The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-08-24
Select Story.
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.


great logs crackle and flare up the wide chim-
ney, up which it is my wont to say you could
drive coachand.four. / draw my chair
nearer to it with shiver. What nightp
say.
"Is it still showing ?' asks my wife, who
sits opposite to me, her books and work on
the table beside her.
EAST. You can scarcely see yard before
you"
"Heaven help any poor creature on the
moor tonight" says she.
"Who would venture out? 1t began snow
ing before dark, and all the people about
know the danger of being benighted on the
moor in snow storm"
eyes But have known people frozen to
death hereabouts before now."
My wife is Scotch, and this pleasant house |
in the highlands is hers. We are trying
winter in it for the first time, and find it
excessively cold and somewhat dull. Men
tally decide that in future we will only
grace it with our presence during the shoot
ing season. Presently 60 to the window
and look out; it has ceased showing, and
through rift in the clouds / see star.
at is beginning to clear" tell my wife,
and also inform her that it is past IL. As
she lights her candle at side table hear a
whining and scratching at the front door.
"There is Laddie loose again." says she.
"Would you let him in, dear?"
did not like facing the cold wind, but
could not refuse to let in the poor animal.
Strangely enough, when 1 opened the door
and called him he wouldn't come. He runs
up to the door and looks into my face with
dumb entreaty then he runs back few
steps, looking around to see if am follow
ing and finally, he takes my coat in his
mouth and tries to draw me out.
"Ladde won't come in," l call out to my
wife. "On the contrary, he seems to want
me to go out and have game of SNOWFALL
with him."
She throws a shawl round her and comes
to the door The collie was hers before we
were married, and she is almost as fond of
him, tell her, as she is of Jack, our eldest
boy.
"Laddie, Laddiel' she calls "come in,
sir" He Genes obediently at her call, but
refuses to enter the house, and pursues the
same dumb pantomime he has already tried
on me.
81 shall shut him out, JESSIE" say. ga
night in the snow won't hurt him." and
| nreparad T., olosa rho door
"You will do nothing of the kind % she
replies with an anxious look "but you vii
rouse the servants at once and follow him
Some one is lost in the snow, and Laddi,
knows it."
laugh. "Really, Jesse, you are absurd
Laddie is a sagacious animal, no doubt, bn
| cannot believe he is as clever as that. How
can he possibly know whether anyone is lo'
in the snow or not p
because he has found them and com,
back to us for help. Look at him now"
cannot but own that the dog seems rest
less and uneasy, and is evidently endeavor
ing to coax us to follow him he looks at III
with pathetic entrea:y in his eloquent eyes
"Why, won't you believe me?" he seems Il
ask.
"Come," she continues ''you know yol
could not rest while there was possibilit,
of a fellow-creature wanting your assistance
And am certain Laddie is not deceivinl
u.s."
What isa poor hen-pecked man to do?
grumble and resist and yield as have OF
r ten grumbled and resisted and yielded be
! fore, and as l doubtless shall do again.
/ "Laddie once fonnd man in the snow be
, fore, but he was dead" Jessie says, as sh
hurried off to fill flask with brandy, an,
to get ready some blankets for us to tax
e with u.s. In the meantime | reused the ser
wants. They are all English, with the ex
! ception OF Donald, the gardener, and cal
: see they are scofingly skeptical of Laddie'
sagacity, and inwardly disgusted at having
to turn out of their warm beds and face tn
bitter winters night.
"Dinna trouble yourself" hear old Don
aid say. The mistress is right enough
= Aud Laddie is cleverer than mony Chris
d tan, and will find something in the snoN
g this night"
"Don't sit up, JESSIE" say as we start
1--WE may be out half the night on this viii
II goose chase"
: Follow Laddie closely" is the only ar
/, u swer she makes.
# The dog springs forward with a joyou
IS bark, constantly looking back to see if "
. are following. As we pass through the ave
~ ! nue. gates aud emerge on to the moor, tn
III moon struggles for moment through tl
S, driving clouds, o. lights up with sick
l. CLEAN the snow-olad country before us. at
le like hunting for a needle in a bundle of ha
sir" says John, the coachman, confidential
~ "to think as we should find anybody G
81 81 snch night as this Why, in some plac
the snow is more than a couple of feet thic
and it goes again reason to think that
dumb animal would have the sense to con
n home and fetch help"
"a, "Bide wee, bide wee,' says old Do
o. aid. 81 dinna ken what yeur English du
rs can do but collie, though it hasna be,
so pleasing to Providence to give the Great
the gift O. speech, can do mony mar thin
he than them that wad. deride it."
81 amt derdin' of EN-" says John.
only say as how if they be so clever L
never seen it,"
aye wull, though, ye wull," says old Do
aid, as he hurries forward after Laddie, WI
mi mi has now settled down into a swinging tr'
m and is taking his way straight across I
IN loneliest part of the bleak moor, The &C
~ wind almost cuts us in two, and whirls t
re. snow into our faces, nearly binding u.s. \
ON finger.tips are becoming numbed, icic
urt hang from my moustache and beard, and /
''' feet and legs are soaking wet, even throu
"a O my shooting boots and stout leather |,
hto gings.
ac- The moon has gone in again, and
l;oht from, the lantern wa carry Ia har