Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-11-30

lramplng through uCaCheious D'ii""'
of snow for an hour, We cannot wonder
that he fell over his own threshold in
stale of extreme exhaustion.
Happy for him that he did not tall
bewildered on the prairie as many an
other poor wayfarer did on that fatal
night.
Aslt was, the wife must needs give
up the vain little searches she had bssn
making in the neighborhood Of the
shanty. She had now sick husband,
with frozen hands and feet and face to
care for. Every minute the shermom'
eter fell lower and lower, and all the
heat the cook stove in Jones's little
shanty could give would hardly keep
them from from freezing.
Burton had stayed upon that forty-
acre lot all day. waiting for chance 10
shoot his old partner, Jones. He
had not heard Of the arrival OF Jones's
wife, and so be concluded that his en-
emy had proved coward, and had
left him IN possession, or else that he
meant to play him some treacherous
trick on his way home.
so Bmton resolved to keep sharp
look out. But lie soon found that inn
possible, for the storm was upon him in
all its fury. He tried to follow the
path, but could not find it.
Had he been less OF u froutiersInan
he must have perished there, within a
turloug of his own house. But IN bis
efforts TO keep the direction OF lhe path
he heard a smothered cry, and then sa"
something rise up coyered with snow
and fall DOM again. lie raised his
gun to shoot it, when the creature
uttered another wailing cry so human
that be brought down lis gun and went
cautiously forward.
1t was a child!
He did not remember that there Was
euch a child among all the settlers in
Newton. But lie did not stop 70 ask
questions. He must, without delay,
% himself, and the child too, TO a
place Of safety, or both would be
frozen.
So he took tie little thing in his arms
and started through the drifts. And
the child put its little icy fingers on
Burton;s rough checks and muttered.
'papa!' And Burton held her closer and
fought the snow more con7ageously
than ever.
lie found the shanty at last. and
rolled the child in buGalO robe while
he made fire. Thea, when he got
The room little warm, he took the
little thing on lis knee, dipped her
aching fingers in cold water, and asked
her y hat her name was.
Kitty she said.
Kitty; and what else?'
kiln she answ cred, nor could be
find out any more.
Whose Kitty are you:'
Your Kllly,' she said. For she had
known her father bnt that one dav, and
now She believed tlat Burton WAS he.
Burton sat up all night and stuffed
wood inlo bis impotent little stove TO
keep the baby from freezing TO death.
Meyer having had anything 10 do with
children, he firmly believed that Kitty,
sleeping snugly under blankets aud
buffalo robes, would frcozc he should
let the fire subdue In the least.
AS The storm prevailed with nnabated
fury The next day, and as he dared
neither 10 take Kitty out nor to leave
her alone, lie stay I'd by her all day,
stuffed the stove with wood, ana laugh
ed at her droll baby talk, and fed her
on Ii.cut and dried bacon and coffee.
Ou The morning Of tie second day
the storm had abat,d. Ii was forty
degrees below zero, but knowing .some-
body must be mourning for KilLy for
dead, he wrapped her in skins, and
with much difficulty reached the nearest
neichbor's house. suffering only frost
bite on his nose BY the way.
That child,' said the woman 10
whose house he bad come, is Jones's.
l seed 'em lake her oulcn the wagon
day before yesterday
Burton looked at Kitty moment in
perplexity, and then he rolled her up
again and started out, travelling like
mad, tie womsn sad as she watched
him.
When he reached Jones's house, he
found Jones and lis wife sitting in utter
wrelchedn by the fire. They were
both sick from grief, and unable 10
move about the house. kltly they bad
.iven up for buried alive under the
snow mound. They would find Der
when sprlng should come aud melted
The snow cover off,
When the exhausted Burton came in
with his bundle Of buffalo skins, they
looked at him with amazement. But
- hen he opened II aud let out the little
Kitty, and said:
Here, Jones. is this your Kitty " Mrs.
Jones couldn't think OF anything better
to do than 10 scream.
Aud Jones got up aid took his old
partners hand and sniG: Burton, ole
!eliow !! aud lhCn chOked up aud Sat
down and cred helplessly.
And Burton said, Jones, ole fellow,
you may haie that forty acre patch
Ii came Mighty nigh making mo the
murderer OF that Kltty's father
Ne, you stall take II yourself, cried
Jones, ii have to 70 10 law 10 make