIes John Biggs come backl' ex
claimed Joe; "an' he's brought enough
pervisions to carry US through, thanh
God but, pore feller, he's almost done
fer p'
He hurriedly stirred up the fire in th,
little stove, and then turning to the un
conscious man, he brushed the snow
from his wan face.
"Bill," he said, starting with surprise
chit amt John Biggs-h'it's the claim
jumper. He's saved our lives, Bill, an
after we was goin' ter run him away"
"My God % exclaimed Bill, struggling
feebly out of the bed, new strength
coming to his feeble frame. "We mus
save him, Joe, if he h'aint already dead
We mustn't let him die"
The two men, shivering with cold anC
weak from hunger, worked as they neve
worked before. By their combined eff
forts, they lifed the poor frozen squatte
/ from the floor and laid him tenderly il
their only bed.
He opened his eyes and muttere,
something in an incoherent manner
The two men bent over him and list
| ened.
"H'it amt much farther" he NUT
tered. ST heard 'em say they didn'
/ have nothin' to eat over thar-an' TX
Dover, hits yer dooty ter help 'em-
No-no-they wur goin' ter run me o.
hit can't be much farther Oh,
1 could only sleep little-h'it amt col
now"
Joe took hold of his hands and he'll,
! them in his own. They we're frozen a