Newspaper Page Text
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v
I
CROSS PURPOSES
ft
fflirlstmas Experience
Seven Chapters.
in
By T. '0. DB LEON,
Author of "Creole ami Puritan," "Tht
Koch or the Rye," -"Four Years
in llcbcl Capitals," etc,
ed In ilcllento IrostworK arontm tiieir
nostrils.
"What did I tell you? Look at tho
ldUcna," wiw tlio driver's unltito; add as
If to corroborate It, tho Kniy maro miule
a terriflo lungo forward, whilo "Jnlap"
stood straight up ad luwcd tlio ulr.
"So-hol stonily, boysV" mid tho lloutcn
ant braced himself linrd against tho gray ,
wliilo tho floxiblo wrist brought tho long
lash over tho sorrel's neck. "So, there!
steady now. Bundlo In quick now, old
boy. whllo thoy nro onlct."
In bumped my vallso, n signal for tho
brutes to execute another war danco.
fOopyrlRtat by tlio Author, All rlchU rognrrcd.
CHAPTER II.
OVUR TUK SNOW.
Holiday week had set in heavy and
threatening. It had opened with a prom
iso of Bnow, and had closed with its veri
fication so fast and furious that by
Christmas ovo tho wholo countrj' for
miles around Piketou was wrapped in
one spotless and unbroken mantlo. Tlio
sloigliing was perfect. Novor in tho
memory of that much quoted oldest au
thority iu Piketou liad it been no good.
Our metropolis was nlivo with excite
ment liko tho classic city of Stoke
Pogis, it was "agitated to its center."
Tho sudden furor for sletjhiug, added
to tlio iucvitablo buzz of holiday prepa
ration, drovo the usually quiet popula
tion into a fover of action. Every avail
able sleigh, hovoer old, was rooted
from its hiding pluco; horses accustomed
only to tho plow and tho market wagon
pricked up their cars to tho unwonted
hi-g' lang! of excited drivers, and oven
crockery crates and dry goods boxes
were put npon extemporized runners.
All Piketon. swathed in furs or blank
ets, was bundled iuto something that
would slide; tho road to tho "Bull's
Eye" tho bedate drovors' tavern five
miles out was resonant with tho merry
music of their bells and tho rollicking
laughter ot their occupants, while its
primitive bar room and sanded parlor
were alike crowded from nipping morn
to frosty eve.
And how delicious is a sleigh ride
when all surroundings are propitious!
Who tliat lias over wintered in a snow
country but has a store of ready recol
lections that spring up at tho first sound
of tho bells? Bo he a serious, well round
ed bachelor of CO their lively jar shakes
the cumulate dust from still crevices of
memory, and long slumbering remin
iscences, unrolling themselves like mar
mots in tho spring, crawl out to bask in
the sunlight of that long ago. Perhaps
they find the gleam but a deceptive
one now, and, after blinking at tho
present lor a while, creep back again
and curl themselves up for a longer nap.
Jr-
W.Vl. Tl
tkTt JW'I'M
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V
d
Twice I essayed to look around at the
couple behind me.
No acrid and hopeless spinster walk
ing regretfully on the shadowy 6ide of
maidenhood but straightens her back,
drops her shoulders and smoothes out
her wrinkles as the music of the bells
plays variations on a half forgotten
theme of cozy sleigh and comfortable
wrappers, all winding up with a cr.ish
ing crescendo of hot oysters and merry
reeL
And to those young hearts, suscepti
ble to frolic as to sentiment and thiob
bing for ever changing excitement, what
a delicious bound it sends!
Ob, tho bells, sldshliiR bells.
What a world of merriment their melody fore
tells. Yes, sleighing is glorious. 'Tis tho
next best thing to flying to sit in tho
light, strong cutter and glide over tho
smooth surface without noiso or jar,
Beeming scarco to touch it. Your glossy
black, catching tho lively inspiration of
his bells, shakes his head in huge frolic,
stretches out afresh and spurns the snow
in lighter wreaths from his over quick
ening heels. Now for a brush! Seo that
yellow jumper just ahead. Hn-y-a-ah!
and tho leins tighten, tho clean head
goes straighter out, the snow wreathsfly
higher still behind tho strong hoofs. Wo
aro oil! Wo closo the gap tho yellow
sleigh gains once more a length, two!
Onco inoro wo closo and fly along neck
and neck! How tho bells peal and
shriek! How tho horbcs raco now as if
for their own honor! How tho clear,
keen wind whistles past tho fur tipped
yjrs, exhilarating like huge jumpers of
ahompagne, as wo fly along side by side
far threo hundred yardsl Just ahead
Jrxxms a huge "pung" loaded down and
Creeping over the snow. Now is the
time; now or never! Straighten back,
braco knee! Down comes tho lithe lash
over tho black's flanks, and what a spurt
wo have! Tho brown mare strains every
muscle; her driver lays flat back on the
ribbons now ho plies his wliiplika mad!
