Lewisburg chronicle, and the West Branch farmer. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1849-1849, 1849-11-28
FERGUS.
NJ JACOB ABBOTT.
(CmeiuGd.l

George stood at the window too, looking
on, at one of the lower penes. They watch
ed Fergus as he waded along, p'kestaf il
hand. He wen, slowly on till he passed
ou, Of the yard. and approached the apple.
tree, where he was to turn off into the road
ou, OF his parents sight. He turned around
waved his pikesah with parting smile
and then disappeared. George turned away
in silence to the cradle. and began gently
to rock it, saying to himse!f-'Iiow possi.
again I" Mary wen, away intsuste other
room, and knel, al the bedside. and prayed
that a. they had now done what seemed
10 them best, God would take the result 10.
to bis own hands, and give them hearts Of
quiet submission 10 his will. She pressed
her handkerchief upon her eyes, with both
her hsrde,as her head recned upon them,
but the gushing would come. whle she
offered the petition.
Blt we will follow Fergus. Ills road led
him down into a valley, in which il crossed
n brook where he had played in the sum-
, mer days many an afternoon. He reached
the brook wilhou, much difficulty. and 40
the wind had blown he snow rncs,IHuGIom
tho bridge he walked over it freely. u Jog
his pikes,afi upon thdS1n0ks. and looking
with kind Of ea'isicti50 ID his clothes.
whiiened with the snow higher than his
knees. He looked over the Eai|iR2 of We
bridge, and was surprised \ much
the brook had disappeared ID been
frozen over, and was com plU(Oly covered
with snow, and even ,he.bed Of the stream
vas so filled in With drifts tha, all indica-
tions Of brook were entirely gone. Still,
when he listened, he could hear low
gurgling, as If under ground.
Fergus did not stop long at the bridge
the wind and falling snow drove him on.
His road here turned down the valley. bu,
Al the turn large drift, which was too deep
tor him, extended across the road. He
waded into i, as far as he could, and then
thrust his pikes,af down into it, on before.
II was almost over his head. and the snow
was falling 90 thick around him. and blew
with such violence into his face and eyes.
that he could no, see. He sank down 90
the soft he'd beneath him TO rest q moment,
turning bis hack towards the wind.
81 WONDER" said he to himself, "whai
makes i, always blow the hardes, Jus, As
am in the middle Of the deepes, drifts! III
keep still ill i, is tired"
As he sa, or rather reclined thus, almost
buried in the drift, his face turned towards
the side Of the road, he saw that along on
the oher side Of the fence was sort of an
eddy where the snow had almost entirely
blown away. He could see with difficulty.
for the air vas thick, and his eyelid, were
frosted over. H. perceived, however. by
the little tufts Of grass, lhst the ground was
barely covered there, near the fence. So,
after resting moment, and letting bis face
get warm by keeping ii sheltered from the
wind, he ploughed his way out o! the drift.
climbed over the fence, and walked along
under its lee.
|! was an open rail fence. and Fergus
could no, understand how It could have so
much effect in sheltering the ground be-
yond it; but wiser philosophers than Fer
gus have been puzzled in attempting 10
account for the distribution Of the drifts in
a snow storm. He wen, along quite easily
till he came to the woods, where the fence
turned off in another direction, and then he
came into the road again. These woods
continued uninterrupted down 10 The pond,
AMI consequently !or the rest Of the way
The wind ceased, and the surface OF snow
was level. 1t was pretty deep, but then i,
was light, and Fergus broke his way in it
wihou, much difficulty, tho he proceeded
sl,wly. He, in fact. enjoyed going ,hro'
the woods. The calmness Of the air, and
the gen,leness with which the snow fell Led
him. As il has often dcne more experienced
travellers, TO imagine that the violence Of
the storm was abating. The air actually
feft mild and bland to bis cheek and Fergus
thought his troubles were over. The noise
Of the bias, still sweeping heavily along the
tops Of the trees, might have undeceived
him, but Fergus attended only TO the
pieasan,er indications that were near.
After walking thus quarter Of a mile
through the woods. he came ou, upon the
shore of the pond, a, Ihe landing, where he
emerged suddenly into tempest of wind
and driving snow. A grea, drift lay in
his way. He struggled into it. bu, it was