Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-01


raisiD the money in prospect
''Then Lawyer Holmes, he was mighty
fond Of bis Ntctuals himself, an the up
shot Of It was he was got down TO the
table an eat COED meal Of the Grower
an fixins. on thgre want no mortgage
foreclosed that dhy. an before long Eph.
be managed TO faise the money some
how. Now II Nicholas Gum Jest he'd
little grain Of old Eph's sense he'd Jest
git better victuals the wuss he felt an
let one kinder make mp for tothor in-
stead Of Twin on lnjun meal and
matches ruthor gusss | wouldu't
toxic TO no meal an matches II my Ann
Lily left me. "a live Jest as high as /
could to keep my spirits up"
There was a burst Of applause Tho
old man sat winling and grinniug com
placently.
Nicholas Gum Is darned fool or
else he's cracked, said tho storekeeper
in bis hoarse whisper.
Meanwhile Nicholas Gum went home.
tie put his meal away Ia the closet. he
lighted candle with ono Of bis matches;
he read awhile In the Bible, then ho
went to bed That was too luxurious FOR
him. lie slept rolled in blanket on
tho bare floor.
Nicholas Gum, whether his ccccn-
sricities arose from mystical religious
forvor on from bis own personal sorrows,
would have been reverod and wor8hipcd
as a sanity ascetic among some nations;
among New Englanders he met with
~
country store idlo meditation and NOR
tihcation Of the hesh, except for gain,
we're among them irreconcilable with
sanity. Nicholas would have had more
prestige had he fled 20 the uimalayas
and built himself a cell in SOME wild
pass; however, prestige was not what he
sought
The next morning n wind had risen;
IL blew sun aud cold from the north.
The snow was driftod into long waves
and looked like a frozen sea. A dock Of
sparrows had collected IN front of Mich
olas Gums door and he stood watching
them. Thoy wero searching for crumbl;
this deep anow had shortened their re-
sources woofully; all their lardeis wero
buried There were no crumbs before
this door, but they searched nssiduously,
with their feathers RULED in the wind.
Stephen Forster came up the road with
his market basket; Il was all he could
do to face ho cold wind. His thin coat
was buttoncd tight across his narrow
shoulders his old tippet b,ow ont. Ho
advanced with kind Of sidewiso mo-
ton. presenting bis body like wedge to
tho wind; no could not walk fairly
against It.
When no was opposite Nicholas tho
sparrows few up ut his feet; ho paused
and shifted his basket.
GOOD mornin, Mr.. Gum, said no in
weak voice
Nicholas nodded. Stephens face WA
mottled with purple; his nose and mouth
looked shrunken; his shoes were heavy
with snow.
"If you want 10 50 in and got down a
few minutes you can" said Nicholas.
stephen moved forward eagerly.
Thank o. Mr.. Gum; | am kinder
beat ont, an I'd like 10 set few min
utes. he said.
He went In and sat down. The wind
rushed in great gusts past the open door.
Stephen began 70 cough. Nicholas hesi-
tated; his face was surly; then ho shut
tho door with a bang.
While stephen rested himself IN the
house Nicholas marched up and down
before It like o sentinel. He did not
seem 10 see Stephen when no came out,
but no stood before him In his track.
"Tm much obleeged, Mr.. Gum, said
no.
Nicholas nodded. Stephen hesitated
a minute; then hc went on up the road.
The snow blew up around him IN daz-
cling cloud and almost hid him from
sight
"Its the last time DO IT, muttored
Nicholas.
But Il was not. Every morning, storm
or shine, Stephen Forster toilod painfully
over tho road with his market basket,
and every morning Nicholas Gum in
vited him into the freless hermitage 20
rest. A freezing hospitality, but he of
fered It, and Stephen accepted IL with a
feryont gratitude.
II grew apparently moro and more
necessary, Stephen crept moro and
more feebly over the road; he hhd TO
keep setting his basket down. Nicholas
never asked him If ho were III; no never
questioned him at all, although no knew
nothing about him but bis name. Mich
olas did not know Che names even Of
many Of the village people; he had never
offered nor invited condolences. Stephen
also did not volunteer any information
as to his circumstances during his morn
ing calls upon Methodist indeed no was
too exhRusted he merely gave his gem
tie and tirnid th0rks for tho hospitality
There came night in January when
the cold reached the greatest intensity
Of the season. The snow creaked under
foot; the air was full Of sparllles; there
We're noises like guns in the woods, FOX
the trees were almost freezing. The
moon was full and seemed like very
fire Of DEATH radiating cold :nstead Of
heat
Nicholas Gum, stern anchorep TINT
he was, could not sleep for the cold. He
got up and paced his room. he would
not kindle fire in the stove He swung
his arms and stamped. Suddenly hs
heard voice outside. Il sounded al
most like a child,1
''Afr, Gunnp it cried. Nicholas
i - 81 It.G..u "a