Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-12-29

e.. AlG $
AUST YOU WAIT HERE TEN MINUTES
you" and putting on fur cap and an
ulster, he went out OF doors.
The state of the case was this: Miss
Weldon, the lady by the stove. was on
her way to join Christmas party at the
house of her uncle, Mr.. DolliVer, some
seven miles from the station, and I, in
vited to the same house, had been de-
lighted to meet her on the train. We
were good friends, and had studied art
together in Paris. When we left the
city in morning train, little snow was
beginning to 1all, and as we journeyed
nOrthward we found the snowfall heavier
and heavier, and we had arrived at this
little village of Boynten at 3 o'clock in
the afternoon, an hour behind time
From Boynton to the Dolliver house
we were to go by stage coach, but the
driver had left more than an hour pre-
vious, hurrying away before his ordi-
nary time for starting for fear the road
would be blocked up before he could get
to his home, good twelve miles away,
and assuring himself that there would
be no passengers for him on such a day.
1t was reasonable enough that we
should be perpleXed, for we could not
see, nor at first could the station master
see, how we were to get to our journeys
end that day. If we could wait until
next day, he told US, the stage driver
would be back in a sleigh. He said he
would be sure to come-for Christmas
packages, If not for passengers. But
we could not wait until next day. 1t
would be better to return to the city in
the next down train, if, happily one
should come. We could not hope that
the Delivers would send for US, for if
they saw the stage pass without stop
ping, they would be sure we had not
come by the train.
The station master was a 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 a
country road with one track-and he
thought it would be a great pity if the
DolIiVers should be deprived of the
company Of two of their Christmas
guests; lot of them had come up the
day before. Nobody in the village made
a business of hiring out vehicles or car
rying passengers, but an idea had
struck the station master, and he had
gone out to see what he could do with it.
In about quarter of an hour he re-
turned.
We'll, sir, he said, there is Just one
thing you can do. There isn't ANYBODY
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, I think you can get it, if you
are willing to pay him something extra,
for he'll have to send a man over to-
morrow with the stage driver to bring
it back, and besides, in rough times
like these, people always charge some
thing extra"
I 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 accommodations for |
strangers, she would take the risk of |
letting me drive her to the Delivers.
1t is only seven miles, she said, |
and If the horse is good enough, don't |
see what there is to happen.
L tramped 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 a trip like that. but |
this is pretty deep snow, and we all |
ought to remember that Christmas comes
but once 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
station.
Il would have been here sooner. said
Mr.. Chase. but it was a good while be-
fore could find the bells, and I knowed
you wouldn't want to take a Christmas |
sleigh ride without bells"
did not complain Of the DELAY. al
though had been getting dreadfulIy
impatient. The station master had had
a telegram from up the line, stating that
a down train with a snow pillow was on
its way, and was very much afraid tn at
Miss Weldon would conclude to wait and
take this train back to the city. So.
without loss of time, we bundled in
The Christmas minded Mr. Chase had
brought two heavy fur robes, our valises
were packed in behind, the sleigh being
Of the box variety. and we were ready.
There is no mistaking the way, said
Mr.. Chase. You 90 straight ahead IN
til you come to the house"
~ hich know perfectly well, " added
Miss Weldon. and away we jingled.
The snow was still falling, but we did
not mind that, and now that we had
started of. was glad that AIr. base
had waited to find the bells Their
merry jingle suited my spirits well.
Jolly sleigh ride with Clara Weldon was