The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-11-20
JACKS LESSON.
what Neglect OF duty som eti nae. G.

JACKS LESSON.
what Neglect OF Duty som eti es Costs
1t is true story. Jack H. told it tc
me of his own boyhood. He was bor1
and reared in the North of Ireland. The
winters there are not usually severe, ht
says, but occasionally they have very deer
SHOWS.
Father came through the shed where
was fixing straps to my new snow shoes
one day, and said: "Jack, do you get the
sheep together, before night, into the low.
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"
looked up through the open door a
the snow that was falling gently and
steadily. 1t did not seem likely to me
to be much of a storm. But l had beer
taught unquestioning obedience, and on
ly replied, Eyes, sir; WILL" and wen
on with my work. Before it was finished
Tom Higgins came, and he had new
plan for making rabbit trap, and ".
spent half the afternoon trying to carry il
into execution, and the short winter da,
passed and the sheep were not folded. Ir
short it quite slipped from my memory
only to be recalled by my fathers ques
ton, as he drew the Bible toward him fo1
evening worship: slack, have you folded
those sheep2'
The blood leaned to my forehead, az
| was forced to reply: mo, sir; I got tc
playing with Tom, and forgot
The silence that followed my reply
was dreadful to me. It nay father had
upbraided me with violent anger think
l could heve borne it better.
II am very sorry, STRIP I stammere
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 I
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 1 slept
soundly. In the morning I 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 survey of the weather,
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 holloWs, and
along the hedges, just where the drifts
will be the deepest. How we shall find
them do not knew. I hope you are
ready for weeks hard work, my son
jack" a
Eyes, sir; I am very sorry, and will do
my BEST replied.
"Your best would have gone much far
Their yesterday than it will to day. But
we won't spend our strength grooming
over bad job. After breakfast we viii
go out and try what we can do"
sin this storm, fathers" 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 a little before noon, though
the wind 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 moderated,
and there was always danger that q sud.
den thaw would follow such deep SHOWS,
and the sheep be drowned before they
could be rescued. One by one or
twos and thress, the poor creatures were
found and taken from the snow. But at
the end of week of hard work there
were still seventy-fve missing.
How long will any live under the
snow, father9" asked, when second
week of work had only reduced the num-
Der of missing to forty.
'sI'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 aad
then asleep by the hole which the warm
breath of the creature made in the snow
as it rose. I searched diligently for these
holes. Lite cared that I had not a
play in all the days since the
storm. was most anxious that all the
sheep should be found alive. I think the
irst real prayers ever offered were sent
up then, that the thaw might keep away
ill all the sheep were found.
It did keep away wonderfully. At the
md OF three weeks all but twenty-four
we're rescued. Still we searched, and
aow and then found q poor creature,
|amished 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 fiji s.