The daily gazette., 1875-06-01


eholy, fitful gusts came passing the
him to hasten, As he looked at the
clouds he wore an air .ofapprehension:
He was not kept long ina state of
expectancy. - oinlrss
A mote, pure and white, came fiut-
tering down, buffeted by. the wind,
now here, now there, uncertain where
to 60. 1t finally sought refuge on Dali
toms furred coat. Others soon followed /.
with hesitation, now stopping and as
cending, as though to return to the
home from whence they came, but
finally descending and seeking rest in
obscure hiding places. These insig-
nificant specks became larger, more
numous, bolder, took possession, and
covered all things with garment of
white.
The situation was plain, "a snow storm
was on hand. o
Brave men are keenly sensitive to the
approach of danger which they reso-
lutely meet.
Dalton thought Of the comfortable
little cottage by the road side, and the
dear one it contains. One night in the
mountains he had battled against tae
snow, and out of ten companions he
was tho only survivor of that terrible
experience.
The snow now ragged with constant
increasing power. The snow fakes
were blown about in binding myriads.
All traces of the road, at best never
| clearly defined, were covered. The
biting winter blasts went moaning by;
night came prematurely in wall of
darkness; all was wild waste for the
sport of the elements.
Dalton, unable to see an inch ahead,
or to form the remotest idea which di-
rection to take, let the reins fall on the
horses neck, leaving him unrestrained
TO take his way-a cutting commenta-
ry on mans boasted reason pitted
against an animals instinct. But to
guide Alright in such night would
make instinct sublime.
The noble steed moved confidently
on, plungings into that blackness and
darkness-the lonely, desolate un-
known. Suddenly the animal stopped
with an abruptness which nearly threw
its rider, who, reaching, touched what
seemed to be the trunk of tree. Ex-
tending his hand higher, he grasped
what certainly was the limb of tree.
and all doubts disappeared.
He was at the Lone Tree, only five
miles from home and safety.
Here, indeed, was hope, but not un-
alloyed. Two elements entered to vi
tiate it. One, the horse, seemed to be
failing; the other, the tree, was one
hundred yards from the highway,
variation which showed that the
faithful animal had so far erred,
and limited why not further variation
in preparation, as he lost strength and
cor fdence.
The only solution was to move on.
1t might be at the bidding of chance;
still motion was absolutely essential to
prevent the blood from congealing to
tue very heart. The rider found that
it was necessary to make the horse feel
the rein, to endeavor to impart conf
dence to him and to urge him forward.
The poor beast was readily obedient,
and showed that, his own resources
being exhausted, he relied on his mas
ter. The sympathy existing between
them, the fellowship of peril, almost
removed the barrier between the hu-
mGu and brute creation.
A long time elapsed-it seemed to
Dalton many hours-bus his only mea-
sure of time was his bodlly and mental
suffering. He endeavored to penetrate
the darkness, straining his eyes to a
painful tension, in the hope of seeing
some friendly light or hearing some
human sound-something tell him he
was not all alone.
Fate was mocking him. The horse
stood trembling with exhaustion, and
could not go another step. He totter-
ed and almost fell on his rider, who,
rising and staggering about in the deep
snow, struck heavily against an upright
object.
| Gould it be the sign board post which
stood on the little knoll just east of his
homer
Oh, no! Horror more chilling than
the wind and snow! 1t was the Lone
Tree! All these terrible hours he had
been moving in circle!
. All this brave struggle had been for
, nothing. Here was a crisis. One min
ute of indecision, and the paralyZing
j, cold would conquer, but early training
!. ID o noble nature decided, Faithful
? to the last, Dalton took the mail bag
, from the saddle, nerved himself for the
!. final effort, and then went foundering
. | in the snow to reach-wherever his des-
. ting should lead him.
Time wore on. Strength and will
, were ebbing fast. In desperation the
unfortunate man endoavored to cry out
q Tor help, but his indistinct utteranccs
? were forced back by the kissing merci.
less wind. He was fast losing his mind
, His steps were numbered. A lightness
4 came over him.
n Was it cruel mirage that trified
+ with himH Over the drifts, through
y the night, shone the bright cheerful
y y light Of q fire, inviting him to comfort
q and home.
III Too late He uttered faint cry,
: then fell in the soft, yielding, decep
% tive snow.
The storm was victor.
n Jane Dalton was Il CHEEKY, chubby
- little woman, 7 OF education she could