The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-04

goiEg ard the air was fresh and fun OF
sunshine. They was s'prised To see me at
Ouray. and laughed a deal at the truck
bought and paid for with gold dust l
found the pudding stuff so heavy that
really had 10 mixed i'm a pail. ] went over
20 a saloon for awhile, and il was bout 3
i'm the afternoon when ] como back for my
things ] had asked the storekeeper, who
was also postmaster, il there were any let
tef's for pard, but there want. tied the
eight pound turkey round my neck with
the pudding pail, the vegetables and a
sQuash--that seemed 10 weigh a ton before
was four miles on my way. / hllcd my
pockets with papers and books and a bot
Tie of brandy and tobacco. As fixed my
snowshOes the storckcepcr came out
"Quccr thing, Bigc, he says. Bout
an hour fore you got back from tho sa-
loon an Englishman named ingalls, was
hero asking II knowod your pard, Ed ]
told him where he was and off he goes
Impatient and stuck up enough. wouldn't
listen TO no caution. Thought mebbo our
niount'in trail was bolerward where he
could find hoss kocrs and them two wheeled
cabs with a jay up behind OFF he jumps
like a flash says, Try it, young fellcr
you'll bc back in am hour or two | clean
"
III meet him." l says and starts The
crowd give three cheers for me and wished
me MERRY Christmas" Keep some
of that pudding for me till spring. IL will
be hard enough, yells the storekeepor
'for you wouldn't take no soda in IL. !"
paTd hadn't mentioned soda and /
wouldn't put it in. though it was argued
it oughtcr be done. "S'longl" / calls and
goes on For three or four miles I could
sec tracks quito plain i'm tho snow and
kept a lookout for ingalls,, but my progress
was awful slow was so beat out that
sworc at the yittlcs, pard and Chris mus
straight along The turkey growed hcav-
ier and heavier, and once lost it and
had 10 70 back half milo. want
likely pictur' as floundered along and was
ugly enough 10 fight my best friend Curl
ous enough put all my mad on that fcller
ahead The idoc, " I'd say, "of him dar-
ing TO climb this mount'in alone in snow
time"
Bout ten miles ON my way, just as
was straght'ning up my back after max
ing another hitch on the turkey, felt
something sharp strike my fucu- I knowed
! was in for it, for snow at Chris mus time
in these mount'ins means darkness, drifts
and death. But that didn't stump me.
Every inch OF that road was plain as
map i'm my mind. and blunted by
cold. stunned by tho snow and dark
ness, l forgot ingalls, entirely and
must have passed close by him had
enough TO do TO fight for my own life On
! goes and game enough to hang TO the
truck. ! want going TO be beat outer
that dinner for ali the snow in Colorado
Every now and then when / got kinder
sleepy and sly idcc KEEP coming how slick
IL would be TO lie down and take a nap
that means never git up, but freeze 10 death
the old turkey would sling around and
fetch me a smart slap in the face. kinder
groweu 20 think the old bird wanted To he
roasted and git up to the cabin to give his !
remains for the celebration.
i got along all right till got 10 where /
/ ought TO turn of 10 the trail, and there
/ dassent leave the road wasn't sure !
where it lay. listened and heard the |
mufficd sound of a. gun, and this follered, |
where pard got his sense l |
up she mount'in side a-holler- !
Ing, and soon / got answer and the hap |
piest sight of my life--I see n big yallcr
glare. II was pard a-burning kerosene.
"Glad it's cheap, SAYS ironical, for it
sin't. lie laughs and takes all the truck |
Dy the bowling / knowed Doc was tied,
and then the house was all lit up
Made three stations down the path"
be explains; house first dog next myself
with the gun and bonfrcllast.
"YoulI do. / says He flew around |
looking at the stuff I'd brought. found
some cloth and made a bag into which no
put the pudding mixture, tied il and slung
the same into n kittlc OF boiling water,
which he hung over the fire
The water II git in II. 1 says "Them
stitches is too loose "
"It cooks out. +" he answers, beginning
10 cut up tho squash. Now sit down,
Bige, and get Strengthened ont, " he goes
On, bringing me a glass of brandy.
!" / asked Tor "a letter for you, but there
want none, 1 says beginning TO draw
OF my boots
Yon were very kind, but there is no
Dne TO write
Land Of tho livingl" yells, jumping
cp, them tracks ahead-that feller." It
come to me all Of a sudden. Where was
be?
What did you says" asks pard, kcor.
css like.
"Ingallsp 2 gasps
ingalls,. hc repeats. Citing white.
for PHYS sake who-what do you know
,f hint
! told him lie listened quite a mint,
hen goes to where his coat was hanging
,n nail
Where arc you goingY" says
"To look for him
"Why? What's he TO youf"
my worst enemy"
"Pnrd. you're fool II me- an ssld
nount'incer. he'd n hard fight for like n
lalf hour ago, what viii II be for you and
he storm Is worse. Tho fcllcr's dead now
nyhow Mobbe he went back-surc he
lid, and you don & bulge a step"
You are sure he did not 20 back. " he
ays quietly, lighting the lantern. "Lct
% Day l mean To start
You're so smart on snowshoos, you'll
'it about n mile and then tumble over a
recipico" /"
II think not, he says sobcrly. "If /
10, Il don 6 matter"
"waalL I'm not going
81 w0uldn't let you." says he
'Ob. you wouldn't" / grnwls. "you
Touldn't. hey. You young whippcr snap.
er. you cub. you. LIT me 60. I'll lest let
on know you don't stir foot out till i
IL nrcd ffrr---vou arr cfarfipo,- ~ -,vg,I I