Connecticut western news., 1874-02-06

IuO buO""AdhS 1hAAAAB 4Ooo They continued to lessen hour by hour; :; and by noon Hugh determined to make his way to the nearest village store, and bring back food to the hungry children.
 It was & difficult errand, even for him, who knew every inch of the way, and was cased m fur and leather from head to foot. All signs of the road were obliterated. More than once he 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 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 dog's 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 dog's 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 vor ,G IL n1o II f,,< k half-frozen fingers, and often deter mining to give up the attempt and get home while he could but always urged made part of the mans character as by dislike of leaving fellow creature to | perish within reach. So on and on, for half mile or SO; and then the dog stopped beside big, motionless mound of snow, and Hugh, bending forward, found himself staring into the white and rigid face of his old enemy, Miles | Pearson.
 Independent of rivalry, this man had always been peculiarly obnoxious to Hugh. He was big, burly fellow. That such a man should dare to admire Malva Keith, and not be repulsed with loathing, had certainly lowered that young lady in her lover's eyes ; and of late the two men had hardly even met without exhibiting manifest animosity. Now. Pearson lay half f-frozen, insensi- ble log upon the Minnesota snows and Hugh Garston stood above him "
 | Only for mOmen; then he knelt down and felt the mans wrist. It gave back no answering beat. He laid his hand on his heart that still ticked on, but very feebly. Death was running race with Miles Pearson, and no time could be lost if he were to be beaten. Hugh lost none. Without moments hesitation, he set to work to force some drops of brandy down the mans throat; then jerked the bags of food out of the sled, and half dragged, half lifted the helpless body oa to it instead. The children were very hungry, but they could wait. Miles was past waiting. But, not to lose the food, he drove the long stick with which he had been walking into the frozen snow, and fas- tened the dog to him. He had got out of the way, he knew, and was far from home ;; but that would mark the spot. And now he looked round, half despair ingly, for some nearer shelter, and straightway uttered shout for joy. A spir I column of smoke was rising into the air, beside huge gray bluff, about half mile off; and Hugh's heart beat thankfully as he recognized the chim- neys of Keith's homestead. .... ..,.,.
 As he started to reach it the snow began to fall.
 In the great log kitchen at the Keiths', the family were all gathered round huge fire that afternoon, talk ing of the snow, of the time it had lasted, and the casualties it had occa- stoned, and wondering when fine weather would set in again. Abram Keith had heard of Minnesota bride and bridegroom snowed-upi in the sleigh, en route to their married home, and only rescued after two days-llving, but crippled for life; and his father told of a neighbor found dead and frozen stiff, within few yards of his house, that very morning. There was no end of tongue, and looked pale and weary. Possibly she had begun to miss Hugh Garston. A heavy bang at the door startled them all i; and Abram, going to open it, gave vent to such volley of oaths and ejaculations of wonder as brought all the family to his side, and turned the solo to chorus. No wonder, for what had entered was the body of man, feet foremost, laid on 8 shed and propelled by another man, who, as if utterly ex- hausted, dropped his burden at the door, and staggered to bench, with out uttering one word in reply to the questions which assailed him. No heed was paid to him, however, for all eyes had turned upon the apparent corpse ]; and there was another shout from Abram. 1.--
 "Jeehosophat and all his tarnation grand uncles, eff 'taint Miles Pearson"
 The whole house was in commotion at once. Brandy and hot blankets were called for Miles was put into Abram' s attending to his restoration, that Hugh had stumbled to the fire, helped him. self to drink of hot coffee, and turned to the door again, before anyone noticed him. Then Mrs. Keith cried out "Garston, don't open that, man or you'll let more of the cold in.''
 "I will shut it behind me-" he said, laconically. .." "Why, what's the fury you're not going ?'' in chorus from the men.
 2"Yes, I am-home' U-'. Be-,
 Abram delivered himself of whole bagful of curses, ingeniously diversi- fed. Malva came close, and put her hand wonderingly on her lovers arm. Hugh did not look at her but turning to his host, stated the reason for his departure-nine furnishing children. 2" What !, out there? Why, reck- oned you were coming down here till , the thaw. Where did you spot poor Miles, then p
 Hugh told.
 "And you left the prog, and come away to toat him along down here