New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-05
BOV HE CARRIED THE LETTER.
STORY OF A TERRIBLE WINTER on THE fANlN"
,Nn OLE CrPIn'S MEsSENGER

, STONY OF 4 TERRIBLE WINTER ON Inn '
AND OF CUPID'S MEssENGEh'
ar don't think he said, when he reahS Uced" ~
tell his story that any one who mas ho' SYN .e.
ugor tho tortures of hell understand "h't 'He"
arc canable Of have seen men Oh " 'O.e ,"O
across the desert, when they never opc"cu .'1'
mouths TO make a complaint, tlo"s" "0' - s
sunkcn telr lips drawn into ghasuy cAp'o
their faces OF the color of the alhal "'''"N y"
rlo,n That IS because men can get usaa even ~
P'," ,, 1trrcnt with horses cattle and dogs. You
. =, ,r,t,I with them to make them undcrs ana
,,.t tbcv must 20 on But when you are Ia ucepc'''0
trails Won will follow the man who leauS' "''"out i"
cro,n or n murmur because you know therc 10 "o'"9
else to do. . ,o o, ono
Rut what started out to do was 10 give w" ol0
case in point. We were out In ColoIauo !" tio'o u'
raising cattle. Winter came down upon us tiat year
,., ueb our cattle began to die and We couu 40
ro,,ng for them We lost bronchos' hht IL ni'uo
u,lc difference for they were of no use TO u.s. man
could NOT ride ten feet from camp. WHEN II u'o NV
SNOW a driving sleet flew on gaze anu o"' I" 49, -,
face in ribbons. The dogs could ho' s'oep ~ nan
vos so cold and of en- when the freezing ''li ""1"eu
me I sow some poor devil in the ROOM crouci'eu uoN
In his blankets, holding HIS tooV" VOeN
shouting out q terrible oath ,,-
cit got along toward spring, ana We "eIc as ~
nc ever for the began TO soften Ill Tue u"S' '
ening with the chin Of night, ana any ONO WIN '
into IL was inviting sure death, III VIM wac ,
,Iu a nuic
~, ,oen hungry for a long time The mems bones
beran 10 stick out Of their faces ana throusn 'io
,, ord n times there was "a strange light III their
os INT I never saw u drawer set Of men-ahd tncS
were rough lot, TOO - - .h.t
We've Just got 10 stand II I'LL 's OVER was
every one said when 1t did seem as IL " oui''' " '''
brain would be better than fighting 1t out to the emu
zone dav when at last we began 10 see ns"' '"0'
oouethdnc came staggering into our cabin ana icii
ii, sfoX
,d q over 10 look at it, 1t was man, with
,rdiose face thin lips and delicate nostrlls' Inc
man couldn't have weighed hundred pouiuS' NC ""'
so vnstcd We chafed him, tried 10 Eeu so"iou'''e
warm into him, and then rolled MN up III worm
hIankets was sitting by the stove IooN'ns '' -"
white face at midnight. The room was warm '''''
o,cnt and the stove door open so that the hSht
en on the starved sleeper, but would not shuV y"
,h ucht for | wanted to look ut his face. III was a
tco eucb as | had never before seen on I've Pmls
# must have been oval and handsome Dcio'c suno'.7
and cold had drawn il out to thinness Ills u"rA H''s
ucrc long and they lay far down on MS cheeh udihc'
than the terrible circle under his eyes lie was u'oio
like n woman than a man, and was gazing at nun III
pity when his eyes opened SLOWLY VII" '"A 'e
In them and looked at me-
.whnt time Is 1t he asked, Win ihiit snlilc
.It,s after midnight l answered. soothinSy
Go TO sleep again. H., >,
.uave YOU any whiskey that you can give mel
he asked.
no. haven't had drop In days said.
.Im sorry be answered, 4 think 1t would 90
me good Then he sat up among MS Dialhels' s'i"s
d start as he looked around HIM.
when did get here 2 he ASKED eagerly
.To.day' I said 'You are welcome
Good he said in answer to my first sentence
y was afraid that had been sick on your hahuS-
t1at had lost time
.No YOU have only been hero about twelve
hoprs., replied. Better go TO sleep. You look as
a Won needed IT, You have had worse time than
we have
no. am not going to SLEEP again. he said, In
q tone OF decision.
,youd better, said I'VE will have sick man
-, our hands You need sleep before you can eat
what We con give YOU
.Ive got to get away from here tomorrow, nc
said smiling, confidently
won can't do IT,, said. 1T IS no use to try
You'll be a dead man II You do, before tomorrow
night
ooh. / an going he aswcred quietly.
TRY 10 get a little more sleep them urged
coaxingly, pretending to humor him.
Il can't, he answered, frctully.
al begged him to try, and he turned over in his
blankets He tossed for awhile. Then he attempted
10 he STILL fcignlng sleep At last he drew himself
mp with Jerk
4 can't do It, he said, feverlShly. why don't
you sleep YOURSELF he asked trying to be cheerful
Have ! got your blankctsF
".Ycs,' said, but don't want them. can sleep
IN the daytime It's about MI We have to do
".WelI' he said, propping himself up and looking at
me with his dark eyes, Pm glad stumbled into Your
camp | was about gone faint smile passed
across his lips.
owe will pul you around in good shape said
ehcouragincy but did not believe what said. There
was something strangely unreal about his brightness
ccarncss Of mind.
al am all right now he said che"rfnlly. This
warmth Is good aftcr-what | have had. IN get
good start In the morning
"'We'n talk about that later | said quietly
"'Iut am going he replied quickly, with a little
ing In his voice.
6 did not answer him.
al have been at II six days, he said. looking al me
"'Whatr cried incrednlOusly.
ask days. he repeated calmly 4 started with my
oack-grIb think I've been walking ever since,