Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-11-30
Kitty's Forty.
BY EDWARD EGGLEsToN.

belmep, sailors, fishermen, ard all
other men that live only with men, are
proyerbially hslf-bear sort OF people
Frontlersmen soften down when wo-
men and children come--but forget
m, ,seli-it is the story you want.
Burton and Jones lived in a little
shaniy by themselves. Jones was a
married man, but finding 1t hard te
support a wife in down East village
he had emigrated TO Northern MINNIE
sofa, leaving bis vile under her fathers
roof until he should be able 10 make
start.
He and Burton had gone into part
nerslip, and had pre-. empted town
sile' Of three hundred and twenty acres.
There were perhaps twenty families
scattered over this site at the time my
story begins aud snds. for it ends in The
same week in which 1t begins.
The partners had disagreed, qnar'
relied and divided their interests. The
lard was all shared between them, ex-
ccpt one valuable forty acre piece
Each claimed that piece Of land, an(
The quarrel had grown so high between
them that the neighbors expected them
to shoot at first sight. In fact, it was
understood that Burton was on the
fort, acre piece, determined to shoo
Jones Of lie cane and Jones had sworn
to 90 out there and shoot Burton, when
Ii fight was postponed by the unex'
pec,e d arrival of Jones's wife and child.
Jones' shanty was not finished, AID
lie was forced 10 forego the luxury oI
fighting LIS old partner, in bis exertons
TO make wife and baby comfortable for
the night, for the winter sun was sur
rounded BY sun dogs Instead of one
sun. there were foHr, an occurrence not
uncommon iu that latitude, but one
which always boded a terrible storm.
In his endeayor TO care for his vile
and cLild. Jones was modified little,
aid halt regretted That be had been so
viUlvut aDUut that piece OF laud. But
lie was determined not 10 back out. and
lie certainly would have 10 shoot Bur-
Ion or be shot himself.
Then he thought Of the chance OF
being killed by lis old partner, and
he thought was not pleasant, He
ookcd wistfully at Kitty, his two-year'
Did child, and dreaded that she wOsld
be left fatherless. Nevertheless, he
v Tould shoot or be shot himself.
While the father was busy chopping
wood and the mother was otherwise
Engaged, little Kitty managed to get
he shanty door open. There was no
aich as yet, and her prying little hands
Easily swung 1t back. A guest Of cold
.lr almost took away her breath; but
he got sight of the brown grass with
,ut, and the new world seemed so big
hat the little feet were fain to Try and
EXPLORE it.
She pushed out through the door,
.aught her breath again. and started off
Iown a path bordered by sere grass aud
he dead stalks OF wild sunfoYers.-
low oflen had she longed TO escaped
rom restraint and paddle out into the
world alone. She would find out where
he path went 10 and what there was
t the end Of the world What did she
are If her nose was blue with cold.
md her chubby hands red as beets!
Now and then she paused 10 turn her
lead away from tie rude blast, fore.
unner OF the storm, but having gasped
moment, she quickly renewed her
march in search Of the great unknown.
The mother missed her, and sup
,osed that Jones, who could not get
uough CT the child's society, had taken
be little one out with hun.
Jones, poor fellow, sure that the
Iarling was safe within, chopped away
ntil that awful storm broke upon him
nd at last drove him, half smothered
y snow aid half frozen with cold, into
be house. When there was nothing
eft bet re;IeIt, he had seized an arm
ri Of wood aud carried it into the house
With him 10 make sure that he had
nough TO keep Kitty and his wife from
reezlng in the coming awfuness OF the
light, which now settled down upon
he slorm.beaten and snow-bllnded
World.
1t was the beginning of that terrible
torn in which so many people were
rozen TO death, and Jones had fled
one TOO soon.
When once the wood was stacked by
lie stoves, Jones looked around for
Kitty. lie had not more than inquired
or her when father and mother each
cad in the others face the fact that she
yas lost in lbe wild, dasbing storm OF
now.
SO fast did the snow fall, aud so dark
vas the night, that Jones could not see
hree feet ahead of him. He endeavor-
d to follow the path which be thought
Kitty might haye taken, but it Was
,urried in snow -drlfts, and be soon lost
Imsclf.
He stumbled through the drilts, CALI
pg out 10 Kitty in his distress; but not
moving whittier he went. Alter an
,our CT despairlng wandering aud shout
ng he came upon house. having
apped at The door, be found himself face
o face with bis wife.
IL la .o,,,od 10 hia oWn nOuse In