The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-01-05
know mamma said, Don't stop till you

wen stop ut the vely next mousse.
"But can't go till rest and sleep.
Oh, I'm so sleepy And the boy sank
down in little heap by the roadside,
pulling his sister after him. She had
little wish to resist and less power.
"Sister l''--the boy was nestled up to
the girls warm heart, and the snow was
spreading over them its soft beautiful
covers.
eyes, loot"
"Do you s'pose God d let anything
hurt-anything hurt us--if we'd say our
prayers ttoice ?"
81 hadn't thought of that" answered
the girl. "We might try"
"But I'm so sleepy can't think how
it begins"
Well, say it after me, loot. Now
I lay me down to sleep
"Now lay me down to sleep
don't let my head slip, Helen"
"No. Il pray the Lord my soul to
keep"
"I pray the Lord my soul to
keep" slowly repeated the boy, cling
ing closer to the bosom that was his
only home.
" If l should die before wake.
IF should die'-Oh, i am 80 cold
Aud, Helen, just feel the icicles in my
eyes,"
The girl put her numb finger on the
sleepy, shut lids.
"They're tears, pet" she said tender
ly. You've been crying and 1 didn't
know it. Don't cry, loot"
"But you're CRYING" persisted the
boy.
"Only little. dear 1 was thinking of
mamma"
"Do you s'pose her eyes shine, up in
heaven, just as they used to when she
put her arms around me and said Dear
Toot9'"
CT guess So" Helen whispered, try
ing to choke down the sobs.
"But do you suppose she sees us down
here in the snowl"
Yes, loot cause you know she
said she should always be seeing and
loving us"
Then-then--I don't believe she's
singing with the angels. She never sang
when we were cold and hungry"
Maybe she's asking God to take us
out of the dark and the snow. Shall we
finish the prayers nowW
so, yes. I'd mos forgot. Where
was wea"
"Lets begin again and go straight
through twice, without stopping" said
Helen.
The snow had covered them closely
ere the prayers were said-the prayers
that had been finished with low "Dear
God, don't let anything hurt us, for
mammals sake. Amen!" And min
ute later both children were fast asleep
upon their cold, wet touches on the
hillside.
The storm increased. The winds
grew keener and angrier. Young Harry
Knowles, vending his way from the
city, where he went to market every day,
had vacated his high spring seat, and
was crouching on the floor of his wagon,
wrapped in blankets and talking cheer
lily to his iron grays, while they trotted
briskly against the storm.
"Never mind, my Beauties" he was
saying, "only another nile, and the
shelter and the food I" Then, after a
pause, "These for them but oh, so
much more for me And there's many
poor fellow going home in this awful
storm that had about as lief stay out as
go in, I think. But my home is
home"
And the man half forgot the cold
without, his heart grew so warm within
him.
His horses SHE'D presently, threw up
their heads, snorted, and stood stone
still.
"Why, Bess Why, Beauty What's
up now" their master said, springing
to his feet and Tightening the reins.
"Not thing in sight but the snow. Go
long Do you heari Z" And he gave
Bess sharp cut across her flank, which
made her rear and plunge, but 60 for
ward she would not.
Caesar, Mr.. Knowles big dog, who
accompanied his master everywhere, had
been standing all this time with bis fore
feet on the side-board, shutting the air,
and looking around, as dogs that are
lost do, quickly, eagerly suddenly he
bounded from the wagon, seeming and
barking his way to little white heap
in the roadside.
"Well, this beats me |" Mr.. Knowles
said, obeying something that babe him
follow the brute.
| And there he found them-the little
waits half way up the hill, asleep in each
others arms.
The wife went out when the horses
stopped in the back yard, close by the
porch door-went on. wrapped in q
waterproof, and carrying lighted Ian
tern.
"Aren't you most frozen, dear I" she
asked.
"Not bit of it" her husband an
swered, cheerily, jumping from the
wagon and kissing the bright face lifted
to his own.
"Mary," he added, 4" I think God has
meant to be very kind to you and to
me. See here"
He lifted the lantern which he had
taken from his wife's hand, and held it
so that the light fell upon the two faces
looking from the blankets and guarded
by Caesar, who had stretched himself
half over the small limbs that might, and
might not. have life in them.
80, Harry are they deadl" the little
woman cried.
81 hope not. I think not. Let us
see."