New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1902-06-18
he Release
Of No. zOI
BY DAVID II. TALMADGi
Copyright, 1901. by D. a. Talmadge


stuck in the snow, and there seemed to
be no relief for it. No provision had
been made for such contingency be-
cause the branch, sheltered by trees
and bluffs, had been considered proof
against such misfortune. The engi-
neer, who had been on the run for
twenty years, was too astonished for
words when the small locomotive
failed to cut the drift into which 1t
had plunged SO confidently, and he sat
on his seat staring dumbly at the con-
ductor, who swore shockingly and ges-
ticulated with his arms.
In the coach were two passengers,
both young men. One was the type of
commercial salesman sent out by small
jobbing houses, well dressed, self as
sertive, crudely philosophic; the other,
by appearance, plainly farmer. He
wore a baggy, shiny black suit, and his
white collar was attached to ging-
ham shirt by a white bone button.
sewed with black thread His appear
ance was enhanced by a carefully
trimmed shock Of hair and whiskers.
The commercial salesman had arisen
when the train stopped and had walk
ed to the door.
IT guess" he remarked after a min
ute, that we're stalled"
He whist1ed popular melody as he
walked down the aisle and noted with
some amusement that the other man
was clutching the back Of seat, his
eyes filed with CONSERVATION.
provoking, isn't it?" the drummer
said as he lighted a cigar and drew a
paper covered book from his grip.
Y-yes-by-cat!" the other STAN
mered. "Say, do you mean that we're
stuck?'
'"That's it exactly. Here's the con-
ductor now.'
The conductor slammed the door vi
ciously and shook the snow from his
cap. Were up against it, gentlemen"
he announced in disgust. 1.-THE con-
founded teakettle is dying like a sick
pig out there in a drift no bigger'n
washtub. We're two miles from DIX
port, and the SHOWS so thick you can't
see your hand before your face. Lucky
we've been to supper"
"Then we Won't get out tonight?'
asked the farmer anxiously, looking at
his watch.
'That's the size Of it. As we're I'D
here on this pea vine the section men
won't learn what's the matter with us
till tomorrow. We've got plenty Of
coal. It might be worse
EYES," said the farmer, IT s'pose it
might, but I don't see how it could be
much worse for me.''
He picked up an overshoe
'<You see," he explained, fastening
the buckle, ave got particular en-
gagement tonight up at Dilkport, and
If the train amt going I've got to hoof
it."
He put on the other shoe and rose,
reaching for the wolfskin coat which
dangled from one end of the parcel
holder. The conductor and the sales
| man contemplated him in astonish-
| ment.
but, man, you can't do it possibly"
! said the conductor. you'll fall through
| bridge or something, and then you'll
freeze to DEATH
Il reckon tits bit risky" admitted
the farmer, ''but amt at all sure it
wouldn't be riskier not to. You see,
! my w1fe's at Dilkport, and she's sick.
She may be dying. I've got to go to
her"
An expression of sympathy came up
on the conductors face, and that Of the
salesman took on a sudden gravity.
! There are certain circumstances, !"
the farmer continued In explanation.
(which make it more important that I
should see her than you might natural
| ~ think from the plain fact Of her be-
| Ing sick. I haven't treated her Just
| right to tell the truth. I've been stu
pid and unreasonable. We We're mar
RED only year ago. won her away
from three Or four other fellows. ANY
| one of 'em would have made her a
| better husband than me. Funny how
such things 60, amt it?''
tits a blooming queer old world
said the conductor, nodding his head
| sagely. ..z-.9-r h . s'
| "And the queerest things in it are
girls" added the salesman in the tone
Of an authority
| I'VE were married at Dnkport, where
| she was raised, and we went to nv
farm to live. We were happy as could
be for maybe six months, and then I
noticed that something was wrong
with her. A sort of cloud come over
her. It was nothing but Inconsistencies,
. I s'pose, but I couldn't see it any other
way than that she was sorry she'd
| married me. And one day I happened
to find a sheet Of paper "a part Of a
letter she'd been writing that had
dropped from her portfolio, and read
it. There weren't many words on the
sheet The first one was .d1sappoint-
ed ending a sentence she'd begun On
the sheet that went before. And then
1t said: 1T is not as I had pictured it.
wish to go home, And right there
It ended. ] said nothing to her. i
didn't u think it was necessary to have q