The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-12-23

Town Talk.
The CHoS7LY HAND.
What time does the next train leave
| for Delphos?" Last train going west left
at $50, sir; not another till the morn
ing"
I Addressed the above interrogatory to
the official ON duty, at the little station
of Van Vert Oh the Pittsburg, Fort
Wayne & Chicago railroad, somewhere
near 8 O'Clock p. m. on Christmas eve
some ten years ago. was the advance
agent Of a travelling concert company, and
it was important that should reach Del
phos that same night to make hhAl ar
| rangemehts for an opening on the Goth.
The distance was only Il matter of eight
miles between the two points, but the
failing snow which had carpeted the
ground to depth of several inches since
| the early morning made the roadways i'll
that part of the country not the surest
guide for a stranger unaccustomed to the
landmarks to pursue.
Last train for Delphos, sir, steamed
|
died off to the further end Of the plat
form to extinguish the hist Remaining oil
lamp preparatory to tGfhing in for the
| night.
1t was not nice outlook to say the least
! of 1t, ahd the position not one whit en-
haRced by the hipping air, and the scurry-
ing s1lowtiakes which beat against my
lappels; finding its way now and again III
| little avalanches down the back OF my
neck. and anon repeating the same cold
greeting within the precincts OF my shirt
! bosom.
What was 1 to do, couldn't lay at
Van Vert till morning, for my arfaiige-
ments had been timed to reach Delphos
ton to take Il sleigh anu drive the dis
lance, the roau now covered up even with
the surrounding country made it unsafe
| for a stranger to venture, and it was GER
tain no citizen of Van Vert would guide
me. Christmas eve, every living soul had
retired to the warmth of his own tireside,
which could be seen casting bright CLEANS
of roseate hue on innumerable window
panes, in the cottages lying close at hand
thinkiR' Of goin' to Deiphosy' bleSt if I
don't want to get there. myself turned
and replied to the individual, who closely
buttoned UP, had approached me from
DenlNu. 1eS-l WAS tulukluS, Uut SluCc
! the night train has left. l was lost IN
speculation as to how far my thoughts
would coincide with my eventually getting
there. Seeing that you are in the same
predicament evidently as myself, what
proposition have you to make? Is there
Il chance Of either of us getting there?"
"Well, stranger, it's tough night sure,
even, and if you don't mind my company.
suppose we both set out and try our luck.
l reckon we can reach DelphOs i'll three
hours or thereabouts, so let's put our best
foot foremost. and get move on
was pleased to realize that it was not
| out of the question to reach Delphos that
| night and gladly accepted my fellow tray
eler's company. Buttoning up closely
and pulling our caps we'll over our ears
| we were very soon trampihg in the direc-
ton of our destination, and reckOned we
! should get there something on this side
| of midnight.
My companion was journeying to Del
and was very sociablc and genuine sam
pie of the rustic Ohio man. His pockets
We're bullying out with an assortment of
| gifts for the yOunguns, as he termed
them, and his kindly intention Of playing
the role of Santa Claus to his nieces and
| nephews kept him impervious to the
whirling snow Clouds which by this time
cry 100 yards or so of the way.
We had proceeded about Ave Or six
miles, and had plowed our way along
for space of about two hours, as near
as we could judge; the drifts getting
deeper, and the cold wind driving the
flakes with stfnging force against our
faces making it pretty hard to see TWEEN
panion exclaimed: ''Blest if l don't
| think we've tackled more'n we can man.
age, seems to me if the snowfall don't
| let up and the wind get down bit We'll
| never reach Delphcs this night, or maybe
next night-these drifts are getting deep
/ or and deeper with every step, and 1
don't know as how the track will long
don't alter. It's getting like a BLIZZARD"
Ii was certainly getting a risky and
an exciting trudge, and truth to tell, l
was Just a little sorry l hadn't remained
over at Van Vert, but l hoped on, and
trusted to reach Delphos ali the same.
Ny companion, however, was not so pro-
Inc III that respect, more accustomed to
what blizzard portends, for certainly
the Whlrllng snow gave unmistakable evil
aence that such was lowering around, he
Eung behind, allowing me to make spllrg-
| ing tracks i'll the soft covering to a depth
above my knees.
We We're trudg lying along, the perspira-
tion oozlng, freely as a result of our ex-
ertlons, when suddenly the wind in
the snow into huge, waterspont.like
masses, .gyrating and swirling round and
round IN perfect bewilderment of
cloud. 1t seemed as if we were carried
along i'll wilderness of madly-beafinr
clements n: and the biting cold froxe our
VEINS and sealed up all the warm blood
coursing through them. The snowflakes
but lately fanung with an easy circline
hight resolved themselves into veritable
missiles of destruction, and stung our
races with a Kissing sound like the on
slaught of a nest of serpents. 1t died
away soon after and went onward like q
Whitened cloud to heaven, swirling and
eatnering up the snoWcovered landscape
III IT'S 1old ike some hungry and angered
lett released, and blissfully resting on n
doWny couch, looking up to the skv
which had now become clear as if nv
magic, and the sharp-cut stars shone
DOWN upon me with comfort sveeter
than l ever knew.
Say, stranger, brace up; there's no
waking in the sleep you're taking" and
saw the form of my compa Mon bendine
over me, and endeavoring to resuscitate
by friction his own anatomy.
Brace up, stranger, see, lend me
your hand" and with this was sensible
VI the del1ghtful feeling of wearied SUM
Der give place to tingling sense of pain,
running throughout my body. The biz
card had pretty nearly done for me, and
my fancied security of danger past. was
only the calm that imperceptibly leads
one on to that sleep from which there is
no return but death.
was soon satisfied that had escaped
q terrible fate, however and with return
ing circulation felt acutely the situation.
My companion got me on my feet, and
we slowly traced our steps to what we
imagined was the house Of some outlying
settlement, but which OH arrival to the
apparent horror of my friend, who turned
out to be somewhat superstitious, we dis
covered to be Il church.
Church or no church, l had made Nm
my mind to accept its protection, and on
proceeding to the door judge Of my sur
prise to find it open.
overburdened with ungodiness, but blest
if | like being so close to his presence as