The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-12-31

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very brave, my child, but we will do the
best we can to take care of you.
"Thank you" she answered again. II
know you will"
Quite silently the passengers and the
employees more than dozen in all
filed out of the cars at the conductors
invitation, and followed close on his lead.
The young lady accepted the arm of her
elderly protector, and in spite of brave
efforts to keep up, was glad of its support.
They struggled forward in the darkness
and snow some little distance before they
saw the gleam of lights.
There's the hotel" said, or rather
shouted the conductor, in order that all
might hear him, indicating, with gesture,
visible only to those nearest, the brightest
light, and at the welcome sound of these
words, his followers hurried on, and were
soon under shelter.
"The hotel,' as the conductor and the
inhabitants of Rumsey's called it, with the
largeness of ideas which belongs to primi-
tive civilization, was rough, wooden
structure in most undeveloped stage Of
hostelry, where the miners congregated for
drinks. Its one superiority over the sur
rounding dwellings was its possession of a
second story.
The conductor had explained matters to
''mine host" a rather hard-featured Irish
man, who received his new guests very
politely, while the occupants of the bar
room skunk into the corner so as to leave
the room for the new arrivals.
The young lady clung closer to her
companion, shrinking from the curious
glances which fell upon her as she stood
under the glare of the lamps; but she was
not long exposed to this unwelcomc gaze,
for the landlord at once addressed the old
! gentleman with ''Shure and there's not
much provision here for lady; the last
One-the ingineer's wife went home in
/ September, but we'll do the best We kin.
Just come This way"
/ To the comparative privacy of the upper
floor the young girl and her protector were
escorted by their host, with many apologies
for the insuficiency Of the accommodations.
! When, at last, the lady and gentleman
were left to themselves, the latter intro
duced himself
my name is Barstow-Dr. BarstOw,
/ he said
"And mine is Hazel Dean. | teach
school in St. Paul, his companion respond
ed, sinking YEARLY upon the one chair
which the room afforded "No doubt you
think it strange should be here alone at
this time, but my mother is ill--dying,
perhaps-in Portland She went with a
friend-I could not afford to accompany
her hoped to get there by New Years.
They wrote me she was worse-perhaps it
will be the last" The girls voice
broke, and her lips quivered.
The doctor looked down at her sympa-
thizingly, as he stood in his great-coat, hat
in hand, by the window.
I'm afraid you'll not reach there be-
fore New Years. Let me see, tonight's
the Both. lam very sorry, but fear we
shall have to remain here several days.
However, we'll do the best we can to make
you comfortable, Is your father living?"
"I--I do not know, came the hesitat-
ing answer, while the anxious look of the
beautiful, tired face deepened into cloud
of sadness Il have not seen him for
years"
81 beg your pardon, said the doctor,
hastily. Il did not mean to be curious"
''I know you did not" Hazel hastened
to say at is long story, and a sad
one
Il beg of you, do not distress yourself
thinking about it, interrupted the doctor.
81 am going to be practical, and see what
we can find to eat" and, as he finished
speaking he descended the ladder and pro.
ceeded to carry his idea into effect
Left alone in the candle-light, the girl
gazed about the cheerless room with sink
ing heart The walls and roof were of
bare shingle, the floor was of planks desti-
tute of covering, and the only furniture
was mattress covered with buffalo robe,
the pine chair on which she sat, and a
wooden box holding her solitary candle,
with basin of water What dreary fate,
Hazel wondered, had stranded her in this
desolate place, when she should have been
by the bedside of her dying mother, the
only human being in the world for whom,
at two-and-twenty, she could really care
Love winged itself with fears, and flew to
the spot where she fancied she could see
her dear ones pale face. She was startled
out of her sad dreams by the appearance
of the doctor with supper.
1t was hard work to choke down the
not very inviting food, but Hazel, did her
best, and soon afterward her kind friend
bade her good night.
Once more alone, the girls thoughts
turned again toher mother-her despair
strengthened by her cherries surround
ings Tired out at last, she lay down and
toward dawn slept heavily.
The dull gray of a snowy morning pene-
trated boldly through the unshuttered win
dow's of Hazels room, and soon wakened
her. She started up, threw off the buffalo
robe, and looked about as if bewildered
until she gradually realized where she was.
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