Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-12-01
CHAPTER XX.
COP REMEMBERS SmocKY.

CHAPTER M.
| GoD REME1BERS SHOCKY.
At four o'clock the 1.cxt morning,
| in the midst of a driving snow, Ralph
went timidly up the lane toward the
homcly castle of the Meanses. He
went timidly, for he was afraid of
Bull. But he found Bud waiting for
| him, With the roam colt bridled and
Saddlcd. The roam colt WAS really a
large thrce-ycar old, full of the finest
sort of animal life, and having, as Bud
! declared, "a mighty sight of hoss
sense fer his agc.' He seemed TO un-
! dcrstamd ut once that there was some
| thing extraordinary on hand when he
was brought out of his comfortable
quarters at four in the morning in the
| midst ola snow-StOrm. Bud was sure
| that the roam colt felt his responsible
ty.
| In the days that followed, Ralph Of
ten had occasion 70 remember this in
| tcrvicw with Bud, who had risked
much in bringing his fractured arm
| out into the cold, damp air. Jonathan
| never clave to David more earnestly
| than did Bud this December morning
TO Ralph.
e" You see, Mr.. HartSOok,n ~ said Bud,
{" j wish I was well myself. It's hard
TO set still. But it's a-doing me Il heap
of good. Pm like boy at school,
And Pm findin' out that doing ones
| best licks fer others isn't all they is of
| it, though it's good part. feel like
as il | mus git Him, you know, to do
lots for me. Thcy's always some sums
too hard fer a fclIcr, and he has TO ax
the master to do 'cm, you know. Bat
see, the roan's a-stomping round. lie
wants TO be of. DO you know | think
that hoss knows something's UP? |
think he puts licks fer me good deal
better than | do fer Him" There was
no more hopeful sign of the growth Of
Il genuine religious life in Bud than
the feeling of reverence which caused
him to cease TO speak too familiarly of
God or Christ, and to use pron0uns
and circumlocutiOns.
Ralph pressed Buds right-hand.-
Bud rubbed his face againSts the colt 5
nose and said: "put in your best licks,
old fellow - And the colt whinnicd.
How n horse must want to speak For
Bud was right. Men are gods to horses
and they serve their deitics with 4
faithfulness that shameS us.
Then Ralph sprang into the saddle,
and the rCan, rs if wishing 10 show
Bud his willingness. broke into Il
swinging gallop, and was soon lost
from the sight of his master in the
darkness and the snow. When Bud
could no more hear the sound of the
roan's footsteps lie returned to the
house, 10 lie awake picturing TO him
self the Journey of Ralph with ShOcky
and the roam colt. 1t was Il great COM
fort 10 Bud that the roam, which was
almost a part of himself, represented
him in this ride. And he knew fine
roam well enough To feel sure that he
would do credit to his master. He'll
put in his best Iiclls," Bud whispered
Ia himself many Il time before day
break.
The ground was but little frozen,
and the snow made the roads more
slippcry than ever. But the rough
shod roam handled his feet dcXtCrOusly
and with playful and somewhat self
righteous air, aS if he said: Didn't
| do il handsomely that time p" Down
slippery hills, through deep mud-holcs
covered with slender film of ice, he
trod with perfect assurance. And
then uD over the rough stones of Rocky
Hollow, where there was no road ut
all, he picked his way through the
darkness and snow. Ralph could not
tell where he was at last, but gave the
reius to the roam, who did his duty
hravcIv, and not without flourish, as
if to show that he had plenty of spare
power.
A feeble candIc-ray, making the
dense snowfall visible, marked for
Ralph the site of the baskctmakcr's
cabin. Miss Martha had been admit
ted to the secret, and had Joined in the
conspiracy heartily, without being
able TO recall anything of the Kind
having occurred at the East, and not
remembering having seen or heard of
ANYTHING of the sort the time she, was
to BuSting. She had ShOcky all ready
having used some of her own capcS
and shawlS To make him warm.
Miss Martha came out TO meet Ralph
when she beard the feet of tho roam
before the door.
90, Mr.. Hartsook! ! is that you?
What a storm This is just the way it
anows at the East. Shocky's all ready.
He didn't know ching about 1t, tell
/ walked him this morning. Ever
since that he's been saying that God
hasn't forgot, after all. It's made me
crv morc'n once.n And Shoclly kiss
ed Mrs. Pearson, and told her that
when he got away from Flat Creek
he'd tell God all about it, and God
would bring Mr. Pearson back again.
And then Martha Hawkins lifted the
frail little form. bundled in shawls, in
her arms, and brought him out into
the storm; and before she handed him
up he embraced her. and said: 30,
Miss Hawkins! God ha'n't forgot
me after all. Tell Hammer that He
ha'n't forgot Pm going to ask him
TO git her away from Mcans's and
mother out of +he pOorhouse. IN
ask him Just rs soon as | get TO Lewis
burg"
Ralph lifted the trembling form in
To his arms, and the little fellow only
looked up in The face Of the master,
aud said: = IOn see, Mr.. IIartsook,
/ thought God had forget. But he
ha'n'tn
And the words OF the little boy COM
fortcd the master also. God had not
forgotten him either!
From the moment that Ralph took
Shocky into his arms. the conduct of
The roan colt underwent an entire rcy
oluiion Before that lac had gone
over bad place with a rush, as though
he were ambitious of distinguishing
himself 10y his brilliant execution
Now he trOd none the less surely, hut
he trod tendcrly. The neck was no
longer archcd. He set himself to iis
work a5 steadily as though he were
twenty years old. For miles ho tray-
cled uu ian long, swinging walk, put
ting his feet down carefully and firm
~. Aud Ralph felt the spirit of the
! .nlI nnirr into Iiili.nlf Lie rni fho