Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-12-05
The finding OF a Heart

lie tiiluIilS vi Il IeaTt.
Ii was nol the sort OF u day one
would look tor in New England tho
last week in December. The Their
mometcr stood at 81 degrees and the
sun fell warmly on the bare, wet
earth drawing up little breaths OF
vapor ON the sunny slopes There WAS
Il look OF Wtariucss on the face of ma
ture as if the quiet were the coma OF
exhaustion. 1t certainly was n roac-
ton; for twenty four hours the rain
had fallen in torrents, breaking up the
ice and choking the streams, the wind
had been almost a gale, and field and
highway were strewn with evidences
OF the storms power.
At the gate of u handsome house
stood its owner, Nh Ambrose Vim
chester, accounted one OF the wealth
lest men III the town. lie seemed to
be taking in the magnitude of the
storm as his eye swept over his we'll
kept domain from the thrifty orchards
in the rear and the woodland beyond
to the smooth meadows in front, where
a miniature river seemed TO have
sprung into existence.
A young man in buggy drove up
and stopped
Good morning, MIR. Winchester"
said he.
Good morning, Hutton" said tho
other, grutlly.
I've driven over this morning, Mr.
! Winchester, to ask you to extend the
time on that payment; I've done my
best to raise the money ----"
ut don't matter, Hutton. I've made
up my mind to foreclose that prop
erty."
Hutton grew pale.
Surely, you wouldn't do tha,!"
There was an entreaty in his voice
and eyes.
You know the factory shut down TO
half time all summer; even at that
was saving toward the payment when
my wife's long illness began Doctor
and nurse bills ate up what I'd saved
for you"
Same old story! A man has no
right to get married until he can sup
port family. Doctors bills and all,
I've no sympathy with such nonsense.
People marry on nothing and then ex-
pect other people to support their fam
lilies. Sooner they find out It cant be
done, the better. Now, | take good
care of my family without anybody
I nlun'u holm 7 al IN
you can't do as much, then it's your
fault, not mine See? | shall fore
close, and now let us have no more
words about It,"
With this the farmer strobe into the
house the young man driving on
slowly, with bowed head.
The farmers little 81 Ruth and
Mabel, came dancing out and heir
mother followed them into the porch.
Nov be sure and leave grandma's at
four o'clock, so as to get here before
dark"
Yes, mamma. we Will" they re-
spondcd glibly, and started off on
run.
Grandma Winchester lived about n
mile away, on an unfrequented road,
but the children had made the trip
often since they were quite small so
now they chatted happily along the
familiar path, possessed with n child
ish interest in everything around
them, oven to the washouts the rain
had made in the road and cutters.
But when they neared Blue creek they
stood in sheer surprise.
The little summer brook they had
sometimes waded across had grown 10
an angry torrent, and overlooked It's
steep banks and was rushing madly
along, bearing ice, foam and branches
Of trees In fact, tree had lodged
against the bridge, and it's limbs 50
nearly covered 1t that 1t was difficult
for our little travellers to get across.
ooh, how the bridge trembles"
cried little Mabel
It's all this Ice pushing against It,"
said Ruth.
The wind began TO rise and the blue
gray clouds settled down, darkly OBJ
scuring the sun, which had made the
day seem so fair. The children shly-
cred in unison with the change and
quickened their pace.
At 5 O'Clock that afternoon the two
little girls stood appalled, at the Blue
Creek crossing. The brook had swol-
zen still more, and was now a raging
torrent; the space spanned by the
bridge was the narrowest, and the mar
row planks, with the frail side rail-
lpes. held TO each hank as II by
thread
"see Mabel; we must hurry" said
Ruth "or our bridge will be gone.
Take my hand, and we'll run across