The free press., 1894-08-16

Travel was suspended and telegraph
wires were down.
On u snow-bound train III Indiana
we find our friend Mrs Hunt, who
had been summoned by telegram to
the bedside of her sick sister, and had
run right into the teeth of the APP
proaching storm
Six hours before the huge iron
horse had halted in sheer discourage
ment, and the snowbanks seemed to
have been walls of adnmant separating
the belated travellers from their
homes. Apprehension was followed
by anxiety as night settled down on
the weird, white scene.
A squad of lnborers brought into
strong relief against the white back
ground by the headlight of the engine,
working vigorously in the biting
blast. The blockade had occurred
near village, and through the storm
the glimmering of friendly lights told
of rural peace and plenty, cheering if
unattainable.
But as the hours wore away even
these disappeared and left the night Il
prey to snow and cold and sleet and
bowling winds. Within the Cur there
was growing sense of cold physi-
cally and foreboding thought men
tally.
Mrs. Hunt thought sodly of her
sister; perhaps she would die, not
knowing how near her Nellie was, and
tears forced themselves through the
closed lids. A little child's cough
sounded through the car. What
place for d sick baby! She promptly
tendered her assistance, and in help
ing another in trouble forgot her own
discomfort and anxieties.
The night wore away rs nights will
however uncomfortable, and rs Old
Sol condescended to favor the travel
ers with his smile, answering smiles
seemed less difficult.
1t was white, trackless world the
sun looked down upon--very cold and
forbidding i'll it's beauty, and convey
ing to Mrs. Hunt that sense of breadth,
of wide, level distances, which always
strike New Yorker with sense of
surprise when the prairies are seen for
the first time.
Soon there loomed into view an OK
team with snow plow, in various di-
rections spades were piled with vigor,
and anon there arrived on the train an
aroma of hot coffee, very tempting to
benighted beings many miles from the
home dining room.
A man of about fifty years of age,
with dark hair and mustache, and n
singularly winning smile, was followed
by stout mulatto boy, with huge pail
and loaded basket, dispensing coffee
and sandwiches. AS they made the
tour of the train each Car cheered the
caterers.
AS the gentleman approached tho
l., ,,,nn1e hn ,ruU
II little start, which, however, was un-
observed by her.
AS she took the proffered refresh
ment she said, impulsively:
"This restores my faith i'll Western
hospitality"
"Had you lost it, MADAME" he
asked, and without passing for re-
ply passed on.
1t WIS Mrs. Hunts turn to start.
That voice! Where had she heard 1t
before? Directly memory took her
back to score of years. A New York
village came to view. A cold white
moonlit evening, and she looking
from the window of rambling old
watching tall, slender
young man rs he hurried down the
country road. She watched him out
of sight thinking that he might come
back but he did not, and she never
spoke to him again-for he left the
village and went West-until now he
had faded out of her sight i'll bank
of snow-drifts lining the road; he had
come back to her again out OF the
white drifts which had blocked her
way and brought him to her. ohe
called back from her reverie by the
word, "Nellie!"
A quick flush suffused her face as
she said: "You know me, then?
"When l first saw you, he replied.
nIx;.~ A coat noar har a low con-