Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-08
PROLOGUE.
CHAPTER dead IN TIE Snow

CHAPTER DEAD N TIE SNOW.
The night that was passing away had
been a bitter ard boisterous one. With
the fall of the sun a northeast wind had
arisen. whose touch vas as sharp as a
knife on the skin, and whose cold breath
presaged a snowfall. Nor was the
prophecy OF the icy blast false one, for
some hours later the white moon and the
gllttering stars were yelled by an impen
etrable curtain Of mist and the snow was
falling in thick, closely arranged and
amending white lines upon the black,
wintry landscape and cherries, thin ly
Irequenred streets.
In the dark, quiet, unlighted country
places the pitiless rain OF snow fell quite
unheard, almost unseen; but within the
gas-lit town, beneath street lamp, one
could see the ever down-Tushing lines of
white discs, flake following fake in quick
succession and orderly array, the flmy
ice stars flashing in the light like a white
shower of newly minted silver coin.
And all through the long night the in
Vulnerable hosts OF the Snow King had
continued TO descend upon the earth;
apd the strong wind that still lived in
gustful way swept hither and thither the
big stars of snow, tossing them this way,
that, as if in sport, and laughing Justify
at the merriment itself made.
But the night was near spent now and
the day was at hand The wind had
ceased its buster, the white rain fell no
more, and the moon, so long hidden,
sailed now in cloudless skies.
What a contrast between the beauty
and peace of that white morn and the
black, bitter, biowy, snowy night now
passing away.
The bright moonlight flooded country
side and town, housetop and street, re-
vealing p sea of snow, which stretched
white billow upon white billow away as
far as the eye could reach. AS yet no
sound broke the stiffness of the coming
day; the world still slept; and no rush of
feet had marred the luster and purity OF
the encompassing snow.
Another hour passed; the moon sank
lower in the heavens, and then the little
microcOsm of Warrington began TO show
signs of life again. The pioneers of this
return TO consciousness and activity
were those humble individuals, the
'knockers-up, OF whom the little
town kept several-to-wit, a man with q
wooden leg, a blind man, an ancient
dame of over seventy years, and two or
three others who had the full complement
OF limbs and senses.
1t was between five and six o clock
now, and for two or three hours or more
the knockers-up had been briskly plying
their vocation in the bystreets of the
town where the artisan population Of the
place lived
ShOd in an old pair of Wellington
boots, and clad in q soft felt hat, REFER
jacket and short linsey petticoRt, the old
lady aforesaid sped hither and thither,
beating sharp and peremptory rata
tat-tat with her long rod upon the upper
windows OF the houses in which her sleep
ing clients lay.
The blind man and his dog went more
slowly about their business of rousing
the workpeople from slumber than either
Nanny Sedden or "Peg-I legged Dick,
nut his work was done quite as surely.
The shaggy coated retriever knew every
house his master had to call at, and
when the intelligent animal came to a
standstill beside a door the sightless man
would thunder upon the panels with his
stick, crying out Immediately after
wards, in his deep, sonOrOus bass voice,
the hour of the morn. And then, when
The inmates had sleepily answered his
summons TO arise, the dog would walk
away with the man shuffling at its
heels
When the steam whistle at Blundeil's
colliery rang out with @ hoarse, strident
roar, filling the air for a couple of miles
around with deep vibrations, and an
nouncing the half-hour before six a. m.
the principal thorOughfsre of Warning |
ton, Mitigate, was as crowded almost as |
il would be at MONDAY.
Down each side OF the snow covered |
street hundreds OF mill girls aud scores |
Of white trousered cotton operatives hur- |
ried, their feet falling noiselessly almost |
upon the pavement. The elder portion |
Of the stream OF workers seemed eager |
10 get out of the snow and to their work |
SIS quickly as possible, wheaeas the lads |
and lasses appeared 10 be bent on enjoy |
ing themselves, for they were running |
about uproariously amid the snow, and |
pelting one another with snowballs.
And what peal Of hearty laughter /
rang out when some frolicsome lad OF
maid was tripped up and sent spraHling |
IN the deep, soft snow.
By and by, as the minutes sped past,
and the hour of six approached, the |
hurrying stream of workers grew thin
ner and the street was once more assum-
ing a deserted aspect. The moon was
now sinking behind the housetops and
the gas lamps were again shining
clearly.
Down Mitigate couple OF comely mill
girls were going, picking their way care
fully through the snow in order not 70
soil the brightness OF their polished clogs
and snowy-hued stockings They were
engaged in earnest conversation.
$50 this is yo're last day in t factory,
Pollyf' one OF them said to the other.
LAY. Jim an me are to be married |
mex Sunday, an he ses ali shall hev
unuff to do TO mahnd tn heause.
wanted toe keep on workln for a bit
lunger, but he wouldn't let me,
Nancy
"Jim's a sensible chap, an 1 wish
there was mOour lshke him, - the young
lass called Nancy cried. "Some chaps
on y get wed. it seems toe me, to make
their VALVES keep 'em.
The speaker, though still in her teens,