Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-03-25

it? And yet he didn't know, when he
started, that he was risking his life,
though that was no matter now, for he
had done it and there was no going back.
Here he was, alone in the midst of the
great Alps. 1t was dreadful solemn and
cold. The air was full of the smell of
snow. Snow beneath him and all around
him. Above him, too; for it was falling
on him until he looked like a little snow
boy as he sat there drawn up in bunch.
He did not expect any help now He
knew the Alps too well to suppose, even
if his companions had succeeded in get
ting out of that snow-drift, that they
could find him where he now was. He
could not shout. His lips and tongue
seemed frozen stiff He could not see
very far
He began to feel little warmer now,
and drowsy He knew that if he went
to sleep he would never wake again.
But he didn't care; he might as we'll be
comfortable. And there was nobody on
earth who could save him. If anybody
came to him there, they would die too.
The best thing he could do would be to
go to sleep
In all the whole world there was no
one who could save this poor boy-that
is if you did not count in Caspar. the
snow-king. ...a.
He could do it. And he did do it.
Right through the snow-storm came
that great beastl Rushing over the
frozen crust, plunging through the deep
places; bounding, leaping, caring not for
drift or storm, like a snow-king, as he
was, came Caspar
He made one dash at Paolo and rolled
him over in the snow. Then he barked
at him, as much as to say:
wake upl you foolish boyl Don't
you know Pm here? It's all right now"
He pushed Paolo first on one side and
then on the other, and when he had made
him open his eyes and stare about him
the great Caspar barked again, in his
loudest, freest tones. A snowstorm
didn't interfere with has voice.
Again and again he barked, as if he
were shouting: .....
"Hello.o! I've found him. Here he
isl"
Caspar had not barked very long before
two men came telling through the storm.
One was St. Bernard monk and the
other was one of the men with whom
Paolo had started out in the morning.
These two took the boy by the arms
and raised him up. They shook him and
they made him drink little brandy that
the monk had with him and then they
led him away between them
Caspar went ahead, so that it should be
all right.
They walked back with great difficulty
by the way they had come and soon
reached place where the road could be
regained, at point some distance be-
yond the drift.
Then they pressed on to the convent.
The four men had been overwhelmed
by the snow-drift, but, as they were con-
slderably in advance of Paolo, the great
er part of the mass of fresh snow seemed
to pass over them and hurl itself on the
boy.
After some struggling the men got out
of the deep snow. They missed the boy
but could not tell how to look for him or
save him. If they stopped they were
afraid they would perish themselves. So
they hurried on and before they had gone
very far they met Caspar and two of the
st. Bernard monks. .-
They told their story, and one of the
monks with the dog started down the
He thought the boy nigh
be saved. The youngest of the four men
thought he would go too. 1t was shame
to desert the poor boy so. a.>
AS they hurried along the man said:
If the snow-drift is still there we
snail never be able to get around it or
into it to find the boy"
"Caspar will attend to that" said the
monk.
He believed in Caspar. ..-
And when the dog reached the snow
drift he did not try to go through it. He
had more sense than that He stopped;
ne seemed to be considering the matter.
Then he turned around and ran back.
The monk and the other man waited to
see what he would do. When Caspar
reached place where the bank was low
ne leaped down from the road, and kept
On down the mountain. His idea was to
go around the snow-drift Suddenly he
stopped and glared through the falling
snow-fakes that were whirled this way
and that way by the wind. a
He saw something. The men, who
were following at distance, could only
zee little way through the storm.
Then, with sudden bark, Caspar
'ushed over the frozen crusts and
plunged through the deep places, bound
ng and leaping, caring not for drift or
storm, until he found the boy!
For he was a snow-king.-St. Nicholas