The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-09-21


with brandy, and get ready some
blankets for us to take with us. In the
meantime rouse the servants.
They are all English, with the excep-
tion of Donald, the gardener, and can
see that they are scofingly skeptical OF
Laddie's sagacity, and inwardly dis
gusted at having to turn out of their
warm beds and face the bitter winters
blast.
"Dinna trouble yoursels," hear old
Donald say. "The mistress is right
enough. Auld Laddie is cleverer than
mony Christian, and will find some
thing in the snaw this night"
"Don't sit up, JESSIE" I say, as we
start; "we may be out half the night
on this wild goose chase"
Follow Laddie closely" is all the
answer she makes.
The dog springs forward with joy
ous bark, constantly looking back to see
if we are following. AS we pass
through the avenue gates and emerge
on the moor the moon struggles for a
moment through the driving clouds
and lights up with a sickly CLEAN the
snow clad country before us.
"Its like looking for needle in a
bundle of hay, sir" says John, the
coachman, confdentially; to think as
we should find anybody on such night
as this. Why, in some places the snow
is more than couple O feet thick, and
it goes agin' reason to think that dumb
animal would have the sense to come
home and ask for help"
"Bide wee, bide a vice." says.old
Donald. "I dinna ken what your
English dogs can do, but collie,
though it has ma been pleasing to Prov
idence to give the creature the gift O.
speech, can do mony mair things than
them wad deride it"
{" l amt deridin' of 'em," " says John.
4" 1 only says as how if they be so very
clever I've never seen it"
I" Ye wull, though, ye ewull, says old
Donald, as he hurries forward after
Laddie, who has now settled down into
a swinging trot, and is taking his way
straight across the loneliest part of the
bleak moor.
The cold wind almost cuts us in two,
aud whirls the snow into our faces, nearly
binding us. My finger tips are be-
coming numbed, icicles hanging from
my mustache and beard, and my feet
md legs are soaking wet even through
my shooting boots and stout leather
eggings.
The moon has gone in again, and the
light from the lantern we carry is barely
sufficient to show us the inequalities in
lie height of the snow, by which we
are guessing at our path. I begin to
| III 10 oAos ~
propose, naaiS la femme dispose" sigh
TO myself, and begin to consider
whether may venture to give up the
search (which have undertaken purely
to satisfy my wife, for am like John,
and won't believe in Laddie), when,
suddenly, hear a shout in front of me,
and see Donald, who has all the time
been keeping close to Laddie, drop on
his knees and begin digging wildly in the
snow with his hands. We all rush for
ward. Laddie has stopped at what ap
pears to be the foot of stunted tree
and after scratching and whining for {
moment, sits down and watches, leaving
the rest to us. What is it that appears
when we have shoveled away the snow
A dark object. Is it bundle of rags
Is it-or, alas was it--a human being
We raise it carefully and tenderly, an(
wrap it in one of the warm blankets
with which my wife's forethough
had provided us.
Bring me the lantern" say, husk
ily, and John holds it over the prostrat
form, of not as we might have expected
some stalwart shepherd of the hills, bu
over that of poor, shriveled, wrinkled
ragged old woman. try to pour littl
brandy down the poor old throat, bu
the teeth are so firmly clenched that
} cannot.
"Get her home as quickly as may be
sir; the mistress will know better whs
to do for her nor we do, if so be the poo
creature is not past help" says John
J turning instinctively, as we all do i
sickness or trouble, to woman's aid.
So we improvise sort of hammoc
of the blankets, and gently and tenderl
) the men prepare to carry their poo
/ helpless burden over the snow.
"I am afraid your mistress will be i
3 bed," l say, as we begin to retrace on
steps.
"Never fear, sir" says Donald, wit
. a triumphant glance at John, " the mil
tress will be up and waiting for III
y She kens Laddie dinna bring us out j
t the snaw for naething."
4 "I'll never say nought about belize
e ing dog again." says John, GRACEFUL
striking his colors. "You were righ
Q and was wrong; but to think thel
|, should be such sense in an animi
S passes me !"
y AS we reach the avenue gate di
q patch one of the men for the docto
who fortunately lives within stone
d throw of us, and hurry on myself
n prepare my wife for what is comm
She runs out into the hall to meet me
Is "WellT" she asks, eagerly.
" "We have found poor old woman
a; 1 say, "but we do not know wheth