Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-12-19

 seen men suffer can understand what they are capable of. have seen men on long ride across the desert, when they never opened their mouths to make a complaint, though their eyes were sunken, their lips drawn into a ghastly expression, and their faces of the color of the alkali around on the plain That is because men can get used to it. It's different with horses, cattle and dogs. You must be brutal with them to make them understand that they must go on. But when you are in desperate straits you will follow the man who leads, without a groan or a murmur, because you know there is nothing else to do.
 But what I started out to do was to give you one case in point. We were out in Colorado in those days raising cattle. Winter came down upon us that year with a rush. Our cattle be- gan to die and we could do nothing for them. We lost our bronchos, but it made little difference, for they were of no use to us A man could not ride ten feet from camp. When it did not snow driving sleet flew on gale and cut mans face in ribbons. The dogs could not sleep at night, it was so cold, and often when the freezing air wakened me saw some poor fellow in the room crouched down in his blankets, holding his teeth together to keep from shout ing out q terrible oath.
 Ut got along toward spring and we were as helpless as ever, for the snow began to soften in the day, hardening with the chill of night, and anyone who ventured into it was inviting a sure death in what was worse than Quicksand. Provisions had run low .lnd we had all been hungry for a long .ime The mems bones began to stick out of their faces, and through their | skins, and at times there was strange | light in their eyes. But l never saw | bravcr set of men-and they were 8 rough lot. too.
 "'We've just got to stand it till it's over,' was what every one said, when it did seem as if a bullet in the brain would be better than fighting it out to the end.
 ''One day, when at last we began to see light ahead, something came stag gering into our cabin and fell across | the floor near the stove. We picked it up and turned it over to look at it. It was a man with beardless face, thin | lips and delicate nostrils. The man couldn't have weighed a hundred pounds, he was so wasted. We chafed him, tried to get something warm into l him and then rolled him up in warm | blankets. 1 was sitting by the stove l looking at his white face at midnight | The room was warm that night, and the stove door was open so that the light fell on the starved sleeper, but l would not shut off the light, for wanted to look at his face. It was a face such as had never before seen on the plains. It must have been oval and handsome before suffering and cold had drawn it out to thinness. His dark lashes were long, and they lay far down on his cheek, darker than the terrible circle under his eyes. He was more like a woman than man, and was gazing at him in pity when his eyes opened slowly, with a dark light in them, and looked at me.
 "'What time is it?' he asked, with 6 faint smile.
 "'It's after midnight I answered soothingly. Go to sleep again 3 "'uave you any whisky that you car give me?' he asked.
 "'No; haven't had a drop in days,' said
 "'I'm sorry,' he answered, I think i would do me good Then he sat ul among his blankets, giving a start a he looked around him. . "'When did l get here?' he asked eagerly.
 "'To-day,' said. You are wei come
 "'Goodv he said, in answer to m, ) first sentence. I was afraid I had bee1 sick on your hands-that l had los '' time
 D "'No, you have only been here abou twelve hours, replied. Better go t 5 sleep. You look as if you needed ii .. You have had worse time than w '' have
 "'No, am not going to sleep again
 he said, in a tone of decision.
 "'You'd better,' said, we will hay
 a sick man on our hands. You nee n sleep before you can eat-what we ca
 give you
 "'I've got to get away from here te
 morrow he said, smiling confidently
 "'You can't do it, 1 said. It is n
 use to try. You'll be a dead man e. you do, before tomorrow night p' "'Oh, l am going he answered os quietly.
 "'Try to get little more sleel
 then,' urged coaxingly, pretending
 humor him.
 'H "'I can't he answered, fretfully.
 "I begged him to try, and he turne
 over in his blankets. He tossed fc
 awhile. Then he attempted to be stil
 feigning sleep. At last he drew hin
 self up with jerk.
 "I can't do it, he said, feverishl. = 'Why dou't you sleep yourself,' :. asked, trying to be cheerful Have
 got your blaukets?'
 "'Yes,' I said, but I don't wal
 them. can sleep in the daytime. It
 about all I have to do.'
 "'Well,' he said, propping himse [ up and looking at me with his da1
 eyes, I'm glad I stumbled into yo1 7 cnmp. I was about gone.' A fail \ smile passed across his lips. S "'We will pull you around in Coc