Ho laps us again; for a hundred yards
you could cover them both with a blan
ket! Onco more wo forgo a length
ahead. We near tho pung we gain a
length two. Hu-ya-a-ah I and tho brown
is in the air! Wo feel her hot breath on
our necks; wo just graze tho pung, fear
fully close, and wind in just before her!
Oh, that was glorious!
And if auythiug can add to tho fun it
is to havo a particular somobody tucked
in beside one, with u pair of bright eyes
that dance to tho merry music of the
rich laugh, with a tiny hand that rests,
in pretty fright, on tho tense arm that
guides tho black a thought too near tho
Bcrapera of tho yellow sleigh. And it is
a problem of easy bolution given, a
neat cutter and a fast horso, to find any
unknown quantity of tender femininity
alongside.
But linven't I forgotten my story?
I had just sprung the lock of my vulibo
and wiped from my brow tho drops thut
haste brought tliuro even that bitter day,
when Jones' tally-ho rang through tho
frosty street. Giving a final caress to
tho uiouchu on tho wounded oblu reflect
ed by uiy parting glaueo at thn mirror, I
rushed down with my bajrgago. Tom
sat with tho reins twisted round his
heavy gauntlets, beaming and trium
phant, and his iiiuhtacho onu solid cako
of ice, Tlio horu.' Htoud utoek sill),
covered with rapidly filling fouiu, and
UsJlng wt ymmm ot wkv ikM f onu
Over tho back sent I tumbled, and, as
two palraof heels throw a blinding Bhowcr
of snow and icicles into my oyes nnd
down my back, I went headforemost into
tho folds of tho buffalo.
Before the conglomerate mass of valise
and man was righted, wo wcro off up
the road in a full ran, the sleigh jump
ing along liko a football and Tom plying
his whip liko mad, keeping them at a
full run whllo ho yet had them well in
hand.
"W-what do y-ou me-meanV" 1 gasped,
bumping about tho back seat iu hugo
discomfort, as tho biting wind, rushing
down my throat with tho force of a
norther, nearly btrauglcd mo. "Wh-hy
don't you st-opp-'m?"
"All right, my boy," Tom answered
cheerily through his sot teeth; and ho
braced ovcry muscle afresh wliilo the
cruel lash descended on tho flagging
horses. "All right! you know 1 must
bring 'em in quiet for Uncle Bob to seo.
So, lads, so-o-o! now steady!" Ono long
sway of his broad back brought them
down to a ciuter, then into a swinging
trot, and turning into tho mayor's lane,
we drew up at tho door.
"There! hold tho ribbonsl I won't Ixs
gono a second. Bet's ready, I know;"
and, forcing tlio reins into my reluctant,
hands, Tom sprang out and disappeared
in tho doorw ay.
Now, aftei all my tirade about racing
and sleighing and such Btuff, ono might
reasonably snpposo mo a very Phauton,
or at least a Hiram Woodruff. But 1
was alwajs strong in theories and in
confidence: that stuff was all talk puio
imagination. Practically, I never was
the least bit horboy in my tastes, and al
ways hated to drive unless I lmow my
beast to be perfectly harmless. In fact,
lever felt a tingle of brotherly sym
pathy for that bard of Cockaigne who
Bang:
There'), botnctlilug iu a horse
That I cau ulnars honor, but neier can Indorse.
Neither was I ambitious of tho fate of
Phaeton: so. keeping ono eye fixed on
the gray's ears and tho other on the
son el's heels, I went hand over hand up
the taut reins until 1 felt safo to straddle
the front seat, and finally braco myself
against tho dasher. Tho gray Btill kept
his head out ami boro steadily on the
bit, but the son el seemed to havo had
enough go in the lato scamper and
pulled dead against him. Congratu
lating myself that tho doctor's horso
acted as a counter irritant on tho
drawing propensities of his mate, I be
gan to bo less entirely miserable in my
new position. I tucked the buffalo care
fully round my legs, and by tho time
Miss Bettie's laugh rang ont from the
doorway, I actually plucked np spirit to
tui n one eye upon her. But the other
was fixed on the gray's ears liko tho optic
of tho ancient mariner, even while 1
nodded with a dismal affectation of jol
lity. And Mayor Blylhe was saying:
"And you're quite sure they are safe,
are you?"
"Gentle as lambs, sir, as far as 1
know," Tom answeied, simply. "But
ask the man that handles "em. Ho drovo
them from the stable." Had that young
officer been studying tlio "Ready Liar,
or Perjurer's Companion"?
"Why. j on can see thoy are, papa,
dear. I Lould dri vo them myself, couldn't
I?" and Miss Bettie's eyes were turned
on me.
