National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1874-01-30


had been plucky enough to accompar
their brothers to school slept in Hugh
bed, while he camped down with Il
boys in the school-room. They kel
roaring fires, and used every wrap thel
was in the house; but the cold increase
hourly, and one. the youngest chill
woke crying more than once.
And the snow went on falling.
1t never ceased all the next day an
night. Hugh kept up the fires, fed I'll
children we'll, and told them stories
Little Tommy, the youngest, cried, fo
his mother at first !; but soon cease
when the masterput him on his knee an
comforted him. Still, the time passe
very drearily; every peep from th
back room showed only white vast
of snow, trending downwards to th
valley, and blotting paths, fences, AN
landmarks in one huge winding.shee,
Worse was coming still for that nigh
old Classy whispered her master tha
the food was almost gone. Min
hungry mouths soon make away wit
the contents of one mans larder.
And the snow went on falling.
On the following day breakfast wa
miserable meal, and one of the girl
having discovered the cause thereof
began to wall out that they would al
be starved. Hugh quieted her, gentl
but firmly, and going to the window
pointed that the sky was clearing, an(
the snow.fakes falling less thickly
They continued to lessen hour by hour
and by noon Hugh determined to maxi
his way to the nearest village store, ant
bring back food to the hungry chill
dren.
1t was difficult errand, even fo
him, who knew every inch of the way
and was cased IN fur and leather from
head to foot. All signs of the roat
were obliterated. More than once hi
missed his way, and sank in the snow
nearly to his thighs and the cold was
so intense that the very breath froze
upon his lips like an icy skin. The
poor fellow was well-nigh dead when he
at last reached Ethan Balls store.
Only light sprinkling of snow had
fallen since his departure so that he
was able to retrace the journey by his
own track, and was toiling heavily up a
steepish hill, when, of a sudden, his
ear was caught by the dismal bowling
of dog far away. He paid no heed,
thinking it came from the settlement ;
and presently it ceased, then changed
to bark, growing nearer and nearer ;
till, finally, large black dog came in
sight round point of rock, and, bound
ing upon him, began series of fawn-
ing and whining, running away few
steps, and returning to look up in his
face with all dogs frenzy of impotent
eloquence. Men soon grow to under
stand these signs in the far West.
Hugh knew, as we'll as if he had been
told, that somewhere within hail that
dogs master was lying in strait so great
as to need help and help accordingly
he set out to give. The dog led the
way, and he followed /; now stumbling,
now falling outright; sometimes letting
the handle of the sled slip from his
half-frozen fingers, and often deter
mining to give up the attempt and get
home while he could but always urged
on, as much by that inflexibility which
made part of the mans character as by
dislike of leaving a fellow-creature to
perish within reach. So on and on, for
lalf mile or so; and then the dog
stopped beside big, motionless mound
of snow, and Hugh, bending forward,
'ound himself staring into the white
md rigid face of his old enemy, Miles
Pearson.
Independent of rivalry, this man had
llways been peculiarly obnoxious to
Hugh. He was big, burly fellow.
That such man should dare to admire
Ialva Keith, and not be repulsed with
had certainly lowered that
'oung lady in her lovers eyes and of
ate the two men had hardly even met
Without exhibiting manifest animosity.
low. Pearson lay a half-frozen, insensi-
lie log upon the Minnesota SHOWS and
1ugh Garston stood above him !
Only for momen; then he knelt
own and felt the mans wrist. It gave
'ack no answering beat. He laid his
and on his heart that still ticked on,
ut very feebly. Death was running a
ace with Miles Pearson, and no time
ould be lost if he were to be beaten.
Iugh lost none. Without moments
esitation, he set to work to force some
rops of brandy down the mans throat;
hen jerked the bags of food out of the
led, and half dragged, half lifted the
elpless body On to it instead. The
llildren were very hungry, but they
ould wait. Miles was past waiting.
tut, not to lose the food, he drove the
ing stick with which he had been
'alking into the frozen snow, and fas-
sned the dog to him. He had got out
the way, he knew, and was far from
ONE; but that would mark the spot.
nd now he looked round, half despair
Ugly, for some nearer shelter, and
uttered shout for Joy. A
Dir Al column of smoke was rising into
le air, beside huge gray bluff, about
alf a mile off; and Hugh's heart beat
as he recognized the Chin
eys of Keith's homestead.
As he started to reach it the snow
sgan to fall.
x
In the great log kitchen at the
eiths', the family were all gathered
'uhd huge fire that afternoon, talk
g of the snow, of the time it had
sted, and the casualties it had occa-
oned, and wondering when fine
Gather would set in again. Abram
eth had heard of Minnesota bride
I'd bridegroom snowed-up in the sleigh,
route to their married home, and
lly rescued after two days-llving, but
ippled for life and his father told of
neighbor found dead and frozen stiff.
thin few yards of his house, that
ry morning. There was no end of
ch stories. Only Malva held her
ngue, and looked pale and weary.
ossibly she had begun to miss Hugh
arston. y
A heavy bang at the door startled
EN- all and Abram, going to open it,
we vent to such volley Of oaths and