Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-03-17
IT wko A COLD DAY.
hut Eertram BiddIewax, Of Eostor
Showed UoM Lille I,bnt Enc. 4 feet q


Showed How Little That Facs Affected
lin.
1t Is bitter cold on the outskirts OF
Boston and the cruel, icy gale whistles
with freezing sav;.-ery as it stings the
sAlverins5 form OF Bertram Biddlewax
TO his hearts core and stiifens the icicles
that glitter in his tawny beard
He draws his great coat more closely
about him and hurries on along the bar
rem country road and in the teeth of the
chill blast, while the great drifts of
fcathery snow swirl about his head and
cut into his face as if the spirit of the
cold We're hurting crystal needles
through the air.
How numb I am getting" he NUT
tiers, working his fingers convulsively
lest they freeze, even in the depths of
his woOl-1ined- pockets. 1T beheoves
me to make haste or viii never reach
the spot by the break of day, and if the
sun be born but half an hour ere the
deed is done then will have stal1ed my
all in vain. But that must not be. No,
Bertram Biddlewax. thy word has been
passed, and thy VOW must be kept even
if the richest, warmest blood that
courses through thy veins CONCEAL and
pause, trapped and paraiyzed.'
Saying these brave words the young
man struggled on against the whirling
whiplash of the snow-stOrm, pausing
only to stamp with might and main to
restore the circulation in his feet and
legs, and then hurrying forward again
with all the speed the gale would admit
OF. 1t was n lonely battle, and he
fought it out alone--alone save once
when he met figure coming through
the binding smother of maddened
snow, and stopped to answer to the
strangers gruff Good morning"
Good morning." he said in reply, and
then, noting something in the others
blue face that betokcncd suffering, he
added, with a sheer: Gould you lend
me fan?''
The other staggered in the spasms of
astonishment that this request brought
on and sunk moaning to the ground
"Coward.' he feebly cried, looking up.
Coward, to strike SO unexpected
blow. Dark as it IS there is yet light
enough for you to see Uhat l have left
my hot temper at home lest it be spoiled
on such morning, and therefore you
felt safe in saying what you did"
There was u convulsive SILVER, and
he said no more. Bertram looked at
the rigid figure, cold in death, and his
stiffened upper lip cracked in an attempt
to curl. Poor fool he said, 81 did
not think he would have taken my merry
little Jest so coolIy." And he passed
on, leaving his victim prone on the
frozen earth
And now he came to the brow of a
long hill, and CHANGING across a wide
stretch of spotless white to where a
clump of trees stood at the foot of a
rocky knoll, he saw group of four
men, carriage and brougham. Five
minutes brought him to the spot
Gentlemen, L am here" he said,
''and your sister. sir?" addressing
young man heavily mu filed up. ''She
is there" replied the other, pointing to
the brougham. Come, time presses,
and the air nips at our very vitals Here
is your suit, there the never-freezing
cold spring. Our carriage is at your
disposal, and | beg you, for my sisters
sake, if not for ours, to make good your
boast or fail in the attempt, that we
may hurry back"
Bertram merely smiled and taking
the package the young man held out to
him entered the carriage a few min
utes later he emerged arrayed in a
sleeveless-knitted swimming suit and
bowed to the four men. Il am ready
now" he said, ''let the lady judge if l
am what 1 claimed to be-"
The door of the carriage was opened
and a tall, classic beauty, with clear.
gray eyes and a face as beautifully
pink and white as if chiseled from the
roseleaf marble of southern Greece,
stepped forth. She acknowledged Ber-
trans presence by slight nod. make
haste she said for the atmosphere is
so entangled with the extremely low
temperature that my predominating
sensation is one of marked discomfort
''You shall be spared every unneces-
sary moments exposure" replied Ber-
tram, with smile, and he walked into
the spring until the icy water covered
his shoulders. Two of the four men
turned away, shaking as if stricken
with an ague, and the others of the
group felt their very hearts CONCEAL.
Bertram smiled. And now, Miss
Beaconstreet," he said with a laugh,
''now the ice-cream, please"
Il can not, l really can not go that
far" she answered, her eyes filling
with tears of pride, as she watched him
standing in the freezing spring.
''I5ut it must be so or else my oath is
unfulfilled," he pleaded.
So they brought her from the
brougham a little silver bowl and a
spoon.
Here" she said, shaving a little OF
the frozen delicacy from the pink lump,
''that will do, and.I now bid you. come
forth" He did so. and almost as he
stood clear of the pool he was clothed
from his throat to his feet in suit of
icy armor that flashed back the rays of
the newly-risen sun.
And do you believe me now, Miner
va?" he asked, presuming on his vic
tory to thus address her. And do you
believe me now when l say that l am
worthy of thy love?"
Il do Bertram," she said, giving him
a hand, land l feel safe in trusting my
future and my cool million to your care
for life. And now l will drive home
and will look for you at breakfast"
Till then good by" he replied, and
turning TO the admiring group he added:
You see, gentlemen, l have kept my
VOW that Bertram BiddlewaX won't be
left, not even on a cold day.-N. Y.
Sun.
Didn't Want Mackerel