The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-20

'JnSt you BQu mere zen nlt)luteS
way to join q Christmas party at the house
of her uncle. Mr. Dolliver. some seven
miles from the station. and I. invited to the
same house. had been delighted to meet
her on the train. We were good friends,
and had studied art together in Paris.
When we left the city In q morning train a
little snow was beginning to fall. and as
we journeyed northward we found tho
snowfall heavier and heavier. and we had
arrived at this little village of Boynton at
o'clock in the afternoon, an hour behind
time.
From Boynton to the Dolliver house we
were to go by q stage coach, but the stage
driver had left moro than an hour previ-
ously hurrying away before his ord, nary
time of starting for fear the road would be
blocked up before he could get to his home.
q good twelve miles away, and assuring
himself that there would be no passengers
for him on such q day.
1t was reasonable enough that We should
be perplexed. for we could not see. nor at
first could the ststion-master see, how We
were to get to our journeys end that day.
If We would wait until next day, he told
us. the stage-driver would be back IN
sleigh. He said he would be sure to come
for Christmas packages. If NOT for passen-
gers. But we could not wait until next
day. Ii would be better to return to the
city on the next down train. IL. happily.
one should come. We could not hope that
the Delivers would send for as, for if they
saw the stage pass without stopping, they
would be sure we had not come by the
train.
The station-master was q good man. and
did his best to get us out of our trouble.
He had doubts about another train coming
down that day-it was branch road. with
one track-and he thought it would be a
great pity if the DoIlivers should be de-
prived of the company of two of their
Christmas guests. "A lot of them bad come
up the day before. Nobody in the village
made business of hiring ont vehicles or
carrying passengers, but an idea had
struck the statIon-master, and he had gone
out to see what he could do with it.
In about o quarter of an hour he re-
turned.
well. sir" he said, "there Is just one
thing you can DO. There isn't any body In
this village who will go to Delivers to-
day, for there Is no chance of getting back
tonight. but the man who keeps the store
here, Mr.. Peter Chase. has got horse and
sleigh, and If you CHOOSE to hire that of him
and do your own driving. 1 think you can
get it if you are willing to pay him some
thing extra. for he'll have to send man
over tomorrow with the stage driver to
bring it back. and besides. in rough times
like these people always charge something
extra"
put the matter before Miss Weldon. and
she did not hesitate to say that rather than
take the risk of being obliged to remain In
the village. where there were no accommo-
dations for strangers, she would take the
risk of letting me drive her to the Dolli-
vers.
1T 10 only seven miles," she said, "and if
the horse is good enough don't see what
there is to happen"
Itramped through the snow to Peter
Chase's store, and quickly arranged with
him for the hire of his horse and sleigh.
Five dollars may seem a good deal, sir"
he said. "for q trip like that. but this is q
pretty deep snow. and we all ought to re-
member that Christmas comes but once a
year. I'll have the sleigh around at the
station in ten minutes"
In half an hour little sleigh. drawn by
big brown horse. came up to the back
door of the station.
Il would have been here sooner" said
Mr.. Chase. but it was a good while before
could find the bells. and / knowed you
wouldn't want to take q Christmas sleigh
ride without bells"
did not complain of the delay. although
had been getting dreadfully impatient.
The station-master had had a telegram
from ND the line. stating that a down train
with snow-plough was on its way. and I
was very much afraid that Miss Weldon
would conclude TO wait and take this train
back TO the city. So without loss of time
webundled in. The Christma as minded Nh.
Chase had brought two heavy fur robes
our valises were packed in behind. the
sleigh being of the box variety. aud we
were ready.
There is no mistaking the way" said Mr..
Chase. "You go straight ahead until you
come to the house."
(which / know perfectly WE'LL" added
Miss Weldon. and away we jingled.
The snow was still falling. but we did
not mind that. and now that we had started
off was glad that Mr.. Chase had waited
To find the bells. The merry jingle suited
my spirits we'll. A jolly sleigh ride with
Clara Weldon was more enjoyment than /
had counted on for this Christmas.
young man and q young woman, both
of lively dispositions, good friends, fellow
workers. and nothing more. are much more