Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-03-13

hear what he was trying to say.
"D,l. lie whispered, IF the worst comes,
I'd lik" nv father To know. His name is Ed.
ward Payson of No. l'er!.:i Beacon street. Nv
name is George. ] haven't mad. the most OF
my life. and the poor old man is put out with
me now. Then there were others"
But Bostons voice sank and he fell again
into lpthargic sumber.
Bill lit a pipe and amused himself by fire.
quent strrinES an pohngs at the fire. which
the wind tried 70 SICK Mp and out. The sick
man 5 liz ting "reminiscences of his broken
past had suggested to Bil's waverng mind
his own bitter retrOspcctiOns. Presently he
became conscious that the silence had in
some way deepened-that hitherto unnoticed
noise had ceased $50 the ear will become
! conscious of the presence of 4 clock by the
cessation of its ticking). Bill went to the
bed. 1t was BoSton's breathing that had
stopped! A sudden terror took possession
of the watcher. lie felt he could not remain
alone with that dead man and listen to the
hideous wind. He threw his coat about him,
pulled his hat over his ears, and then fled
from the place.
The drifts were terrible, and the seet that
beat upon his face was like the touch of
death. The light of the railroad station
shOne through the storm, and toward this he
struggled. The sleepy operator In the tele-
graph room started up in astonishment at
the huge, snOw-c0vered figure that staggered
into the room.
MY pardner is dead. l wanter send .
telegraf to Boston. What'll it take?'
''HOw many wO7ds?'
81 don't KNOW said Bill. I'm not up TO
this layout Of yOurn. What's the limit?''
Just write out
| write out?' said Bill, grimly. 20, no:
I'm no purfessor in a college. Just you
write exactly what l tell you"
"All right"
Just say" began Bill, "'Edward Payson,
No. ls3 Beacon street, Boston, Got that
DOWN.
deacon street. Boston, yes" said the ope-
ratOr.
Bill continued: II take my pen in hand
| -"
NO" said the other. Cut all that"
I'VE see," said Bill, alphabetically, II
wanter to break the news to the old gent
However, you know best. Just say that his
George died here tonight Of newmony. Kin
ye send that word by telegraph"
The operator read:
Deadwood, Feb. g 1s7s-To Edward Payson,
12s3 Beacon street, Boston. Mass: Your son
George died here tonight Of pneumonia. will
bury him here and await your S Sf! Rs..,.,.
That's right I'll have him buried here
till the old man comes. Now, young Teller,
I'm dead broke, but | tell you what I'll do
Here's my gun. Ill leave it in hook with
you till | make raise. Is 1t bargan!'
The operator was glad to Oblige Mr.. Rags
dale and told him that the arrangement was
entirely satisfactory. Bill stood by the stove
moment.
"Poor Boston" he muttered, poor Bos-
ton. A man can't tell when his turns COM
In" Then he passed out into the storm
and the wind changed the door after him.
|
By 6 O'Clock in the morning the storm had
ceased, and party of miners, passing along
the railroad track, found not 100 yards from
the station the dead body of Bill Ragsdale
! 1t was frozen stiff, but two rough holes in his
forehead showed that he had not died from
exposure. A few hours later DR.. Morgan
rode stalwart broncho as far up the gulch
as he could. then dismOunted, and, after
great difficulty, reached the door of Boston's
cabin. lie entered and found Boston the
only occupant There were only few embers
on the hearth. lie uttered an exclamation
and turned to the bed. Boston made slight
motion with his head and asked feebly:
"Where's Bill?'
II don't KNOW" said the doctor. "Iow do
you feel to-day?'
Better, but was very bad last night"
The doctor blew up the embers, put on more
wood, tucked the blankets about Boston,
and began looking for something to cook.
FLOWS the chest and back% he asked.
wary little pain" said Boston. II won
Aar ybaro ;s
the manufacture Of broth and did not hear
him. He administered some medicine and
gave the patient two applications. 1.-The
turning point is passed" he said to his pa.
tient you're bound to get well noww Then
he returned to town, but came back tn the
afternoon with Col. Molly and q supply Of
provisions. Don't tell him about Bill" he
cautioned. The next day he called again.
Col Molly was sleeping in corner and Bos-
ton was sitting up in bed. In two days more
Molly came back to town and Boston. pale
and very weak, was walking about the
cabin. He had heard Of Bilrs death, and
turned down another sOmbre leaf in his book
OF memories. The terrible storm had swept
down the telegraph wires, and among the de-
layed messages received by the operator
about week after Bill's death was the fol-
lowing:
| Boston. Fob. g. lS7a-BiI Ragsdale, Dead.
Eooo: George Pays0n's father Is dead. All
bills will be paid. viii come in the spring;
All the operator could do was to return
word tn Mr. Scranton that mi R.oedoie ,Vo
dead. In the meantime George Pavson re-
covered from his convaIcscsnss and began a
mora earnest and svstnmatjc life He loft
the town and secured n nosItion in a stamn-
mill. a abort distance away and the snrinp
found him there graver With a few nrama.
ture prav threads in his heard Some secret
hone Seemed N huov him nm and coma reroI.
lection. which conid not have hnen ali a
| main. lived with him and kent fire. IN his
eve and viyacitv In his sneech.
One raw Anril dav. when the snow law IN
| irregular matched ovor Tho ground .rd tho
mist rolled slowly mn the sides NJ the noun.
| tains the STAGE inmher;no oIono Tho muddy
street had in II two tn veie-s of an nnwontad
tvne rh. II. rsrs sr,o,,inn ~, ths 5000
! Of the hotel held their breathe With amaze
ment a thew cav a comeIv old gentleman
descend and hand ont with ali the nnctnons
grace of the old school. a Iadv % beautiful
| 90 pensiye and Young that she seemed Ike
one OF the pale flowers pushing its head nm
through the snow In the barren woods Rnt
the rapid inquiries a. 10 their identity left
| natives no wiser and thew were ohIi1ed IN
sleep on the mysterv. The next morning
however the keeper of the hotel came m the
veranda with a niece of possin. The old
gentleman had sent for him and made spe.
| cial INQUIRIES after one George Payson. who
| d;oI g. noA-,.-.