The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1899-04-12

60 and rocked the palace
! ~ upon the siding. The
n air reverberated with
artillery-like reports as the dense ice
snapped and cracked with its own
weight aud the intense cold, while the
rickety old hack that conveyed pas
sengers IN winter from the eastern
bank of the "Big Muddy" to the
sleepy little town of Riverside (the
county seat of Gumbo County and
emporium OF the vast stock range that
stretched away to the westward) rat
He'd noisly along with its scanty bur-
den.
In the principal store Mr.. Meggs,
merchant and postmaster, was busily
engaged in sorting out and tying up
packages Of mail for the lonely
ranches that did duty as postoffices
along the star route that extended
some two hundred miles farther into
the interior.
Across the street Maverick Bill,
stage-driver, was fortifying his stom-
ach preparatory to sixty-mile ride
over the aforesaid star route. At one
of the green baize tables at the far
ther end OF the room little coterie OF
ranchmen, cowboys and gamblers had
gathered. Bill eyed the group long.
ingly as he remarked to the host
who was also the Sheriff of Gumbo
County and Deputy United States
Marshall twenty-five below, an
the north wind howlin' like pack
coyotes. tell yer, it's a picnic,
packin' mail ON day like this. Mix
me up a bottle of your best ol' rye an
Jamaica ginger"
Eyes, replied the Sheriff consoling-
ly, cts sure pretty rocky weather;
nobody but fools and mail-carriers will
be outside to-day"
The stage-driver growled something
incoherently little later the host
observed, from his post at the win
dow, you'd better get a wiggle on
yourself, Bill, Old Meggs has just
hove the mail-sack out on the side
walk and Mike is waiting for the
team"
Bill thrust the bottle into his over
coat pocket, and hurried with some
what unsteady steps across the street.
He had just finished tying tho mail
pouch to the blackboard when the
hack driver from tho depot halted his
painting team beside the vehicle.
"Train just got in, Bill" said he.
"Cuts are full-Rotary busted-got a
passenger and some express for you.
Will you wait for this mail?"
mot as anybody knows on" re-
turned Bill, "three or four days won't
cut no fgger with them fellers up the
creek"
The hack driver opened the door of
the carriage, and a tall, stylishly
dressed young lady emerged from its
dingy interior.
GOOD morning, Mr.. Harris" said
she in low, musical voice; 81 was
so afraid that we would not get here
on timel 1 want to go out to the
ranch with You to-day"
Bill stared at the new arrival for
moment in open-mouthed astonish-
ment and then exclaimed "Why,
Minnie Crawley! is that you2 You
sure don't think of trying to ride
sixty miles on day like this! You'll
be plumb froze to DEATH"
"Ohl 1 must go, Mr.. Harris; I
haven't been home for nearly two
years, and Mamma will be SO disap-
pointed"
"She'll be whole lot more disap-
pointed if bring you in froze sitter
AN q dogie. But if you must go,
come inside and get some more duds.
That rig may do in Boston, but it
amt no account out here on the
prairies."
When they emerged from the store
little later, Miss Crawley was clad
in huge coonskin coat that reached
nearly to the ground. "A fur cap was
upon her head and pair of thick
German socks over her dainty little
boots. Maverick Bill helped her into
the buggy, tucked the robes carefully
about her, then presenting her with q
thick, dark-blue, wooden blanket,
plainly inscribed with the well-known
character U. S. 1. D., he politely re-
marked:
"Pull that wakapomany blanket
over your head an keep your mouth
shut until we get to the road-ranch.
I hope the lady'll have a good hot
dinner ready when we get there, fer
we'll sure need it."
Then taking the lines from Mikes
willing hands, he sprang into the seat
beside his fair companion, and with
sharp cut of the whip sent the horses
gaIloping down the street. The town,
with its huddle of squat, unpainted
houses and its single deserted street,
was quickly lost to view. Instead ap-
peareda long, winding valley, bounded
on either hand by bleak, desolate
gumbo hills and snow-covered ridges
and ravines. The snow creaked and
cracked under the wheels of the
blackboard. Long .icicles attached
themselves to the horses nostrils and
their sides became covered with frost