The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-08-05

The girl must be plucky one, too.
Hum! hum" And the boss looked &C
the ceiling aud blew smoke rings In
pcnsiyc way nc some times had.
There wasn't man on the ranch who
didn't hate to sc Hon 60, and who
wasn't honestly glad at his good fortune.
.,,u ;..S :.::.ss.u;;nropic roscy evin nced
not little regret as he said good. by TO
him, when, the morning after Thanks
giving, Hen sat on his brouco all ready
TO start for Jersey, tho railroad town to
the cast of US.
II was beautiful morning. slmos'
like spring, and Hen couldn't have
wished for better day to start on. Ths
last good-by said, he Strengthened up,
sniffed the cool breeze, looked to see that
everything waas all right, and with an
"Adios, boys" was of, waving his hand
in acknowledgment OF the rousing cheer
we gave him as he reached the top OF the
hill across the creek.
Jersey was only twenty odd miles
away, and Hen expected to arrive there
at noon, in time to get his dinner, dis
pose Of his bronco and make the 2
o'clock train East. There was plenty Of
time. so he let his horse take its own
gait, and gave himself up to his
thoughts.
Going home, Home! How sweet
the word sounded Five years-only
five, but they seemed twice an many. He
wondered how he had ever managed to
live through them. The first two had
not been so hard. He had been full OF
hope and vigor and had told himself 10
was only little while-only little
while. Then when the reward for all
his toll seemed to be no less distant than
at first, it was hard. Sometimes he had
thought he would give it up aud 20
home to confess himself beaten; then the
picture Of the little brown eyed girl who
lot-tho little girl who, through her
tears, had told him to be brave and pa
tient and all would be well-would come
before him and he would set his teeth
hard and "pitch" in again. Maybe it
had soured him bit. lIo wondered It
sometimes ne had not been rather unso.
ciaJlc, and rather poor company for his
companions, and concluded he had.
Ills thoughts turned again to Molly.
How pretty and sad she had looked with
the tears on her pink checks that day
(for somehow he couldn't for the life of
him think Of her except rs she looked
when he saw her last). He remembered
how conscious he had been that she was
watching him as he went down the road,
and how hc dared not look back for fear
his courage would give out. And just to
think Only few days more, and
"Hullo, Wa.al, I'll bc teetotally dog
goned"
The wind had shifted around into tho
north; dull gray clodas hid the blue aud
gold that hed made the early day SO fair;
two or thrcc flakes Of snow were visible
now aud then. 1t was one OF these
striking Hen on the cheek that caused
him to rein up his horse so suddenly and
make the above incleCant remark.
Not II living creature wts in sight on
all the broad plain. Hen and his horse
were Ms much alone rs if they had been
on the open sea. Human habit,tion, be.
tween the 81, bar" and Jersey, there
were mono. Hen dismountcd and laid
his ear to the ground, and listened in.
tcntIy for few seconds. Ycs-thcre it
was-that dull, Whispering, indistiHot
roar, which the painsman knows and
fcars-thc voice or the coming blizzard
The horse heard it, or felt it, aud turned
his head toward his master, whnnying
softly.
eyes, or boy, it's comm all right
'nough." said Hen, as he rose from the
ground, can men you's got t hustle II
hull lot, Mister Pokcy, Let 'cr slide, or
chap, reckon we en- make it,"
Only twelve miles or 40, and get Hen
knew that the blizzard might "vcrtakc
him before he had travelled four He
urged his horse faster, knowing the faith
, Jul animal could easily stand the work.
rr-,ss growing rapidly colder, and the
"" "aNcs "s snow were being followed
ny countless th"us~ads The wind was
increasing III velocity, mud Hen, bend
ing low over his horses neck, could
hear the vicious "swish-swish of the
snow rs it was hurled through the grass
and along the ground. Very soon it was
impossible to see more than a huldre,l
yards or so ahead, but Hen knew tho
| general direction, and for safety's sake
was heading for the stage road leading
into Jersey from the south west.
On and on they went, Pokcy, alive to
the situation, pounding along at his top
travelling speed, steady as a clock. On
and on came the storm, covering horse
and rider with snow rs iiuc as flour,
unit! they looked like ghosts. Hen,
leaning back to get his overcoat, lost the
! direction, but hc had full faith in Pokcv,
! and kmaw tha: ,iie little animal would do
better without any plotting.
How cold it was! Hens hands and
toes were like Jumps of ice worse, they
had hardly any feeling left in them. His
ear and check on the side exposed to the
storm, were getting nippcd. Well, he
would soon strike the stage road, and
then, il he had not miscalculatcd, there
would he only five or six miles"
"Great Scott"
For Pokey had given sudden high
leap and stood still, panting. Almost
under his feet lay snow. covered oh.
| jcct, with II strange look about it. Hen
| leaned down from the saddle and turned
| it over. 1t was II dcad man, holding
| tight. IN tn" still :: lit ilani, whip such
! nS stlCG.drivcrs use.
! "Stage driver, dcaicr'n Tom ,Jetfcr.