Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-04-16

Its perfectly scand'lousl" shifted
Aunt William one bitterly cold even
ing, as she sat by the kitchen fire mend
ing a pair of Dicks socks.
"Which?" asked William, looking up
from his newspaper absent mindedly.
Dicks goin's-on."
where's he goin' now?" he asked,
his mind still on the paper.
Don't you know" she demanded,
looking at him severely, chat Dick is
a-spending ev'ry penny he's got in the
world for big black machine an a
lot O rusty pipes?"
Uncle William looked crushed.
'Listen!" she said, suddenly, holding
up one of Dicks socks warningly.
Borne on the crisp night air there
came the distant ringing blows of ham
mer upon steel.
Just then the telephone bell rang
loudly.
Goodness mel" exclaimed William,
almost dropping the lamp. Stepping
to the instrument, he put the receiver
to his ear.
"Is Dick Russell there?" asked an un-
familiar voice.
mo. He's away at work on his gas
engine"
"Will you take message to him at
once?"
Whore your"
"Never mind me. Here's the mes
sage-it's important. Tell Russell that
the weather clerk wires: Severe frost
tonight. Good-by."
Uncle William gasped and turned to
his wife.
whats it all about?" she spluttered
Severe frost tonight" repeated he.
what"
That's what the man said" persist
ed he.
Hes crazy" snapped Aunt William
"Mebbe so. Mebbe. Folks say Dick S
crazy, too. Mebbe we're all crazy"
And Uncle William reached for his
boots.
What are you goin' to do?"
"Do? Why cart this message over
to Dick afore it gets froze on the way"
A tramp of about 200 yards through
the snow brought Uncle William to the
"gassy madhouse" las Dicks mel hbors
politely called the structure).
who's that?" asked Dicks voice
from within.
"Me-Uncle Bill"
whats up?"
There's to be severe frost tonight.
Weather expert says so. An I'm
a-freezin' out here"
Dick swung the door wide open.
"Come in," said he.
$50 there's going to be big frost
tonight, eh?"
That's the telephone message"
much obliged" said Dick. Ibid you
notice what the thermometer said
when you left homer"
at said five blow zero"
Picking up the lantern, Dick hurried
outside the door and consulted his own
thermometer.
"Six below now" said he, thought
fully.
Then, hastily giving some instruc-
tons to the wOrkmen, he put on hi
coat and hat, took up the lantern agail
and turned to Uncle William.
Uncle Bill" said he, earnestly, Nv
been working and waiting a long tim
for this night. Sit still and get warn
till l come back"
Dick went out.
Where had Dick gone?
Straight to Helen Remington. Tha
is, as straight as detour around tn
fence would permit. AS he marched u
the walk to the house (wherein he ha
never been but once in his Ite) b
swung his uncle's lantern and Stampe'
his feet to keep up his courage. d
knocked on the door softly. His hear
pounded fercely.
who is there?" asked q puzzled
half-frightenedfem voice througi
the door.
Its only Dick RUSSELL" he said
quietly. There's an important matte
L must see you about"
Then she opened the door-haugh1
lily, fearlessly.
Come into the sitting-room, NJ
RUSSELL" said the girl; frigidly.
There's to be big record frost tt
night" said he, blushing like a girl.
"How do you know?"
"I've Just had news from-the weathe