Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-02-23

Pisa and HiIda were lwo little girls
who lived on the edge OF a great forest.
Their parents were very poor, ana the
two children somentimes had 10 go Out
into the woods to pick up dry stricks
for the kitchen fire. In the summer
they liked 10 do this. for it was yerT
pleasaut to wander about under the
great trees. and over the green ana
soft moss. which in some places nearly
covered the ground. They found
great mauy thing there besides dry
sticks, and their mother used to think,
sometimes. that they staid too long
among the wild flowers and the moss,
while she was waiting for weod.
But in winter the children did not
like the forest. The trees were Dare,
the pretty moss was all covered Win
snow. and the cold winds blew colder
there, they thought, than anywhere
else. But the kitchen fire needed wood
more I'm winter than in summer, Tor IL
was the only fire in the house, and SO
Rosa and Hilda ran into the forest
nearly every day, and brought back as
MANY dry sticks and twigs as they
could carry.
One day, Hilda thought she would
take her basket with her, 10 gather
some red berries that she had seen the
last time she was in the woods. There
was a good deal OF snow on the ground
and it was very hard for the little girls
TO walk; while Max, their dog who
came with them, sank so deep into the
snow at every step, that, at last, ne
grew tired, and lay down by a big tree.
lie thought he would wait there until
the children should be going home.
Hilda said she would 60 and look for
the berries, and when she had found
Them. she would come back and help
nick up sticks. SO Rosa began to gather
nm what dead wood she could find
sticking out Of the snow, aud Hilda
walked as fast as she could to find her
red berries.
She though she knew just where
they were, but although she walked
very tar, she could not see them any
where. At last she began to feel very
cold and sleepy, and she thought she
would like to lie right down on the
ground and take nap. She did not
know that when people lie down or
The snow TO sleep they very often freeze
10 death.
After while she started to 60 back
to Rosa, but she did not walk very far
before she tripped over the branches
of a fallen tree and when she felt her
self living on the snow, she thought
she would just stay there and take a
little bit of a nap. 1t would rest her
so much. SO she went fast asleep.
Before long Rosa began to wonder
where her sister had gone, and then
she went to look for her, At first she
could see Hilda's footsteps in the snow,
but soon she came to high, bare place
where the wind had blown the snow
away, and there she could see no foot
steps. So she ran back and called
MAX, Max"
The little dog was still under the
tree, but when he heard Rosa calling
him he knew that something was the
matter, and he ran to her as fast as he
could go. When he saw that she was
alone he began to run about TO look
for Hilda, TOR he always saw the two
little girls very near each other. He
snIfied around, and then he turned to
the right and began to run. He knew
she had gone that way. He could smell
her shoes. Rosa ran after him, and
she seon saw Hilda's footprints in the
snow. She could not keep up with
Max, but she could see which way he
went.
Very soon she came to fallen tree
and pushing aside the branches, there
she saw her poor little sister, lying on
the snow, v ith Max licking her face.
Rosa thought she was dead, but rush
ing TO her side, she took her I'm her arms
and found that she still breathed.
Then Rosa raised HIlda to her feet,
and hugged and kissed her until she
woke her up, while Max barked for
joy. When Hilda had opened her eyes
and could stand by herself, Rosa took
her by the arm and hurried home Max
running along in front.
As soon as their mother saw them
coming she ran to meet them, and
when she heard how little Hilda had
been in danger of free King TO death in
the forest she said that he children
should never go there again when
there was deep snow.
And you may be sure that after that
day Rosa and Hilda, and their father
and mother, thought great deal OF
that little dog Max.