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

All was darkness. Their air was full of
fine snow, whose tiny fakes, hardening in
the increasing cold into icy pellets, struck
against the car windows almost as sharply
as hail The wind, which had risen, in
stead of falling, as twilight gathered, blew
from every direction, and whirled the snow
fakes hither and thither.
The storm had lasted now for day and
night, and the progress of the western
bound express on the Northern Pacific
Railroad was getting slower and slower as
the snow piled itself on the tracks and froze
there. Suddenly the train stopped alto
gether.
"Ladies and gentlemen, said the con-
ductor, opening the car-door as little as
possible, and thrusting his head inside,
'guess we'll have to stop yer, for awhile at
any rate I'm goin' to reconnoitre and
see what kin be done. BY the way, any
ladies here?'
YES, one somebody answered; at
which, the conductor, giving his head a
shake, withdrew it, and the passengers,
left to themselves, began to exchange re-
marks concerning their agreeable situation:
Il don't know exactly where we are,
said the man who had replied to the ques-
ton Just asked. "We are due at Deer
Lodge by eight o'clock tonight, but we've
gone so slowly, We can't be near there >
Il should jedge," spoke up rather
rough looking individual in the corner,
'that We were in the heart Of the Rockies. "
''In the heart of the Rockies!''
This sounded cheerful to the shivering
listeners, who eyed each other in silent
CONSERVATION.
''Think I'll go and investigate things,
too said another man rising. II can't
sit here quiet"
Two passengers followed him, and the
rest waited in dreary silence, too anxious
to talk. Now and then they glanced, with
respectful curiosity, and even with solici-
tude, toward solitary woman's figure,
hardly visible in the gathering gloom. 1t
seemed to the little party an interminable
interval, until the door was pushed open
and the conductors face appeared.
"Wal, l reckon we're in fur it," he
announced; cheerfully Can't get no fur
ther to-night-the track is packed hard,
and the SHOWS still comm down"
His hearers looked at him in dull des-
pair.
"What are we going to do?" an anxious
looking individual asked, rather sharply.
"Wal,' responded the, conductor, "Tve
been lookin' about. There's minin' camp
a little ways off-guess we'll have to go to it.
Pretty rough lot, but it's better than spend
in the night here, an we'll git somethin'
to eat. Sorry about the lady, though, but
it can't be helped Won't be able to move
along for several days. specially if this
storm keeps on. Have to make the best
of Rumsey's-howl We git her over?"
"Thank you, but I am not afraid,
came in soft voice, but in determined
accents, from shadowy corner, and
sudden fash from the lamp, just lighted
by the conductor, showed girlish face as
the speaker leaned forward. 1t was
sad but beautiful face, without one trace
of fear showing on it, and the look of
perfect confidence which the eyes express
ed as she turned them toward her compan-
ions touched every mans heart there.
Perhaps it was in answer to this look
that an old gentleman, with silvery hair,