The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-08-30

give up the search (which 1 have un
dertaken purely to satisfy my wife, 70
am like John, and won't believe II
Laddie.) when suddenly / hear sh0u
In front Of me and see Donald, who hai
all the time been keeping close To th.
Laddie, drop on his knees and begir
digging wildly In the snow with hi
hands. We all rush forward. Laddit
has stopped at what appears to be thu
foot Of stunted tree, and after scratch
ing and whining for . moment, sit
down and watches, leaving the rest u
us. What is 1t that appears when we
have showed away the snow? A dark
object? IL IL q bundle of rags? Is IT.
or alas was It human being? We
raise Il carefully and tenderly, wr D II
In one of the warm blankets with
which my wife's forethoueht had pro-
vided MS. /" Bring the lantern,n I say
buskily; and John holds II over the
PROSTATE form OF, not as we might have
expected. some stalwart shepherd OF
the hills, but over that of poor, shriv-
eled, wrinkled, ragged old woman.
try to pour little brandy down the
poor old throat, but the teeth, are 30
firmly clenched that i cannot.
Best get her home as quickly as
may be, sir; the mistress will know
better what tn do for her nor we do, II
SO be the poor creature Is not past
help" says John, turning instructive
ly, as we all do In sickness or trouble,
to wOman's aid.
So we improvise a sort of hammock
of the blankets, and gently aud ten
derby the men prepare to carry their
poor helpless burden over the snow.
81 am afraid your mistress will be
in bed" / say, as we began to retrace
our steps.
Never fear, sir" says Donald. with
q triumphant glance at John; 1.-the
mistress will be up and waiting for us.
She kens Laddie didna bring us out In
the snow for naething."
"I'll never say nought about believ-
ing dawg again" says John, grace
fully striking his cOl0rs. you are
right and L was wrong, and that's all
about It; but to think there should be
such sense in an animal surpasses
me 2"
AS we reach the avenue gate dis
patch one of the men for the doctor,
who fortunately lives within stones
throw of US and hurry on myself to
prepare my wife for what Is coming.
She runs out into the hall to meet me.
"Well," she asks eagerly.
"We have found poor old woman, /"
/ say; "but dOnOt know whether she
Is alive or dead" @ta4
My wife threw her arms around me
and gave me q great hug.
"You will find dry things and jug
of hot toddy in your dressing room,
dear" she says; and this Is all the re-
venge she takes on me for my scep-
ticism. The poor old woman is carried
up stairs, and placed In q warm bath
under my wife's direction and before
the doctor arrives she has shown some
symptoms of life; so my wife sends me
word. DIR. Bruce shakes his head
when he sees her. Poor old soul"
he says, chow came she out on the
moor on such fearful night? / doubt
she has received a shock which at her
age she will not easily recover"
They manage, however, to force a
few sp00nfuls Of hot brandy and water
down her throat and presently faint
color fiickers on her cheek, and the
poor old eyelids begin to tremble. My
wife raises her head and makes her
swallow some cordial which DIR. Bruce
has brought with him, and then lays
her back among the soft warm pillows.
"I think she will rally now" says DIR.
Bruce, as her breath comes more audi
BILE and regular. "Nourishment and
warmth will do the rest; but she has
received a shock from which, fear,
she will never recover" and 80 saying
he takes his leave.
BY and by 60 up to the room and
find my wife watching alone by the
aged sufferer. She looks up at me
with tears in her eyes. "Poor old
soul,n she says; Il am afraid she will
not rally from cold and exposure"
I 90 round to the other side of the
bed and look down upon her. The
aged face looks wan and pinched, and
the scanty grey locks which lie on the
pillow are still wet from the snow. She
Is very little woman, as far as can
Judge Of her In herrecumbent position,
and, Ishodld think, must have reached
her allotted three score years and ten.
"WhO can she be?" i repeat wonder
ingly. "She does not belong to any OF
the villages hereabouts, or we would
know her face; and I cannot imagine
what could bring q stranger to the
moor on such o night"
AS I speak change passes over her
face; the eyes unclose, and she looks
inquiringly about her. She tries to
speak, but Is evidently too weak. My
wife raises her, and gives her q spoon
full of nourishment, while she says
soothingly: Don't try to speak: You
are among friends and when you are
better you shall tell us all about your
self. Lie still now, and try to Sleep
The gray head drops back YEARLY
on the pillow; and soon we have the
satisfaction of hearing by the regular
respiration that our patient Is asleep.
"You must come to bed, now, Jes-
sie," say. ~ shall ring for Mary,
and she can sit up for the remainder OF
the night" But my wife, who Is q
tender-hearted soul and born nurse,
will not desert her post 80 1 leave her
watching and retire to my solitary
chamber. ~stR 80
When we meet I'm the morning !
find that the little old woman has
spoken few words and seems strong
er. tCome In with me now" says
my wife, and let us try and find out
who she is" We find her propped
into reclining posture with pillows,
and Mary beside her feeding her.
Elbow are you now ?" asked Jessie,
bending over her.
Better, much better, thank you,
good lady," she says in q voice which
trembles from age as well as weakness.
"And very grateful to you for your
goodness
hear at once by the accent that she
Is English. "Are you strong enough
to tell me how you got lost on the
moor, and where you came from, and
where you were going?" continues
my wife. TO- gs a IN
"Ah! I was going 10 my lad, my
Door lad, and now 1 doubt i shall never
see him more, ~ said the poor soul with
a long sigh of WEAKNESS"
"Where Is your lad, and how far
have you comeW
my lad Is q soldier ut Fort George
and 1 have come all the way from
Liverpool to see him, and give him
his old mothers blessing before he
goes to the Indies" And then, brok-
emily, with long pauses Of weariness
and weakD ess, the little old woman
telle her pitiftll story. ia