The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1916-12-22

NV S'H Hdu IuCy 1CuSilCu JCCl .
road, where the route began, than
Deacon realized the inexperience OF
the new man. Why, he was actually
going to drive right past the Powers
place, and the Powers almost always
had mail Of some kind, even if it
wasn't more than a poultry magazine
or q seed catalogue. After one or
two such mistakes Deacon took charge
of things himself. From house to
sss1lse he went, stopping wherever he
lad been In the habft of calling, wait
ing until the new cfsg.rier found who
lived there and had locked through let
ters and parcels to see liz he had any.
thing for them.
All THE forenoon and all the after
noon this went on, but when the red
sun went down in the frosty west there
still remained half a hundred letters
and more than q peck of packages to
be delivered.. The new man was hun
CRY and tired, but he was no gutter.
SO he begged some hay and oats for
Deacon, borrowed q lantern, and to-
gether they started to finish the route.
AS for Deacon, his old knees we're
sitter than ever, his shoulder muscles
ached, his TANKS heaved like q pair Of
blacksmith's bellows, but he plunged
on. never skipping a single house,
never hesitating at a roundabout half
mile, doing his whole duty quite n
thoroughly as If there had been ONE
one behind to urge him on instead OF
a cold-numbed clerk, who had No
longer even touched the reins. At last
only II letter was left, a thick. bulky
one in a blue waterproof envelope.
bearing a foreign postmark. Josiah
BREASTED, Esq.," was the address.
BREASTED, eh?" muttered the clerk.
"Wonder If the old horse knows where
he liyes?'
Evidently Deacon did, for he Wa
blowing through q big drift, heading
straight out on the Boston rond into
the darkness. Far ahead, on the top
of a long hill, the clerk could see the
lights of a big house. There were no
other lights between. Miles behind he
could make out the glow Of the city.
The clerk wished he could be back
there, where could be warm again
and get something hot to eat. With
numb fingers he pulled out his watch.
Half-past nine! Why, 1t would take
them a good two hours to drive back
now BREASTED be hanged! He coult
get his letter after Christmas,
So he grabbed the relns and indi-
Gated to Deacon q desire to turn
around. But Deacon would not turn.
Pull on the rein rs he might, Deacon
would only swing his head about,
keeping his legs moving straight
ahead. By much shouting and saving
on the reins Deacon was stopped.
Then the ley driver waded out to his
head, took him by the bits and tried to
point the horse the other way. Dea-
con refused to bulge. Those lights on
the top OF the long hill marked the end
Of the route, and Deacon knew it. And
TO those lights they went. Josiah
Hraisted?' asked the driver CURLY of
the Joung who answered his
ring.
"Oh. it's come, it's comet" she
shouted to someone within, as she held
out her hand eagerly for the letter.
Never before had he seer so mucf.
excitement caused by the delivery Of
a letter. In a moment there were three
or four persons In the front hall, all
talking at once.
"Do you think It will save him, doc.
torY asked the anxious-faced OLD
lady who had followed the girl to the
door.
1T will If anything will, I guess
answered a stout, bearded man. Ana
he mounted the stairs to see the pa-
tent in the upper room.
Then they insisted that the half
frozen clerk come inside and have
something to eat. Deacon? Oh, they
would take care OF Deacon. They did
all this and more. It seemed that this
letter had been long expected, and was
sadly needed. for it came from 4 prod
igal son to a very sick father. It had
it's effect, too.
OF course the clerk told them Ct
Deacon's heroic stu~bbornness, Of hew
the old horse had insisted on golne
to the very end of the route when
he had tried to turn him back. Josiah
Braisted, Esq. heard the story durins
his c~Onvalescence.
Il must tell my son about TINT when
he m home," he would yspeat y
they told him OF the part Deacos
played in the story. I'VE ought to =
something for that old horse" 10 ~
They did, too. The Office clerk. ~
will first show you a handsome eol1
watch, tells the story best, always end
Ing with, And old Deacon. why. h
lives out there on the Braisted plae,
like Q thoroughbred. He's In cloyo1
he Is"
WELL" Dan Sweeney will add. ~
no more'n he deserves. Old Deoco
was o mighty good horse - ~ ~
|, and mighty knowin,."-St. Loulo(5
Democrat.