When Tom had spoken, my inmost
soul was toni with a burning desire to
do my dut, to throw myself upon the
mayor's breast and pour out my passion
ate belief that it was felony, wilful mur
der, suicide, to go! Now, had the reply
jeopardized my immortal part tor all
eternity, I could not havo answered that
gurgling voice, thrilling through mo
liko rich Burgundy, otherwise than by
saying:
"Gentle as kittens, Miss Bettie; hardly
fresh even, Mr. Blythe." And I chuckled
with rueful hilarity. Then that infernal
gray, as if in judgment, nearly took my
shoulder out of tho socket.
"I knew they were, papa, dear. Ho
woidd never risk mo with them else; and,
you see, he is driving." I was drunken,
besotted, wild with tho haschish of that
emphasized pronoun. Thoso wondrous
eyeashotine a glanco of tluiuks; the tiny
hands clapped in gleo, and closing on
each side tho gray whiskers, drew the
old man's face down to tho ripo lips. A
clicking kiss, seemingly all around mo
in tho shurp air, drove mo perfectly
drunk with envy. I was wild enough
to beizo the whip Tom had tlirown care
lessly on the bock scat; but even iu the
madness of that supremo moment I had
method enough left to keep it far back
out of tho gray's Bight.
"How impatient ho looks, tucked up
in his dnver's perchl" Tom said, ainly,
to h'is uncle. "If tho horses were only
half as much so wo might liavo a lively
ride."
I saw, out of tho far corner of mine,
Mr. Blythe's eyes travel rather hesitat
ingly over tho tense muscles of tho gray.
Oh how my soul went out in wild yearn
ing that he might insist on that beast
being exchanged for his own easy going
hors! But just then tho pervereo bmto
of a borrel stood stock still and hid the
off horso from his scrutiny. My hojw
went from ont of me, and tho blackness
of despair bottled down over me and that
demon team.
"Well, well; you must bo careful of
your off horso"
"Of course he will, papa. And uow,
good-by. Tom Bays wo mustn't keep
them standing longer iu tho cold."
In thumiied Miss Bettie's bonnet box,
and both horses answered tho shock with
a simultaneous thrill; but I braced my
back, uud, though my legs nearly went
through tho dasher, managed to keep that
accursed gray still enougli for Tom's offi
cious leavotakiug to hido it fioni his
uncle.
"Oh yes, Uncle Bob, we'll bo very care
ful and drho vey slowly. Go on, old
fellow; don't wait n second for me."
Aud lifting Miss Buttle to her neat, Tom
bounded over tho scrape ra liko a cat.
"Go on! Why in tho devil's name don't
you?" ho whinnered to me, protending to
arrange tho rfuos. Then ho called his
uncle's attention to tho now furs, aud
dug his elbow into iny hack.
Don't wait a second for inn!
V. MwAut TMil iliii (t.nitii ttfit iikiiiii
iVnui wv iMauiiv niMw.MMwt , ,
tto to drlvo in reality? Was I to guldo j '
Ing demon boforo me? Yes; Tom Jonr-i
ovidontly inennt that. Ho had gonostid
denly nind, boyond n doubt; but I was
In for it. nnd whnt innn dared I must.
I took n long breath, let tho whip fall
well back out of tho gray's sight, and,
bracing my every inusclu firmly, uttered
tho mystic monosyllablo, "G'langr
It cut liko a knifo through tho clenr
atmosphere, and tho keen echo almost
divided my tympana. Tho sorrel heard.
Ho Btrotched himself, gathered and mndo
a merry plungo forward; but that per
verso brute of a gray only stuck his
forelegs in tho snow and Fat down like
a dog. Luckily, Miss Bcttlo managed to
hold her father by Buch ft string of prnt
tlo ho noticed nono of theso circus like
proceedings.
"Mind, papal don't forgot tho flannel
for old Mammy Watts;nd bo euro to
send tho pickles to Bowser; and have
tho presents on tho Christmas tree, just
as if I was at homo tliat's a dear papa.
And, oh, bo sure that Liza does tho tin
key to a turn for dinner to-morrow!"
"That was to havo been your dinner,"
tho old gentleman said, turning to mo.
"That pleasure I must defer to please
this small puss with her whims."
Tho mayor Beemetl to mo a great dis
tanco off. His words ciuno to mo through
a sound in my ears liko tho boom of the
sea, for thnt cursed gray still sat liko a
circus horse, and tlio sorrel pulled till his
nose almost touched tho snow.
"And, oh, papal" cried Miss Bettie with
a timely littlo scieam of recollection,
"now don't foiget tho red wrapper for old
Patience that's a dear!"
"Give that gray devil the whip,"
Jones growled to mo in a savago whis
per, rounded off with something very
like an oath. "You'll have all tho fat in
tho fire with such driving."
Give him tho whip!
