74 



with a promise of all the glad days 

 to come. 



"I hope they have something 1 

 substantial. No communication for 

 three days and a party of ten snow 

 bound there is not encouraging," 

 said Nimrod, ' beating his hands to- 

 gether to restore circulation. 



Another hour past. "See, isn't 

 that a light," at last! 



"At least there will be hot coffee," 

 he added, apprehensively. Seventy 

 miles of cold and storm with only 

 a sandwich lunch having made us 

 solicitous of creature comforts. The 

 sounds of the wagon had brought 

 some one to the door and a cheering 

 bar of light streamed into the dark- 

 ness. There was hot coffee and other 

 things and with anticipation of the 

 morrow, we stole up the rough un- 

 carpeted stairs to a cold, bare little 

 room, undressed shivering, and as 

 quickly as possible sought oblivion 

 on a bumpy mattress under calico 

 patch-work quilts maximum of 

 weight and minimum of warmth. 

 I love creature comforts, the tub 

 bath, the warm dressing room, the 

 nightly hair brushing, the soft light 



