The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1900-08-17

ing her to chair. "You know T
wouldn't do nothin' o. the kind and 7
don't want you to mention such thinp.
I'll pull through all right for lest thu,
many trips, guess"
Mary Poore did not close her evas "
sleep during that long and drearv nioht
Several times 1t seemed to her az thon,h
she saw the frozen body of her beloved
husband, and that 1t was being borno
through the door by the strong arms OF
two sturdy men. But in the morning she
rose early and had a warm breakfas,
ready, the very best that the house At.
forded, before he awoke.
1t was not yet daylight when Pete,
kissed his wife and little ones eood. Inv.
"Here, Pete - she said p1eadinelv. az
she tried In vain to place in his hands q
pair OF well-worn blankets that sbe 70. q
holding. "You must take these. for Won
can't tell what it will do before von 90,
back, and you haven't taken but one little
thin covering. Please do take them
Pete!'
VI can't take them, Mary" he answered
firmly, out tenderly. II wouldn,t rob
you and the children like that, leavin' Won
without any coverin', and the Ignite
nearly gone" Then he embraced he,
again, and shu fiji ID into his homemade
sleigh and laid the whip to his horses.
The sun was just rising in the hazv
southeast when Peter Moore started from
the post-office with the mail, to drive ove,
one OF the most dreary routes of all the
great Star Route system. But the air
was calm, and not severely cold, and b,s
course was to the south 80 there did mt
seem to be any good reason to fear that
he would be unable to arrive at the place
of destination before dark, unless his
rather thin bronchos should weaken m
the way. Long before noon he drove IN
at the Hallway ranch, as the place was
called, where be stopped for dinner and
to feed his horses.
just AZ he was rising from the table,
however, the ranchman came rushing in.
snaking the snow from bis cap and coat
"Gosh, Pete!" he exclaimed. "I,m
mighty afraid we're going to have an
other bowling blizzard. The wind IA
blowing in spurts from the northeast.
and it's showing to beat the deuca. fit
should Just shift to the northwest. then
leok out. See how hazy it's getting, Pete.
1ou mustn't think Of leaving this ranch
To-day, under no circumstsnces.n
Yves, l must!" answered Peter, quick
~ glanoing through the dingy little win
dow. "I've undertaken to git the mail
through to-day, and propose to do it or
ole IN the attempt" And he snatched up
bis overcoat and cap and put them on
nurriedly and FASTENED to the barn.
In moment he was on his wav AGAIN.
though against the earnest protest Of the
ranchman. he knew that before him
stfe3oned an almost trackless route of at
least IL miles through dismal buttep, and
mat toere was not human habitatfon m
me way; but he confidently hoped to
reach the settlement on the other side he.
lore toe storm should fully gather. He
nad not proceeded far, however, before
ne began to realize what John had meant
oy saying that he had travelled 30 miles
% make 40; and then it occurred to him.
Tor the first time, that the dreary stretch
oe1ore him might be nearer "a miles than |
IL. In places he found the snow piled
I've or six feet high across his path.
around such drifts he was compelled to |
'teer his way cautiously and slowly, and |
% clear them and return each time to the |
'lready hidden track became more and
more difficult as he advanced. Though
he wind was blowing only ntfully, and
here were Intervening moments Of al.
most perfect calm, it soon became evil
lent that the haze was thickening, an d |
hat the particles of falling snow we're
very moment becoming finer and harder.
Then 1t was not long before every emil
fence seemed like mountain and every
depression like an impossible abyss until
cached.
Suddenly, as he was laboriously pillow.
ng bis way around one Of the big drifts
hat obstructed his course, the wind
hifted, but to what quarter he could not
positively determine, though he naturally
bought OF the dreaded northwest. Only
moment passed before bis fears we're
u'ly confirmed. Then the mighty blasts
anne sweeping through the rocky buttes