The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-04-02

me, when we came out upon a high
and open field +; and rack of cloud
was sinking down between two hills,
and all the rest OF the heavens was just
one frosty sparkle, and Bose was sitting
on his launches, baying at some dark
object in the field. "Eh what ?" said
dull and muffled voice.
"Oh, 10 Jo"
"Sue ?" said the sleepy voice, and
didn't say any more.
And was off of that horse in twink
ling, and had the cork twisted out of
the jug, and the apple-toddy pouring
down JOS throat, and the hearth-stone
in his lap; and 1 unwound the boa, and
laid the baby down in his arms, and
then ran and shook Rishop-the Deans
had wisely staid at Marshall 's-an
poured the apple-toddy down his throat,
and was back, rubbing Jo with snow,
breaking the thills of the sled with the
hatchet, putting my old newspaper and
kindlings together with the broken
pieces, and striking a spark and getting
a blaze going between them. And by
that time I had reused them both, and
set them to moving briskly as they
could; and 1 gathered, bit by bit, that
for the Deans-had broken his leg, and
that, despairing of reaching home, they
had dispatched him, and rolled them
selves in their buffalo probes between his
legs to get the warmth of his body, and
that had just kept them alive.
Well, they were still torpid and
stupid; but slipped off the trowsers 1
had on, and made 10 put them on over
his, and gave Bishop the other pair, and
I took the baby and climbed back on
Sorrel. And L wouldn't give them any
more apple-toddy, but made them walk
each at one side of Sorrel's nose, Bose
barking enough to split the welkin, and
curveting and galloping on before.
And if it was hard coming out, it was
ten times worse going back. [ had two
men half dead to keep alive, half crazed
to hold steady. They wanted to lie
down, but knew they must have mo-
ton the wanted the apple toddy, till
I threw the jug down gully, and they
heard it crack and splinter on the
stones. wasn't afraid any longer, for
it was clear starlight, and though I
could see the dreadful edges by which
1 had come, couldn't stop to fear
felt the weight of these two lives on
my hands 1 talked to them, and made
them answer made them step quickly
-benumbed and dazed as they were,
they had sense enough to mind me.
leaned forward and held the shoulder
of the outer one as he tottered on some
steep brink or slipped on glare of
ice. And with Heavens help we got
through the place of the echoes, and
through the wood, and over the ford at
last, and up the hill, and into the
cabin. And there sat Mrs. Bishop, who
| had found her way over as soon as the
storm cleared, and had staid, half hop.
ing, half despairing, but keeping the
fire bright.
But after we made our husbands as
comfortable as we could, Jo wouldn't
rest till came and sat down and he'd
his hand. "You saved my life, my
darling" he kept whispering, "my
little mountain girl, my little heart Of
oak p
"Me and Bose," said I.
"And the trowsers," said 10. "l
think, he said, drowsily, "the trowsers
put the courage" and he was asleeI
in the middle of his sentence. BishoI
had been sound as log long before.
So then stole away, and gave Sorrel
such a tub of mash as he remembered
to his dying day.
When the Bishops went home mex
morning went TO bed myself, and hat
a fit of sickness, and 10 sent me dowr
to the saltwater, with the baby, to ge
over it. You never saw such fuss al
mother and the girls made over tha
baby-you really would have though
there never was one before. I" It's th,
first of it's kind" said 10, when tolt
him. And when we came back there
was the frame house built that we're sit
ting in to-day, for the whole settlemen
had turned to and helped. It's old, yol
see, and the times have stepped ahea(
of it, but every plank in IL is dear t.
me.
81 hope you'll be happier here now
dear Sue," said Jo."
81 never, never shall be anythin,
but happy again" said "for know
what it was without the baby, and
know what it would be without you p
And the mountains Oh, as for them
L never could feel, after that ride, tina
they were anything but a part of my
self. They were part of my suffering
and of my Joy that dreadful night the
helped me on and cheered me with tn
airy voices that they lent, and L Low
them, and shall lie down to my sleel
securely under their shadow. Still, it
strange that whenever I nave night
mare all that old trouble of my yout
rises again, and There's 10, now
Look at him, so upright and stalwart
with his white head and his blue eye
That's a mountaineer's own tread, S
1.-the and light He's better man tina
either of his sons to-day, young as eve
he was, my 10, and as full of his mis-
chief-for to the present time, do 20
know, he leases me about those trowser: