The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-24

We each took on another big tank OF
homemade sausage and pancakes, anG
felt it for the deed of our lives. Dear.
motherly Mrs. Belknap would have
loaded us with provisions, but j declined
everything but Il piece of boiled salt
pork, a loaf OF bread and package
Of coffee and sugar.
had to speak twice-a little sharply
the last time-to Harry, who was bid
ding Susie goodby in the kitchen. /
thought | heard suspicious smack, but
| won't swear to that; still, he came
away and forgot the coffee!
MIR. Belknap told us better road than
The way we came, SO we got back with
aut much trouble. The curtain had
raucht fire from the furnace door and
broken every pane of glass in the cab,
rendering il uninhabitable. The clock
had thawed out, run seven minutes and
frozc ND again. But there was bota
ire and water in her. so | didn't much
care. / pumped her full again, and.
though the weather was moderating
RAPIDLY, as the cab was untenaDle, We
adjourned to the snow hole under her.
we munched our pork and bread in
comfort down there, Harry calling out
hat he had found the wishbone.
The storm was about over; | had
kept my engine alive, my stomach was
easy. / lit MY pipe and was doing off
10 the endless hum OF Harry's eulogies
Of Susie Belknap, when / was rudely
recalled to railroad realities by tine
voice Of Davis, shouting. The, snow
pow with gang Of shoTelers was hair
way through the cut and Davis, chock
rnll OF business, was calling me to get
ready.
Where the deuce have you been al
sumner / asked pctulantly. For he
had all the appearance OF man who
aad been comfortably housed and fed
was shaved, even.
over here to the house." he answer
cd chccrily. Where was you"'
What house,
why, my mother-in-law's jest back
o them trees"
"Weu, it's wonder you wouldn't
ask Us over; how'd you 'spose we was
qgoin to stan it!'
Il expected you over every minute
an when ye didn't come, though
mebbe you'd ruther stay by the engine
one o the boys was over here ulster
Jay to see If We wanted anything, an he
yaid there warn't nobody here Where'G
ye go:"
.'I}own to Relknap's."
'Belknap',: Gosh! Wln'd yG 60
way down there fur? Why, its foul
times as fur as It's mp to mothers"
"Ch, is it? Wen I'm mighty glad I've
found that out anyway"
They dug us out, and / slammed il
to cid IS fer dear life. | knew passen
Ger train 10 was somewhere behind me.
and wanted to get by the only switch
there was between me and home with
0ut sidetracEing for her. ! got by il
all right. and while bucking little pile
Of snow that had fallen ON the track
since the plow passed, She came up and
coupled to our cabo0se.
We went in the rest Of the way hy
In. The sun came out and made
fairTland of the heavily snow-c0vered
landscape, and tempered the frosty ali
hat came through the broken windows
1t was 80 hours after Christmas dime
time when we stepped off her ut the
ash track, bat l told Harry to come
0n up to the house and we'd pick the
bones, anyway.
When we turned the corner there wa,
the house all lit up, and as we stamped
the snow off our feet in the entry, the
dining room door few open. and mother
and Katie-who had become as thick as
thieyes-and little Bob, shouted cho-
rus of Merry Christmas at us.
The table, whose snowy Linen con
trasted sadly with our begrimed over
clothes. was pulled out full length III
the middle of the floor. In its center.
his drumsticks held defiantly aloft, lay
The great brown turkey, with not a
brack in his glossy skin. He was SUP
ported on one side by massive dome
of mashed potatoes, whose generous
white eXpanse was notified here and
there by little dabs of delicious golden
butter Delicate, feathery fronds O.
celery nodded jovially to the fat glass
dish OF cranberry sauce, while delicious
odors of coffee and plum puddin' were
waited through the open door from the
kitchen
What sight for tired and hungry
railroaders!
"We waited for We, pa! Pa, we waited
for We" shouted boisterous Bob; and
so they had. Katie had worn path
through the snow to the switch tower
and had timed our arrival home to the
minute.
I noticed that, during the winter.
Harry had way of hanging out Of
The gangway as we approached Belk-
maps, so | made it my business to blow
a CROSSING SimuaI tharn And oS~J Dnar