New-York tribune., 1895-12-22
A PILLAR OF FIRE.

Though the sun shone with a weak ana watery
lustre the air was bitter cold. But five-year-oiu
Ned and little Alice. aged three, only ciaPpe"
their hands and laughed the louder. as the kee'
north wind swept down upon them from 'he oieaN
nraire For their father going to town Win
message for Santa Claus, and this time 'hey
were sure that they would not be forgotten
The door opened and John Richards appeared
tall and stalwart young American. with all the
good humor and courage of his race in his merry
blue eyes and straight mouth he turheu anu
kissed his wife affectonately.
DO hurry john and get back as soon as you
can" she said IF it wasn't for disappointing
the children, l couldn't let you go. How cold ana
dreary the sky ooks!
Don't worry little one" laughed the HUSBAND
as he hosted a child upon either shoulder. Ihe
roads are good and can't be gone more thah
three hours 1t won't storm before night
BE sure to tell Santa Claus that want great
big rocking horse" cried little Ned
"An member my dolly, pease, papa hsped
Alice rubbing her cheek softly against her
fathers
"Tll tell him. and he'll be pretty mean ola
scamp If he doesn't bring them. Now into the
house with you little ones-goodby, and, with
crack of his whip the farmer started smartiy OH
over the long. level road winch ran south to De-
fance the nearest village and the county seat
Tomorrow was to be happy Christmas. AL
least. fortune had smiled upon them. and they
couId afford TO show the children how generous
the good Christmas saint might really be- IL
had Jared hard with the family at first They
had come from a Vermont home, with parely
money enough to build rude house and buy a
cov or two and a few tools Grasshoppers had
ruined their crops season, and drouth the
no ba
times been wanting and as for Christmas-wel'
tho mother had told her little ones that Santa
Clans could not come to them for long time'
,hev lived so far away. But now, the tide had
turned There had been rain, which caused the
Nebraska prairie to bud and blossom as the rose
the ample barns and corncribs could not noid the
golden grain; the mows were bursting with nay
while huge rick in the field contained as Wuc"
again: and there were fruits and vegetabes Ill
prodigal abundance. All this meant money CON-
fort and hope to the Richards family, as well as
to the other scattered settlers in the neignoor-
hood Consequently. Ned and Alice had been as
sured that Santa Claus was coming west thls
year and their little hearts were as fuii as none
bu, children's hearts be Of joyful uncertainty
and delicious expectation.
In loss than an hour Richards stopped his
steamjng horses before the one general store of
ceries were soon bought. Then. with smiling
face the father turned to inspect the stock OF
cbean tovs and .rifes which constituted the
dealers provision for the holiday time. lie
boupht CANDY of various kinds and coors. several
uttIe nresents for each Of the babies. and hnally
selected the largest rocking horse ana the llheSt
doll that the collection afforded.
"Money hain't no object to ye this year.
chuckled the grocer. as he handed pacK the
change of a ten-dollar bill
"No NOT when the children come in, answered
Richards they've roughed 1T with the rest OF U.S.
and they shall have genuine Christmas FOR once
in their lives. at any rate
"That's right: we're all serene, now NEBRASKA
going TO boom. and no mistake. Here, take these
to EN-" and the kind-hearted grocer handed TWO
Jumping jacks across the counter.
THANK ye. Bill" said the father gratefully
II was pleasant to know that others wanted 10
please his children. They'll like to have some
thing from We. Merry Christmas" And he bum
d,ed his purchases into the wagon and started for
home .
He was hardly out Of the village when the Off
horse cast a shoe There was no help for IT.
hack he went TO the blacksmith's. Here he had
TO wait for the man to finish piece OF work. ana
II was a full hour before he was again on MS way
II was now o'clock, and the faint rays OF lght
which forced way through the dun coating ol
cIoud barely served to render the darkness Visi-
ble II was intensely cold. Richards could hard
| " repress sigh OF vexaton as he thought that
| be would already have reached home had it not
| heen for that unlucky shoe. But he drew MS
great-coat close about him. spoke sharply to his
horses and they were off on the run out into the
pain and the night, homeward bound
Richards had gone perhaps a mile, when
xx,,th
suIkv and a fast horse came up. 1t was Jabe
| Williams his nearest neighbor Better hurry
I'D Jack" the newcomers comment as ne
| drove past; its going to snow.
| ".Just stop and tell Sarah that I'm coming, will
vou and will be home by o'clock" shouted Rich
| ards. and his friends "Al right barely reached
hin, as he disappeared In the darkness. In half
| an bour the message was delivered. But ii only
| douhIed the alarm of the anxious wife. For 1t
had begun to snow
IMPRESSED by his neighbor's warning the farm
or had reckessly urged on his horses But the
| storm like a malicious fury, was on the watch
for it's prey and when he was still five miles from
| home John Richards found himself in the very
| heart of a winter blizzard. AS by preconcerted
| signal. the ugly gray clouds suddenly resolved
| ,horosoIves into snow masses which swooped
down upon the weary earth as though TO smother
the very life out OF it in their malignant embrace.
The air was not merely full of snow; 1t was
SNOW The snow did not fall In flakes; 1t
plunged down in drifts. pitless, relentless. over
nowering shroud of cold and darkness and death.
| Then the north wind which had moaned uncer-
tainly through the day now blew gale. with
quick furious gusts which shook and tossed and
whirled and distorted the white smother into
vague and fantastic shapes, and, when the sport
was done packed it down In solid and impene-
| trabe drifts.
Richards knew in a moment his deadly peril.
| and with words of encouragement urged on his
frantic horses The animals worked noby. But
| all Nature in arms against them. In an in
| credibly short time the snow was knee-deep,