Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1898-12-22
CHAPTER I.


northeast and at points along the coast
had the speed and violence Of a hurri-
cane. The sea was in potential fury
and lashed the rocks as if determined
upon pounding them to powder. The
marshes and inlets were as turbulent
as the mighty ocean. The shipping was
sheeted In ice, and the wharfs and
docks were hidden in the embrace OF
seething pillows The air was filled
with crystal snow, which struck with
such force as to cut the flesh of the un
fortunates who were compelled to face
une storm. All ordinary traffic had
ceased, and the great city seemed strick-
en- as by plague. The gas lamps had
been burning for hours, though the day
was not yet spent. An hour before sun.
set the wind changed to the west, the
great sheet Of angry clouds lost their
texture, broke into flocks and skurried
to the east as though whipped by the
demons of the storm. The cold increased
in intensity and the wind in force,
while the dissipating clouds sifted deli
cate splinters of ice, filling the air with
miniature poniards.
"Bitter, bitter! 1t is bitter dayl My
eyes ache. That blast which struck me
as I turned the corner of the street
pierced me like knife. There is a sting
about my beart-not cold but a
warm sting-as though the bitter blast
had turned to steam" This was uttered
by man who had just quit the street.
AS he soliloquized he drew off his
gloves, and then his greatcoat, throw
ing them ON a table standing in the GEN.
ter of the room; took off well worn
silk hat, and began rapidly running his
long, bony fingers through his hair. Ii
was iron gray, cut close and stood on
end, stiff, brushlike Turning his face
to the crate of white hot Goals, he gazed
for a moment, and then stepped closer.
He was feet high, but not erect. His
head bent forward and his shoulders
were rounded and stopped. He was raw
boned and angular, with arms SO long
that they seemed out of proportion with
his long, gaunt body. His face was that
of man past middle age. It was pinch.
ed all over-pinched at the corners OF
the mouth, pinched in the cheeks, pinch
ed everywhere, except over the nose.
There the skin was tight and smooth,
and the color of parchment. Little red
veins could be plainly seen and seemed
to be running over instead of under the
skin.
The room was more than comfortable
lit was hot ana close-yet he shivered
as though he were out in the storm. He
attempted to stand erect, stretched his
neck and threw back his head, but did
not succeed After few moments
pause he began to strike himself upon
the breast, ON the left side the most.
Perhaps he was striking at the sting Of
which he spoke. Again and again he
struck, then shrugged his shoulders,
twisted his body in his clothes and in
creased the violence of the blows, as ii
knocking at door he was impatient to
have opened. Still shivering, he pushed
cushioned chair near the CRATE and
sank into it, as if exhausted.
The room was large and cherries,
the paper dingy and smoky, and in a
number of places torn and hanging in
laps from the wall, which showed cracks
in zigzag lines. The window frames
were twisted out of shape, yielding to
the decayed walls, and the panes in the
sashes were dirty, a few broken and
patched with paper. The house had
been a fashionable one before the city
went up town, but its beauty had gone
with its fashionable occupants, and it
was now pleading with hundred ragged
tongues for repairs. Between the CEN
tral front windows, incased in the wall,
was q mirror reaching from ceiling to
floor. The furniture was scant and poor
except the chair into which he sank.
That was elegantly upholstered and
looked easy and comfortable. The table
ON which he had thrown his gloves and
greatcoat was of pine and solid, litter
ed over with papers, pamphlets, used
envelopes and opened letters. A well
worn carpet, blotched and spotted, GOV.
cred the floor. There were two rooms
with folding doors. The front he used
as a night Office and the rear as bed
room. The only occupants Of the prem
ises were John Frostberg, Broker and
General Money Dealer" and his man
servant and the wife Of the latter. A
single picture hung on the wall near
the entrance door. It was a poorly ex.
ecuted crayon, inciosed in q frame,
which at one time no doubt protected q
more valuable work Of art. Four chill.
drsn were gathering chestnuts under 9
great tree. One was q boy Of IA and an
other girl of ~ years. The Others
were younger. The eldest girl held hel
apron by the corners, while the youth
emptied his hands of brown nuts int
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