I thought before Tom Jones of the
Boomerangs had gono crazy. Now 1
know, liko all maniacs, he believed mo
as stark, staring mad as ho was
"And, papa, dear, don't forget tho
brandy peaches for Dr. Limlsey your
present, remember," ran on that deal
voice. Then it punctured tluough all
my fear with tho words, "Now do go on.
please."
Whether tho electric spark that
thrilled through mo at that whisper
ran down the reins and magnetized the
gray, I never knew. Somehow we were
in tho road, the dasher full of enow, and
that devil's team going at a wild stroke
that sent acute agony to tho marrow of
my eveiy bone.
"Splendid! Perfect! Bravo!" eliont-
ed Tom from tho back seat. "Your
start was a picture; and that run into
tho drift and barking tho pear tree don't
count, as tho bend hid them from Undo
Bob."
I thought madly I heard a gurgling
sound of female laughter. I was wrong,
though, for that second sho said to mo:
"You do drive splendidly, indeed.
And how good of you to rest Tom's
arms! Poor Tom! why, how tho reins
have cut your hands!"
"My arm is stiff as a poker, Bet.
All, baby, that's delicious!"
Had I been driving tho horses of the
Sun, with the pit of Acheron gaping be
fore me, I must havo turned at that
exclamation. There was misery in my
spine and torturo in my legs, but I did
turn a little. Tom had pulled off his
gauntlet, and she yes, sho was chafing
his purple, ugly hand between two be
witching fur gloves!
"Seo what a good cousin I ami" The
black oyes danced before mo, and ouch
moro the musical laugh trilled out beau
tiful and birdlike. With agony in my
back and bitterness iu my soul I tried
to echo it, but the hollow mockery
ended in a ghastly groan as the brutes
gavo an extra plunge that noaily carried
mo over tho dasher.
Tlio next twenty minutes were a
nightmare. I hold in memory a vague
jumble of blinding sunlight on the snow:
a whiihng rush of trees and houses on
tlio lull sides; a racking nnd torment m
back, knees and arms; a whizzing whoo
of wind in my half fiozen ears Twice
I essayed to look around at tho couple
behind ine, but the commaudantc in
"Don Juan" was uot more rigid than
thoso strained leathers held me, while the
molten fire rushing down my spiue re
fused to let mo bend my neck. I felt
my hands must boon come off my el
bows and shoulder blades pull clear
fiom their sockets; but still I hold on,
madly, wildly, in a sort of dread
ful trance, for those twenty minutes.
Then remembrance vaguely paints a
roadside inn; a collection of sleighs aud
men running into the road and waving
their hands ; then u crash, a cutter flying
wildly aside and a man in a somersault.
Last came a grinding jar, and 1 awoke
from my nightmare, half Ijiug between
Tom nnd his cousin on the buck scat,
tlio horses neck deep in a snow drift and
rough coated men running for their
heads.
"Splendid, by jingo!" yelled Tom to
me as, hastily extricating himself from
the buffalo, ho ran to a man floundering
in the road. "You're not hurt, I hope?
I'm deuced sorry for tho foul, but young
horses hard mouths couldn't help it.
Beasts all right, I see. Come iu nnd
havo something to drink."
I drew a long, deep, gaspinfr breath. I
tried to spring, but could only crawl,
over tho scraper, and helped Miss Bettio
into tho road. We were at tho "Bull's
Eyo" tavern, five good miles from Pike
ton I
"Awkward fellow that," I Baid very
cheerily, all things Considered. I was
hugely elated at being onco more on
terra flrma, notwithstanding strong pro
clivities diflplayod by my legs for shut
ting up liko jackknives. And I could
scarcely resist pulling on the littlo whilo
ha d iu mine, as though Miss Bettio
woro the gray, "Awkward follow! Sin
gular ho couldn't take care of his trap
when he baw nio coming. But some peo
plo never will leani to drive."
"Never!" meekly responded tho littlo
lady; but tho eyes that met nilue for a
singlo second literally played in flashes
of luminous merriment What could
she moan?
(To he Continued.)
HAWAIIAN HARDWARE CO,
WiM t--'" ibuuikrtoU sad Uu Uak
The joint meeting of tho ministeis of
the various denominations of Chicago
adopted resolutions calling on tho
world's fair directors not to open on
Sunday and not to allow any work on
tho buildings on that day; also request
ing tho president of tho United States
to use his influuuco to thesg ends,
Severe frosts and snow aro reported
on tho shores of the Mediterranean,
WJinethliig unknown for twonty yearo.
Very wivoio MiowstoniM mo lejmilod in
Spain and tho I'yrt-ui'os nro IiiiiihhhiiIiIh,
Gorman riven aio lull of diiit let1.
Eight poiMins wero ill owned at Bunnell.
Tho damaged at Elbcrfuld, Barmen uud
Fomu U wUwatod At 11,000,000 uurku.
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