The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-10-31
JACKS LESSON.
What Neglect Of Duty S0metimes
Costs

JACKS LESSON.
what Neglect of Duty Sometimes
IT is true story. Jack H. told it to
me of his own boyhood. He was born
and reared in the North of Ireland.
The winters there are not usually Sc
we're, he says, but occasionally they
have very deep SHOWS.
Father came through the shed where
l was fixing straps to my new snow
shoes one day, and said: "Jack, do
you get the sheep together, before
night, into the lower fold. 1t looks as
if this storm would last all night; and,
if it should, it may be easier done to-
day than tomorrow
Hooked up through the open door
at the snow which was falling gently
and steadily. It did not seem to me
likely to be much of a storm. But l
had been taught unquestioning obe-
dience, and only replied, 50 Yes, sir; l
WILL" and went on with my work. Be-
fore it was finished Tom Higgins came,
and he had new plan for making
rabbit trap, and we spent half the aft
ernoon trying to carry it into execu-
ton, and the short winter day passed,
and the sheep were not folded. In
short, it quite slipped from my men,
ory, only to be recalled by my fathers
question, as he drew the Bible toward
him for evening worship: "Jack,
have you folded those sheep?''
The blood leaped to my forehead, as
l was forced to reply: "No, sir; l 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 1
think l could have borne it better.
81 am very sorry. sir!" stammered
out at last.
81 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 overtaken by trouble "
Nothing more was said. The read
ing and the psalm and prayer over, 1
slipped quietly away to bed, taking a
peep, as went, through the shed door,
to see how the storm was progressing;
l saw it had increased, and the wind
was rising.
Nothing had power to keep me long
awake in those days, however, so 1
slept soundly. In the morning l found
the storm was 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 in from taking a survey
of the weather, bringing a rod full tif-
teen feet long.
''The snow is Deep" said he. 81
am troubled about those sheep. They
always seek shelter in the hollows, and
along the hedges, just where the drifts
will be deepest. How we shall find
them do not know. l hope you are
ready for a weeks hard work, my son
Jack"
eyes, sir; am very sorry, and will
do my BEST" l replied.
"Your best would have gone much
farther yesterday than it will to-day.
But we won't spend our strength groan-
ing over a bad job. After breakfast
we will 60 out and try what we can do. ;"
'In this storm, father?'' said my
mother, deprecatingly. lit is the
worst storm of the year. The snow
blows so you can scarce find your way"
'There are two hundred of those
sheep" said my father. II can't afford
lose them.''
Breakfast over, we bound on our
snow shoes and with the long pole and
a snOw-shovel, went out to seek for the
lost sheep. 1t cleared little before
noon, though the wind still sent the
snow whirling 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.
The next day the neighbors came
and helped, for the weather had mod
Grated, and there was always danger
that sudden thaw would follow such
deep SHOWS, and the sheep be drowned
before they could be rescued. One by
one, or in twos and threes, the poor
creatures were found and taken from
the snow. But at the end of a week
of hard work there were still seventy
five missing.
"How long will any live under the
snow, fatherw l asked, when a second
week of work had only reduced the
number of missing to forty.
GIVE 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
and then sheep by the hole which the
warm breath of the creature made in
the snow as it rose. Isearched diligent.
ly for these holes. Little cared that
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 the first real
prayers 1 ever offered were sent up
then, that the thaw might keep away
till all the sheep were found.
It did keep away wonderfully. Al
the end of three weeks all but twenty.
four were rescued. Still we searched.
and now and then found q poor crea-
ture, famished and emaciated, but
alive, which we carried to the farm.
house, and consigned to my mother
and the girls, who chafed and fed and
tended, till it was won back to de.
gree of strength, while we spared nc
time from the search.
"It's no use to hunt longer; the rest
are all dead" said father, one night
when we were coming home, dispiritcd
and weary, having found five of the
poor things lying together, drowned
in one of the hollows. "You look thir
and pale, Jack. You have worked we'll
think 1 must release you now"
But would not be released. The
word had been, "No play till every
sheep is found" and, alive or dead
they should all be found. ItDiled alone
next day, but 1 found three, and one
was alive. The thaw carried away thu
snow SO fast that I had less and les.
area to search over now. But it wa.
poor encouragement to work, for all
found were dead. A dozen times I wa.
tempted to yield to my mothers per
suasions not to throw away any more
labor. But my father said not a word
md / kept on.