Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-02-24
THE LITTLE SNOW.BOY.
BY MRS. S. c. HALL.


Many who read this will remember the
heavy snow that gave the NewYear of 1857
so cold a reception of the day latter" its
birth, when all the people woke up to see
the whole OF their world, were it town or
country, shrouded in spotless white.
Farmer Boyd's sheep seemed to know
what was on the wing, for they crowded
together under the trees on the close of
that New Years day, as sort Of prepare
ton for the night The next morning,
long before day, the farmer and his sons
were In the meadow, needless of the thick
binding snow, resolved to preserve the
flock and If they had not been up and
active, the greater of Farmer Boyd's valu-
able South Downs would have been buried
in snow brit, so sudden and violent was
the fall, so deep and dangerous were the
drifts. The larmer said he should not
have saved halt but for the perseverance
OF his little dog-not a sheep dog, but a
small of his daughters, alittle sagacous
creature that was often snubbed because
1t was not "thoro ugh BRED" and so they
forgot that II was moroHgh.hedrted a queer
thing, who, with species of animal
economy, always ran on three legs, giving
one OF the four a rest, and another rest
in its turn. Very early on that particular
morning, between scratching and barking
and whining, she had managed to waken
her master before daybreak on the I'd of
January. But that did not content her
when the door was opened, she ran to the
window, and the farmer, seeing it was
nearly blocked UP by snow, reused his
sons, and set off to see after his sheen.
The dog at first wished to accompany the
party, but Immediately on her leaving the
porch she became buried in the snow,
and quickly houndered back again, and,
after being called good dog" and "wise
Peg by her young mistress, she sat
quietly down on the warm kitchen hearth,
not sleeping, however, but cooking first
one ear, and then the other, and quietly
moving her stumpy tail when the masters
voice was heard in the distance, The
farmer knew there would be a still heavier
fall, for the clouds were Lweighted with
snow. " Mary he said to his daughter,
when he returned, see that there is a
good lot OF pea.soup made; the cottagers
beyond the croft will be glad of it, for
their masters are frozen out of work al.
ready"
Mary, like a good girl, said, "Yes
iather;' but while she shook the snow.
flakes off his coat she added, Father
what can poor Aunt Lyddy and her one.
armed boy do this weather.
w hat is that TO thee ~ he answered
sharply, Mary said no more; but she
raised her large eyes to her fathers, and
he saw they were full of tears.
The trees all around the farm looked
lovely, coated with the glittering snow
and one of the farmers sons cleared a
place for the wild birds to feed on. thew
cleared 1t again and again, for the snow
continued to fall. '
40 dear 7 said Mary to her brother
Tom, " wish father would forgive his els
ter, and let her and little Joe come here
to us; he is so kind, in his rough wav r.
every one else, II she did marry badly
she only did her duty as a wife 6y refhss'
ing TO leave her husband and now lint
he is dead Mary paused.
Tom rubbed his curly red head with b,s
very red hand Tom was called "practi.
cal. i''0'i'