Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-04-05

as he remembered his disannointrnort
and had forgotten his question
For Ted had wanted to 90 with ia.
mamma on this visit to the old Snanisb
missions, few miles distant Ted 5ta
not care much about the missions. Sn,
Williams had said the night before ~.
he might drive part OF the wav s,S -
sit up on the drivers seat in me -.
lance and hold the reins over a 49, -
dashing army mules was a nleas,ro
that even in prospect. made Ted's 1it+I,
heart beat faster. But mamma "a
said No; and Ted, who recognized ~.
mamma as his superior officer. and beJ
learned the first lesson Of army discIn'
Line, accepted her decision without
question
Ted stood on the veranda long after
the ambulance was out Of sight Vbat
could he do to pass away the long day9
He looked longingly over to tho bar-
racks, but papa, who sometimes tool
him there, was at FL Paso distr,bnting
stores His eyes lighted UPON 2 6aske3
on the veranda steps, and he glanced
across the lawn TO the big bed Of vlo-
lets.
Girls pick flowers" he said. giving
the basket a contemptuous little kick
Boys" with a half sob-"boys mako
snow houses and-snow men"
All! the questions came back IN him
again. Where was the winter? Where
was the snow? He walked 10 the north
end of the veranda and looked across
the open country TO the hay blue line
that he knew was the chaparral. Was
there snow over there now? WHY
shouldn't he go and see? He would
put on his great overcoat, and he would
get back before mamma came home.
Mamma would not care.
Capt Tanners house stood at the
end of Officers row. Just beyond II
but a little TO the east was the big
depot Of supplies. lfng low building
in which were the offices. Across the
parade ground were the barracks. Back
of the house and off to the north the
land sloped gently away and beyond
were great stretches Of level country.
with occasional thickets OF thornv
bushes called in the Southwest by the
Mexican name chaparral.
It was not strange, therefore. that no
one saw Ted as he crossed the sloping
field north Of the house, and With his
eye fiXe don the distant chaparral
struck out across the open country.
How warm it was! How could il be
winter over yOnder and the sun so
warm? Ted's little heart sank. He
looked back at the long row of houses,
the barracks, and the tall clock tower
on the hill behind him, and for a mo-
ment his purpose wdvered. Should he
go back? There was nothing to do
there, no one to play with, and over
yonder there was snow, perhaps How
pleased Baby May would be with
SNOWFALL. She had loved to stand nt
window in their Omaha home and
watch Ted at play in the snow. and had
laughed and clapped her tiny hands
when he threw the soft, white snow
against the window pane No he
would not go back. Williams said he
had seen snow on the chaparral. and
Williams was a soldier. Williams
would not tell lie.
On and on trudged the little lad.
straight toward the far away the blue
haze. The sun mounted higher and
higher in the sky, and the great coat
grew heavier and heavier. BY and by
the tired little feet began to lag Ali
1t was so far TO the CHI parral 10
must rest a little while. anr he sat down
upon the ground. The little head nod
ded and the q sg+eyes blinked. How
blue the skyr - .The}d, The strong.
light dazzled him. He laid his head
down upon the warm ground nd drew
his little military cap down "a, hade his
eyes. How soft the white clouds off
in the northern sky looked. Then he
fell asleep and dreamed that the soft,
white clouds were banks of snow up
in the sky, and one came sailing down
10 him. With a little cry Of delight
he stretched ont both his hands TO catch
handful Of the snow as il loated over
his head, and awoke.
He sat up with a start. Where was
he? He rubbed his eyes and looked
about him. An he remembered now.
There was the hay blue line Of the
chaparral straight before him. he
climbed TO his feet with difficulty. How
cold he was, and how the wind blew
Where was the sun and the blue sky!
Suddenly, like a flash. 10 came to MINI
this was the beginning Of winter ana
off yonder in the chaparral he would
find the snow. He must go on, ana
plunging his hands, blue with cold, deep
into his overcoat pockets he started
bravely forward.
But he could not walk fast. His NUS
legs were stiff from lying ON the hard
ground. and he was cold and hungry.
The singing north wind blew iierceiy
in his face, and his courage began 10
fail. He could see the buildings ana
the tall tower on Government Hlll
plainly, and the chaparral was so Tar
away. Should ne 90 back As ne hes-
itated a tiny fake of snow came |hlrl-
ing down. and another and another.
He forgot his discomfort and laugheu
aloud.
1T is the winter" he cried-"it is
the winter
1t could be only little way now 10
the great banks of snow. sucn as ms
had seen in his northern home. nc
would go on.
Fiercer and sharper grew the norm
wind. He could scarcely stand against
it. but he struggled on. How rougn
the ground was! He stumbled ar every
step. He was so tired, so sleepy lne
little feet slipped and be fell TO tne
ground.
All, what was that noise?
In his wanderings Ted had almos'
reached an old, seldom travelled r'au'
a short cut to the Missions ana mere
not a hundred rods away win ill,,
galloping and curtains buttonel ,Isnyy