The Press., 1893-03-30

Cuo ldIlA u0u SOG CO SO, dIl S0Z ne, Ouh0y Ann, l want you to go an cook this crower jest as good as you know how Oh, Lori sez she, I don't want no crow er, an she boohooed right out. But old Eph, he made her go an stuff that crower an cook him, an bile onions, tarnips an squash aa all the fxins. He said he never felt so bad in his life, an he never
 ot to sech desperit pitch. an he was goin to have good dinner anyhow. We'll, it so happened that Lawyer Holmes, he driv into the yard jest as old Eph an his wife were settin7 down to dinner, an he see that nice baked crower an the fixins all set out, an he didn't know what to make ont. It seemed to him Eph couldn't be so dreadful bad off or he wouldn't have any heart for extra dinners, an mebbe he he'd some way of raisin the money in prospect.
 "Then Lawyer Holmes, he was mighty fond of his victuals himself, an the up shot of it was he was sot down to the table an eat good meal of the crower an fixins, an there want no mortgage foreclosed that day, an before long Eph, he managed to raise the mcney some how. Now if 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 up for t'other, in- stead of Twin on Injun meal. and matches. l ruther guess l wouldn't toke to no meal an matches if my Ann Lizy left me. I'd live jest as high as could to keep my spirits up."
 There was burst of applause. The old man sat winking and .grinning com placently. --..--
 Nicholas Gum is alarmed fool or else he's cracked" said the storekeeper in his hoarse whisper.
 Meanwhile Nicholas Gum went home. He put his meal away in the closet; he lighted 8 candle with one of his matches: he read awhile in the Bible; then he went to bed. That was too luxurious for him. He slept rolled in a blanket on the bare floor.
 Nicholas Gum, whether his eccen- tricities arose from mystical religious fervor or from his own personal sorrows, would have been revered and worshiped as 8 saintly ascetic among some nations; among New Englanders he met with the coarse ridicule of the loafers in country store Idle meditation and mor- tifcation of the flesh, except for gain, were among them irreconcilable with sanity. Nicholas would have had more prestige had he fled to the Himalayas and built himself 8 cell in some wild pass; however, prestige was not what he sought.
 The next morning wind had risen it blew stiff and cold from the north. The snow was drifted into long waves and looked like frozen sea. A flock of sparrows had collected in front of Mich olas Gums door and he stood watching them. They were searching for crumbs: this deep snow had shortened their re- sources woefully; all their larders were buried. There were no crumbs before this door, but they searched assiduously. with their feathers ruffied in the wind. Stephen Forster came up the road with his market basket; it was all he could do to face the cold wind. His thin coat was buttoned tight across his narrow shoulders; his old tippet blew out. He advanced with kind of sidewise mo- tion, presenting his body like a wedge to the wind; he could not walk fairly against it. 9.-.. e,s-4
 When he was opposite Nicholas the sparrows flew up at his feet: he paused and shifted his basket. @.z.
 'sGood mornin, Mr. Gum, 1" said he in weak voice.
 Nicholas nodded. Stephens face was mottled with purple; his nose and mouth looked shrunken; his shoes were heavy with snow. ii
 ''f you want to go i'll and set down a few minutes you can, "said Nicholas.
 Stephen moved forward eagerly.
 Thank ye, MT. Gum; l am kinder beat out, an I'd like to set few min utes," he said.
 He went in and sat down. The wind rushed in great gusts past the open door. Stephen began to cough. Nicholas hesi- tated; his face was surly; then he shut the door with bang.
 While Stephen rested himself in the house Nicholas marched up and down before it like sentinel. He did not seem to see Stephen when he came out. but he stood before him in his track.
 "Tm much obleeged. MT. Gunn," said he.
 Nicholas nodded. Stephen hesitated minute; then he went on up the road The snow blew up around him in daz- zling cloud and almost hid him from sight.
 ''It's the last time I do it.'' muttered Nicholas. But it was not. Every morning, storm or shine, Stephen Forster toiled painfully ovoy tho road with. hiS ,,,orl>af and every morning Nicholas Gum in- vited him into the freless hermitage to rest. A freezing hospitality, but he of- fered it, and Stephen accepted it with a fervent gratitude.
 It grew apparently more and more necessary. Stephen crept more and more feebly over the road: he had to keep setting his basket down. Nicholas never asked him if he were i'll; he never questioned him at all, although he knew nothing about him. but his name. Nich- olas did not know the 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 Nicholas; indeed he was too exhausted; he merely gave his gen tie and timid thanks for the hospitality
 There came d night in January when the cold reached the greatest intensity of the season. The snow creaked under foot; the air was full of sparkles: there were noises like guns in the woods, for the trees were almost freezing. The moon was full and seemed like very fire of death. radiating cold instead of heat.
 Nicholas Gum, stern anchoret that he was, could not sleep for the cold. He got up and paced his room. He would not kindle a fire in the stove. He swung his arms and stamped. Suddenly he heard voice outside. It sounded al- most like a child's.
 "Mr. Gunnv' it cried Nicholas rfo on1 l;cfo,,o1 ,,x,,o