Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-08-12

comp'ny fer twenty-five thaousau'-au'
my half's what went t Brownsville fer.
That's ALL"
Hen filled his pipe, said "Good night,
and went out, whistling softly.
"By Jove!" said the boss, 'to hear
him tell 1t, in that easy way of his, with
the cowboy lingo and the occasional
Yankee twang, you'd think it very
commonplace affair. l don't know
what you think of it, but think it de-
cidedly romantic, aud Pm glad it's turn.
ing out so we'll. Hens an hoaest chap,
aud deserves all the luck in the world.
The girl must be plucky one, too.
Hum! HUMP Aud the boss looked at
the ceiling and blew smoke rings in q
pensive way he some metimes had.
There wasn't man on the ranch who
didn't hate to see Hen go, and who
wasn't honestly glad at his good fortune.
Even the misanthropic Posey evinced
not little regret as he said good.by to
him, when, the morning after Thanks
giving, Hen sat on his bronco all ready
to start for Jersey, the railroad town to
the east of us.
1t was beautiful morning, almost
like spring, and Hen couldn't have
wished tor better day to start on. The
last good-by said, he straightened up,
shifted the cool breeze, looked to see that
everything waas all right, and with an
"Adios, boys" was off, 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 aud make the 2
o'clock train East. There was plenty of
time, so he let his horse take its own
gait, aud gave himself up to his
thoughts.
Going homel Home! How sweet
the word sounded! Five years only
five, but they seemed twice IA 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 it
was only little waile-only u 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 and go
home to confess himself beaten; then the
picture of the little brown eyed girl who
had cried so bard that day in the meadow
lot--the 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 aud "pitch" in again. Maybe it
had soured him bit. He wondered If
sometimes he had not been rather unso-
ciable, and rather poor company for his
companions, aud concluded he had.
His thoughts turned again to Molly.
How pretty and sad she had looked with
the tears on her pink cheeks that day
Qor somehow he couldn't for the life of
him think of her except as she looked
when he saw her lasD. He remembered
how conscious he had been that she was
watching him as he went down the road,
aud how he 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 be teetotally dog.
gonedw
The wind had shifted around into the
north; dull gray cloads hid the blue and
gold that had made the early day so fair;
two or three flakes of snow were visible
now and then. 1t was one of these
striking Hen on the check that caused
him to rein up his horse so suddenly and
make the above inelegant remark.
Not living creature was in sight on
all the broad plain. Hen aud his horse
were as much alone as If they had been
on the open sea. Human habitation, be.
tween the IL bar" aud Jersey, there
were none. Hen dismounted and laid
his ear to the ground, aud listened in.
tently for a few seconds. Yes-there II
was-that dull, whispering, indistinot
roar, which the plalusman knows and
fears-the voice OF the coming blizzard.
The horse heard il, OF felt il, and turned
his head toward his master, whinnying
softly.
eyes. OF boy, It's comm all right
'nough." said Hen, as he rose from the
ground, ''an' me'n you's got 1 hustle u
hull lot, Mister pokey, Let 'er slide, OF
chap. | reckon we en- make It."
Only twelve miles or so, and yet Hen
knew that the blizzard might oyertake
him before he had travelled four. lie
urged his horse faster, knowing the faith.
ful animal could easily stand the work
II was growing rapidly colder, aud the
few flakes Of snow were being followed
by countless thousands. The wind was
increasing Ia velocity, aud lien, bond
ing low ower his horses neck, could
hear the vicious "swish-swlsh = OF the
snow rs il was hurled through the grass
aud along the ground. Nesy saaa Il was
impossible TO see more than huadTed
yards OF so ahead, bat lien knew the
general direction, and tor saletY's sake
was heading tor the stage road leading
in,o Jersey from the southwest.
ca and on they weat, l'okey, alive 10
the situation, pounding along At hls tap
travelling speed, steady as eloek, Ga
aud on eame the storm, covering horse
aud rider with snow a, lna a. 1 our,
until they looked like ghosts, llua,
leauag back 10 gvl his oyeFeaaI, lost iha
direction, but he hasl fall taltA IA fpkeN
aud knew that the little aninal would do
better without any pilotlag,
How eold u was' llen'a hands aud
toes weFe like Jumps Of lce swaFse, thpY
hal hardly aay ieallas lelt ia tAem, III,
.... s...l ssA..L -. ~. A.. Aha