Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-03-11


she thought, and she dropped the axe anu
ran up stairs.
"Beckie Beckie, called win n she
opened the door. "Rover is SO funny, he
jumped ND at the window and has been
wagging his tail and barking"
4 look ont of the window showed her
something moving over the prairie
towards the house. She could not tell
what it was for the showering snow that
accompanied it.
Some one is coming Some one Is
coming - she exclaimed.
As It ncared, the dog sprang up and
down, resting his paws on the window
sill, and barking louder and louder, and
Will stood beside him, making little
springs and screaming.
ut is father. Beckie 1t is father
1--WE can see best now in the other
room: wrap this shawl around You.
Beckie darted through the door. and threw
open window in the adjoining chamber;
Rover sprang up. put his head and most OF
his body out-looked rs though he wished
10 leap-then drew back. rs though aiEai"
and barked more furiously than ever
Now the barn hid the OBJECT was IN
the barn.yard. II seemed to move slowly
and take time--a long time to the eager
lockers onto advance. Rover barked
frantica'ly: and, as if in answer. a voice
from the moving grass, in winch they De
gan to distinguish figures, called.
.'Beckie Beckie - :.
1T is father! 1t is father. Yes, yes, -
She ran down and opened the kitchen
door. Now she conld hear but could not
see them She ran back again and called
out, and then down into the kitchen.
They were working outside. In Il lew
moments something scattered The snow
right and left-she was covered with It
and her father burst into the kitchen.
"Beckie where are you all ~
Here, father!' She was hanging on
him.
.'All safe?"
Yes; but jamie is SO ILL.,
He made step towards the sitting
room door.
I'VE have no fire y she pointed to the
table. Il have burnt up almost every
thing"
He had Will in his arms; he stepped &c
the door.
"Men! they have no fire she was chop
ping up the table He turned to her.
"Where are jamie and the baby?
was afraid you would all be frozen &c
death ~
He went up stairs, took up the baby and
kissed it, looked at Jamie.
"Thank God it is no worse lie said.
The men were building fire in the
kitchen, and there was soon another blaz-
ing in the sitting-room.
Mr.. Wilson's first care was to attend to
Jamie. He was accustomed to prescribe
for his children when they were i'll, and
he had medicine in the house. Soon he
was seated, with Will on his knee and
Beckie close beside and leaning against
him, the fire burning brightly, while she
told her story.
He pressed her close to him. kissed her,
patted her head and called her heroic little
mother O, how proud she was Then
he told her now he and Jack had been
caught in the storm They had lost the
road and were unable to tell where they
were, but kept on. on for their lives; and
at last he became so exhausted and cold
the reins dropped from his hand, and he
fell to the bottom of the sleigh. Then
Jack, who was warmly wrapped in an eN-
ira bear robe, seized the reins and drove
they could not tell whittier. Night began
to come on After time they heard some
one calling, and answering, found they
had approached a dwelling, the owner OF
which, lantern in hand, come out to I'M
loose his dog, and had heard Crumpies
bell, which WAS tied on one OF the horses.
They were taken into the house. Mr..
Wilson was so exhausted he had to be put
to bed. Upon inquiry they discovered
that instead of being near Il, as they
supposed, they were not half way there;
they had been going round and round in
circle.
The next morning they were appalled, at
the extent of the storm. Troubled and
anxious concerning his children, Mr.. Viii
son had in vain endeavored to get help to
go to their assistance. There was no one
there to help him; and the day was spent
in digging their way to the barns and out
house, relieving the cattle and procuring
fuel. The day after, they succeeded in
putting together something that answered
as snow plough. and accompanied 10y
Mr. Staines and his son, at whose house
they had been sheltered; and joined by
others whose homes they passed had made
all haste possible to the chidren's assist
ance. They were obliged to stop one
night. but had started again at daylight
next morning. Calling at Mr.. Giles be ,
had learned that Joe and "Aunt Lizzie /
had started, but, affrighted at the storm,
had turned back. Then his anxiety was
increased; for he knew, from the ont of
the way situation of the house. there was
scarcely probability of any aid but his
reaching them.
II feared to find you all dead and but
for you, little mother, it would have been
500
A few days afterwards; when Jack
reached home, he gave an account Of the
suffering and loss OF life which the storm
had caused
Long will they remember the great
snow storm of the winter Of 1872.