Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-03-08
ASLEEP IN A sNOw.DRIFT.

the mouse, pounces Unexpectedly upon
company of snow-hakes, whirls them
round and round in frolicsome dance
until you cannot tell which are going up
and which falling down, and at last
filings them pettishly in a feathery
heap against the fence or the barn-door.
How glad am, as [ sit by my cracking,
blazing fire, that 1 need not even put
my nose out of doors to-day How
sadly 1 think of poor little children
with frozen feet and Finched blue faces,
wandering homeless in city streets, or
huddling together in freezing garrets
and dreary cellers, trying vainly to
warm themselves over the half.dead
fire.
AS | think of them, there comes to
my mind the story of what happened
once to little boy on just such another
day. He lived with his father and mo-
ther and baby sister in a little cottage
about mile and half from the village
of M -, -, which is very far north, in a
part of the country where the snow
storms are terrible. They kept no SER
want, as they were quite poor; so that
"AOh Il Aollh IdVllCI, N1I. Lee, W6nG
away to spend Sunday his brother,
who lived about fifteen miles off, the
little boy was left to take care of his
mother and Baby Nelly. Very proud
and grand he felt, particularly as he was
to stay with Nelly while his mother
went to church and he had never been
allowed to do that before. But on Sun
day, when he came down early to light
the fire, he saw that it was showing
fast; and fast it showed all day, until
great drifts peeped at each other over
the tops of the fences, and pressed so
hard against the back-door of the cot
tage that there was no opening it.
Frank was left to himself very much
that day, for Nelly was ailing, and lay
half-awake on her mothers knee, peev-
1sh and fretful. Her fever kept increas-
ing fast, and just at nightfall the poor
little thing grew quite wild; and the
mother knew that doctor must seeher,
or else, perhaps, the precious life
would burn itself out before anything
could be done. She looked out into the
gathering night and falling snow, and
then at her sick child. '.s
Frank" she said, "Nelly is very
sick and [ don't know what to do for
her. She ought to have the doctor, and
I am afraid if we wait until morning il
will be too late to save her from a
severe illness. Perhaps but here
she stopped for moment. "Do you
think you could get to Mr.. Steele's? /
am sure he would send his horse and
man with you to town"
eyes, mother" Frank answered
cheerfully; "Tll run off directly"
Mrs. Lee bundled him up in his warm
coat, tied a scarf over his cap, and with
his heavy India-rubber boots he felt
ready for any kind of weather. He die
not know how hard it was going to be-
Up to his knees he plunged at the first
step; but he went bravely on, climbed
the gate, as he could not open it, and
then stopped minute to wave his hanC
to his mother, who stood by the from
window with Nelly in her arms, watch
ing him as he plunged down the road
He was quite ready to stop when he got
to Mr.. Steele's; and as he warmed him
self by their great bright fire, he tolt
his errand. es.G
~
" Now, was ever anything more un
fortunate !' said good old Mrs. Steele
Here's father been and lent the horse
to our hired man to go over to Rockford
to spend Sunday, and father himself il
more than half sick. I've had to Civ,
him bone-set tea for two nights, and h,
ant fit to be round. Just you stay tx
supper, and then go over to Timoth,
Browns, and guess they'll take you.
But Frank would not stay for supper
though Mrs. Steele would not let hin
go without cup of hot tea, which Ger
tainly warmed him thoroughly befor
starting again. Alas when he got t.
Timothy Browns he found it was but
waste OF time to stop there Mr.. Brow
said he wasn't going to take out hi
horse such weather as that for ANYBODY
nothe. "Women were always fussine.
he said; "the child would do wei
enough, no doubt; she only had
cold. !" air -
Frank opened his large blue eye
with indignant surprise, but was to-
much disappointed to say anything
Mrs. lScown. haf-ashamed of her hus
bands cruelty, followed him to tn
door to give him an excellent recipe
which she was sure would cure Nelly
cold; but Frank, little fellow though h
was, turned round on her Indignantly
andisaid -" Mother told me Nelly wa
very sick, and she must have the doctor
No matter, III go for him." And th
brave boy started off withAlt anothe
word, YEARLY he plodded throug
drift after drift The snow blew in hi
face and nearly blinded him. 1t grev
darker and darker, and he could scarcel
find his way; but the lights of the vii
lage were cleaning ahead, 50 he coul
not go very far wrong. .r
At last, almost worn our, he foun
himself at the doctors door; but ther
was another disappointment. The doc
tor was out. His kind little wife, O
hearing Franks story, said at once, {"
don't know where my husband was &c
ing, expect that he meant to be at MI
Stebbins's at half-past eight o'clocl,
the big house on the green, you know
You leave word for him there, or yo
had better wait there for him, and
will bring. you home.Y
So off again poor Frank started, thi
time, however, more hopefully, as
thought his walk was nearly ended. H
knocked at Mr.. Stebbins's kitchen-dool
and left his message, but from thought
lessness, or because all were much OF
cupied with the sickness in the house
no one asked him to stay. e.
"May come imp" he asked timidly
but cook did not hear him, and shr
the door, probably without seeing hin
He tried standing under the shelter {
the house but standing still was sue
nnld rr.nr1r h q ron,rnI a., ;. H., l.. Ill