Middletown transcript., 1874-07-25

sure Of having enough to keep his wife
and Kitty from freezing in the coming
awfulness of the night, which now settled
down upon tho stormbeaten and snow
blinded world.
1t was the beginning Of that horrible
storm in which SO many people were fro
zen to death, and Jones had fed none too
soon.
When once the wood was stacked by the
stove, Jones looked around for Kitty. He
had no more than inquired for her when
father and mother each read in the others
face the fact that she was lost in this wild,
dashing storm Of snow.
So fast did the snow fall and SO dark
was the night that Jones could not see
three feet ahead Of him. He endeavored
to follow the path which he thought Kitty
might have taken, but it was buried in
snow drifts and he soon lost himself.
He stumbled through the drifts, calling
out to Kitty in his distress, but not know
ing whittier he went. After an hour of
despairing, wandering and shouting, he
came upon house, and having raped on
the door he found himself face to face with
his wife
He had returned to his own house in
his bewildsrment.
When we remember that Jones had not
slept for two nights preceding this one, on
account of his mortal quarrel with Burton,
and had now been beating against an arc
tic hurricane, and tramping through
treacherous pillows of snow for an hour,
we cannot wonder that he fell over his own
threshold in state of extreme exhaustion
Happy for him that he did not fall be-
wildered on the prairie, as many another
poor wayfarer did on that fatal night.
AS it was his wife must needs give up
the vain little searches she had been max
ing in the neighborhood of the shanty
She had now sick husband, with frozen
hands and feet and face, to care for
Every minute the thermometer fell lower
and lower, and all the heat the little cook
stove in Jones' shanty could give would
hardly keep them from freezing.
Burton had stayed upon that forty acre
lot all day, waiting for chance to shoot
his old partner, Jones. He had not heard
of the arrival of Jones' wife and child. and
so he concluded that his enemy had proved
a coward and had left him in possession,
or else that he meant to pay him some
trcacherous trick on his way home
So Burton resolved to keep sharp look
out. But he soon found that impossible,
for the storm was upon him in all its
binding fury, He tried to follow the
path but he could not find it.
Had he been less of frontiersman he
must have perished there, within fur
long of his own house. But in endeavor-
ing to keep the direction of the path he
heard smothered cry, and then saw
something rise up covered with snow and
then fall down again. He raised his gun
to shoot it when the creature uttered
another wailing cry so human, that he put
down his gun and went cautiously for
ward.
1t was a child.
He did not remember that there was
such child among all the settlers at New
ton. But he did not stop to ask questions
He must, without delay, get himself and
child, too, to place of safety, or both
would soon be frozen
|
and started through the drifts. And the
child put its little icy fingers on Burtons
rough check and muttered "Papa!" And
Burton held her closer and fought the
snow more courageously than ever.
He found the shanty at last, and rolled
the child in buffalo robe while he made
fire. Then when he got the room warm
he took the little thing upon his knee
dipped her aching fingers in cold water,
and asked her what her name was.
=" Kitty" she said.
" Kitty" he said, "and what else ?"
!" Kitty" she answered, nor could he
iid out any more.
Whose Kitty are you ?"
"Whose Kitty" she said. For she had
known her father but that one day land now
she believed that Burton was he.
Burton sat up all night aud stuffed wood
into his impotent little stove to keep the
baby from freezing to death. Never hav-
ing had anything to do with children, he
firmly believed that Kitty, sleeping snug
ly under blankets and buffalo robes, would
freeze if he should let the fire subside in
the least.
AS the storm prevailed with unabated
fury the next day, and as he dared neither
take Kitty out nor to leave her alone, he
stayed by her all day and stuffed the stove
with wood, and laughed at her drol baby
talk, and fed her on biscuit, fried bacon
and coffee.
On the morning of the second day the
storm had subsidized. 1t was forty degrees
cold. but knowing somebody must be
mourning Kitty for dead, he wrapped her
in skins, and with much officially reached
the nearest neighbor's house. suffering on
ly frost bite on his nose by the way.
"That child" said the woman to whose
house he had gone, "is Jones'. 1 seec
em take her outen the wagon day before
yesterday"
Burton looked at Kitty a moment il
perplexity. Then he rolled her up agair
and started out. travelling like mad,
the woman said, as she watched him.
Whom ho roochad Jopas, ha foupd Jona,