Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-01-30

can wait. I am in no pain. Lift our
little daughter to Saul, and the provisions
afterward." She obeyed him; she Plieo
the seats one above another. linen
brought the child to David. He took her
to his arms and kissed her again and
again. "My pet my darling ne
moaned. "Kiss father. little one!" And
the rough man pressed this link OF love
to his heart, and kissed her face, her
hands, her neck, her lips. CHOW, wife, ="
he said, and resigned their child to her
David's wife stood silent for few mo-
ments with the child in her arms, AND
murmured prayer over her, and blessed
her; and then, keeping down her awful
grief bravely, like a brave woman,
climbed to the height, and raised her arms
to Saul with the child in them. Only her
bare arms could be seen above the tents
roof "Come, little one" said Saul, and
stopping down, at the risk of his life,
clutched the child from the mothers
arms, and heard the mothers heart-broken
sobs. is she safe, Saul?' She is
safe, dear woman" Other heads rose
from other tents and turned despairingly
about. But no help tor them was near.
They were in their grave. Davld's wife
raised the provisions to Saul, and went
down to her husband. wife," said
David, "leave me, and see if you can
reach Saul. 1t will be difficult, but you
may be able to manage it," She looked
at him tenderly "My place is here,
David" she said 81 shall stay with you
and trust to God. Our child is safe, in
the care of good man." He tried topper
suade her, but she shook her head sweet
ly and sadly, and simply said; II know
my duty" He could say no more, for
the next moment he swOOned, his pain
was so great Then his wife knelt by
him, and raised his head upon her lap.
Meanwhile, the man in the next tent who
had called 10 Saul to give him hand had
not been idle. He found a plank, and
was raising it to the roof, with the pur
pose of resting it upon branch of the
tree. AS with more than mans strength
he lifted the plank forward, Saul heard
thud beneath him, and looking down
saw that the walls Of the tent in which
David and his wife were had given way,
and that the snow was topping over.
He turned his head; he was powerless to
help them. The tears ran down his face
and beard, and he waited, awe struck by
the terror of the time. He thought he
heard the voice Of David's wife cry,
"Good-bye, my child! God preserve you"
In choking voice he said solemnly
to David's little, Say God bless
you, mother and father ~ The
child repeated the words in whisper,
and nestled closer to Saul, and said "Im
SO cold! Where's mother and father
Why don't they come up % Saul, with
shiver, looked down. Nothing of David
or David's wife did he see. The tent
was not in sight. The snow had covered
it, And still it fell and still it drifted.
The digger who occupied the next tent
had fixed his plank not moment was
to be lost his tent was cracking; creep
ing along the plank with the nervous
strength of desperation, clinging to it
like cat, he reached the tree, and was
saved for while As he reached it, the
plank slipped into the snow. And still it
fell and rose higher and higher. Men
signaled to each other from tent to tent,
and babe God bless each other, for they
felt that, unless the snow fall should in
stantly cease, there was no hope for them.
But still it fell =; fell softly into the holes
in the canvass roofs and sides, into the
chambers below crept up to them inch
by inch =; wrapt yellow gold and mortal
flesh in soft shrouds of white, and hid
the adventures from the light of day.
Only three remained. Saul and David's
little daughter in the uppermost
branches of the tree; the digger from
the nearest tent clinging to a lower
branch Christmas Number 7iaasley's
Anooejno