The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-01-24
NUMBER |.

time. There is something here in my own
tent l must soc to at once" Thon ho
called, David! David! are You hurt ~
The voice of David's wife answered him
with sObs aud cries, ''IIe can't move SAUL
lie can't move! q, my poor, dear DavidI
He has broken his log, he says, and his
back is hurt. What shall | do? q, what
rhall do?' But although she asked this
question, she-true wife and woman as sho
thinking of herself. ''God pity us -
groaned Saul, and raised his hand to the
storm. PITY us ! pity us ~ lie cried
But the pitiless snow fell, and the soft
flakes danced in the air. Then Saui cried.
"David's wife The child the child,'
LET me be, wife, said David II am
easier now. Pile up those seats again
wait. am in no pain. Lift our little
daughter to Saul, and the provisions after
ward" She obeyed him she piled tho
seats one above another. sSJThen brought
the child to David. He took her in his
arms and kissed her again and again.
my pet my darling" he moancd. kiss
father, little one" Aud the rough ma.
pressed this link of love to his heart, and
kissed her face, her- hands, her neck, her
| lips. Now, wife, he said, and resigned
/ their child to her fate. David's wife stood
| silent for a few moments with the child in
| nef arms, and murmured n prayer over her,
and blessed her; and then, keeping down
her awful grief bravely, like n brave W.
man, climbed to the height and raised her
arms to Saul with the child in them. Only
her baIe arms could be seen above the tents
| roof Come, little one" said Saul, and
! stopping down ut tho risk of his life,
| ciutched the child from the m0ther's arms,
| and heard the mothers hcart-broken sobs.
| ''Eohe is safe, dear woman" Other heads
rose from other tents and turned despair
| ingly about. But no help for them wa5
near. They were in their grave. David's
| wife raised the provisions TO Saul and went
! down to her husband. Wife, said Da-
vid, 'leave me, and see if you can reaclt
! Saul. 1t will be diiiicult, but you may Jo
able to manage it. She looked at him ten
derly. ''My place is hero, David" sho
| said; II shall stay with you and trust t.
! God. Our child is safe, in the care of L
| good man" Ho tried to persuade her,
| but she shook her head swcetly and sadly
| and simply said 81 know my duty
| He could say no more, for tho next moment
he swooned, his pain was SD great Thea
his wife knelt by him, and raised his head
upon her lap. Meanwhile tho man in tho
next tent who had called to Saul to givu
him hand, had not been idle. lie found
plank, and was raising it to the roof
with purpose of resting it upon branch OF
the tree. AS with more than u man =
strength he lifted the plank forward, Saul
heard thud beneath him. and hooking
down saw that tho walls of tho tent i,
which David ana his wife were had rive,
way. and that the snow was toppliug ovcr
lie turned his head he was powcrless to
help them. The tears ran down his f.c,y
and beard, and ho Waited awe-struck hv
! the terror of the time. He thought be,
| heard the voice of David'S wife cry. ''Cood
! bye, my child God preserve you r. III
| 4 choking voice he said sOlemnly to D;,-
vid's little daughter, Say God bless you
mother and fatherp' The child repeated
the words in whisper, and nestled close.
to Saul, and said, I'm no cold Where *
mother and father2 Why don't thev como
up?" Saul, with shiver, looked down
Nothing of David or of David wifn did IIl
see. The tent was not i'll sight. The snow
had covered it. And still it fell, and still
it dEifted. The digger who occupied tho
next tent had fixed his plank not a mo
ment was 10 be lost ; his tent was cracking.
! Creeping along the plank, with nervous
| strength of desperation, chnging to It lik1
| a cat, lie reached the tree and was saved
| for a time. AS he reached il the plank
slipped into the snow. And still it fell
| and rose higher. Men signalcd To eacit
! other from tent to tent, and hade God bless
each other, for they felt, unless the s1o- =
fall should instantly cease, there was L
| hope for them. But still * fell fell soft ,
| into the holes in the CANVASS roofs and
| sides, into tho chambers below; cropt VI.
| to them inch by inch wrapt yellow gold
| and mortal flesh in soft shrouds of whit,
and hid tho adventurers from the light of
| day. Only three remained. Saul and D:.-
| yid's little daughter in the upperno,. /.
| branches of the tree /; the digger from tho
nearest tent clinging to a lower branch.