Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-03-25


Z threw his arms out ever his head, and tn
! cover of him, and called water water :
q every few moments. She had to keep u
(. the FIRE for fear he would get cold an,
o when daylight came and she awoke from at
! uneasy sleep in which she bad fallen, ther,
) we're only a couple Of barrel slaves left
She must keep the children warm, anC
, she said to herself 81 will do il if | must
burn up all the furniture in the house."
Dressing herself warmly she again tis.
tied the cellar There was an old barrel
in the corner she had overlooked on re.
moving some bits of iron from il, she found
about bushel of coal She carried this
up stairs, and with the slaves of the barrel,
soon had bright, warm fire, and a good
breakfast set out for Will and herself.
Jamie was so i'll he did not notice anything
and the baby, who was always good,
slept. From the window was to be seen only
the same dreary waste Of unbroken snow
All her energies this day were taxed to
keep the fire going. She dressed Will and
the baby warmly as possible, and collected
aud burnt every available small article in
the house. The potato masher, the wash
board, the tubs, the shelves in the cellar
and the kitchen, the steps leading to the
cellar, the clothes-horse, the bread board
and rolling-pin we're all split 10 pieces, and
carefully put in the stove, with bits Of coal
to make them last longer. Before dark
they went to bed, for there was not more
than enough oil in the house to last a cou.
pie Of hours. Jamie did not any longer
know her; he lay muttering in delirium.
The morning dawned, and it was the
same as before. All night-although nearly
overcome with drowsness and fatigue--she
had watched Jamie bathed his hot head,
and put water to his lips. 1t was all she
could DO. Help must come with the day.
She would not give up.
She used the last Of the fuel to make up
the fire, and managed to make the kettle
boil. After she had taken some coffee and
viii had eaten his breakfast, she left him
at play with Rover, and went below stairs I;
and there sitting down, had a heavy cry
She believed jamie was dying. She did
not know what to do for him. What should
she do? Why did not father come Was
he dead ? Then she thought, :" He will
come if he is alive The children must
not see me cry" She wiped her eyes. 81
must split up this table to burn"
She lifted the axe and struck piece of
the eege--another-then she heard Rover
bark again and again he barked. "Will
is making him, and he will disturb Jamie"
she thought, and she dropped the axe and
ran up stairs.
Beckie Beckie" called WILL as she
opened the door, Rover is so funny, he
/ jumped up at the window and has been
waggng his tail and barking"
A look out Of the window showed her
something moving over the prairie towards
the house. She could not tell what 1t was for
the showering Of snow that accompanied it.
Some one is coming Some one is
coming" she exclaimed.
As it neared, the dog sprang up and
down, resting his paws on the window sill,
and barking louder and louder, and Will
stood beside him, screaming;
at is father Beckie! 1t is father ~
ave can see best now in the other room
wrap this shawl around you Beckie
darted through the door, and threw open a
window in the adjoining chamber. Rover
sprang up, put his head and most Of his
body out--looked as though he wished to
leap-then drew back, as though afraid,
and barked more furiously than ever.
Now the barn hid the object--it was in
the barn-yard. 1t seemed to move slowly
and take time--a long time to the eager
lookers-on-to advance. Rover barked
franticalIy; and, as if in answer, voice
from the moving grass, in which they be-
gan to distinguish figures, called:
"Beckie Beckiev'
at is father 1t is father Yes, yes :"
She ran down and opened the kitchen
door. Now she could hear, but could not
see them. She ran back again and called
out, and then down into the kitchen. They
were working outside. In few moments
something scattered the snow right and
left was covered with it-and her
father burst into the kitchen.
Beckie! where are you all2"
Here, father" She was hanging on him.
"All safe2"
Yes, but Jamie is so ILL.,"
lie stepped towards the sitting-room door.
ave have no fre;" she pointed to the ta-
bic Il have burnt up almost everything"
He had Will in his arms; he stepped to
the door.
Men! they have no fire; she was chop
ping up the table," He turned to her
"Where are jamie and the baby2 | was
afraid you would all be frozen to death !"
lie went up stairs, took up the baby aud
kissed it, and looked at Jamie.
"Tkank God it is no worse'' he said.
The men were building fire in the
kitchen, and another 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 a heroic
little mother. o, how proud she was Then
he told her how 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