Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-11-21
JACKS LESSON.
What Neglect Of Duty Som eth mes

me of his own boyhood. He was born
and reared in the North Of Ireland. The
winters there are not usually severe, he
says, but occasionally they have very deep
SHOWS.
Father came through the shed where
was fixing straps to my new snow shoes
one day, and said: "Jack, do you get the
er. fold. 1t looks as If this storm would
last all night; and if it should, it may be
easier done to-day than tomorrow"
I looked up through the open door at
the snow that was falling gently and
steadily. 1t did not seem likely 10 me
to be much of storm. But had been
taught unquestioning obedience, and on
ly replied, eyes, sir; will,' and went
on with my work. Before it was finished
Tom Higgins came, and he had new
plan for making rabbit trap, and We
spent half the afternoon trying to carry it
into execution, and the short winter day
passed and the sheep were not folded. In
short it quite slipped from my memory,
only to be recalled by my fathers ques-
ton, as he drew the Bible toward him for
evening worship: "Jack, have you folded
those sheep?'
The blood leaned to my forehead, as
I was forced to reply: mo, sir; I got to
playing with Tom, and forgot"
The silence that followed my reply
was dreadful to me. If my father had
upbraided me with violent anger I think
l could heye borne it better.
Il ain very sorry, sir!'' I stammered
out at last.
II fear you will have reason to be-
said my father. IF those sheep are lost
tonight, remember there will be no more
play for you till they are found. People
who will not take trouble will be over
taken by trouble"
Nothing more was said. The reading
and the psalm and prayer over, slipped
| quietly away to bed, taking a peep. as
went, through the shed door, to see how
the storm was progressing; saw it had
increased, and the wind was rising.
Nothing had power to keep me long
awake in those days, however, so slept
soundly. In the morning I found the
storm vas still raging. The snow lay
| deep on the ground, and the wind was
drifting it into the hollows, and packing
it away into solid masses. Father came
| LII 11Oin d VI IiC WEALTH.,
| bringing ROD full fifteen feet long.
THE snow is Deep" said he II am
troubled about those sheep. They al
ways seek shelter in the hoilows, and
aiong the hedges, just where the drifts
will be the deepest. How we shall find
them I do not know. hope you are
ready for weeks hard work, my son
Jack"
eyes, sir; I am very sorry, and will do
my best replied.
| "Your best would have gone much far
ther yesterday than it will to day. But
we won't spend our strength grooming
over bad job. After breakfast we will
go out and try what we can do.''
''ln this storm, father2" said my moth
er, deprecatingly. 1t is the worst storm
OF the year. The snow blows so that you
can scarce find your way"
"There are two hundred Of those Sheep"
said my father. II can't afford to lose
| them"
Breakfast over, we bound on our snow
shoes and with long pole and snow
shovel, went to seek for the lost sheep.
1t cleared little before noon, though
the wind sent the snow whiriing about
our faces, so it was not easy or agreeable
working. Father found one here and
| another there, and was set to dig them
out. Fifteen sheep were found and
brought home that day.
TIE next day the neighbors came and
helped, for the weather had moderated,
| and there was always danger that sud-
den thaw would follow such deep SHOWS,
and the sheep be drowned before they
could be rescued. One by one or
twos and thrces, the. poor creatures were
found and taken from the snow But at
the end Of week of hard work there
were still seventy five missing.
SHOW long will any live under the
snow, father?" asked, when second
week of work had only reduced the num-
Der Of missing to forty.
"1've heard of their living three weeks.
We will keep on as long as we can find
any alive" said my father.
The snow had settled into COMPACT
masses, nearly thirty feet deep in some of
| the valleys, but we still found now AID
then sheep by the hole which the warm
breath OF the creature made in the snow
as it rose. searched diligently for these
holes. Lite cared that I had not a
moments play in all the days since the
storm. was most anxious that all the
sheep should be found alive. l think tho
! first real prayers ever offered were sent
up then, that the thaw might keep away
till all the sheep were found.
1t did keep away wonderfully. At the
end OF three weeks all but twenty-four
were rescued. Still we searched, and
now and then found a poor creature,
tamlshed and emaciated, but alive which
we carried to the farmhouse, and con.
signed to my mother and the the girls,
who chafed and fed and tended, till it
was won back to a degree of strength,
while We spared no time from the search.
vt no use to hunt longer; the rest are
all dead" said father. one night when we
were coming home, displrted and weary,
having found five of the poor things lying
| together, drowned, in one of the hollows.
"You have worked we'll. think I must
! release yos now"
But would not be released. The word
| had been, "No play till every sheep il
found, and alive or dead, they should
| all be found. I toiled alone, next day,
but found three, and one was alive.
The thaw carried away the snow so fast
that had less and less area to search
oNeA Ao". Out 1G was poor ucOuIaSe-
ment to work, for all found were dead.
A dozen times was tempted to yield TO-
my mothers persuasions not to throw
away any more labor. But my father
said not word, and kept on. 3, . = .
''The sheep are all found now, father; {
I took off the pelt Of the last of the dead
to.day,"I said, one evening, when he
| came in late from work.
"WeH. Jack, this lesson has cost me al
naost score OF sheep, and both OF us
good deal Ct hard work; but if it teaches
you to be faithful to your duties in future.
shall not be sorry.'' G<E s &c ] 4
"Thank you, father!" said l., And I.
vowed inwardly that it should, and l be-
heVe that it did.-Episcopal Register.