The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-07-12
TRI-WEEKLY EDITION

the stream for miles; no trace could be
found of the poor little creatures, who, full
of life and joy, had 80 lately jumped into
fathers canoe to "have a rock"
Where were they2 Alas they did not
themselves know. They only knew that
they had been wakened by great thump,
and that when they had jumped out of the
| canoe and started to go home, everything
| was different. There was no foot:path, no
| clearing where trees had been cut down,
no sound Of fathers axe near by, nor of
| mothers sOng-and the stream was rushing
on very angrlly over its rocky bed. The
| canoe. which had broken loose, aud, borne
on by the current, floated away with them
miles and miles from the stake, was wedged
between two great stones when they
jumped out Of it; but now it was gone
the waters had taken it away. After a
| while, in their distracted wandcrings, they
could not even find the stream, though it
| seemed to be roaring in every direction
around them.
Now they were in the depths of the
forest, wandering about, tired, hungry, and
frightened. For two nights they had cried
themselves to sleep in each others arms
under the black trees; and as the wind
moaned through the branches, Winnie had
prayed God to save them from the wolves
and Indians, and little Nat had screamed,
"Papal Mammal" sobbing as If his heart
would break. All they had found to eat
was few sweet red berries that grow close
to the ground. Every hour the poor
children grew fainter and fainter, and, at
last, Nat couldn't walk at all.
"Pm too tired and slck," he said, 'and
my feet's all tut. My toos and tockies Is in
the boat. o, Winnie, Winniel" he would
cry, with great sob, "why don't man,
man papa comea Oh. if mamma'd only
come and bring me some breadl"
"Don't cry, dear, don't cry" Winnie
would say again and again. "I1l find
some more red berries soon; and God will
show us the way home. know he will.
Only don't cry, Nat, because it takes away
all my courage"
"All your what!' asked Nat, looking
wildly at her as if he thought courage was
something he could cat.
call my courage, Nat" And then,
after searching in vain for more red berries,
she would throw herself upon her knees
and moan:
"Dear father in heaven; can't find
anything more for Nat to eat. Ohl please
show us the way home!'
What was that quick sound coming TO-
ward them7 The underbrush was 80 thick
Winnie could not see what caused it, but
she held her. breath, thinking of wolves
and Indians, for there were plenty of both,
she knew, lurking about IN those great
forests.
The sound ceased for a moment. Seiz-
ing Nat in her arms, she made one more
frantic effort TO find the stream; then;
seeing strange look IN the poor little face
when she put him down to take a better
hold, she screamed:
"Natl Nat! Don't look sol Kiss Win
nlei"
Hello, there!" shouted voice through
the underbrush, and in another instant a
great stout man came stamping and break
ing his way through the bushes.
"Hello, there! What on airth's up
nowq Eff old Joe ha'n't come upon queer
game this time. Two sick youngsters-
starving, too, by Joshl Here, you young
uns, eat some Nv this 'ere and give an &C
count of yourselves"
With these words, he drew from some
where among tho heavy folds Of his hunt
ing dress a couple of biscuits.
The children grabbed at them frantically.
"Hold up! Not so sharpr' he said
1ou must have little at time for an
hour yet. Here, sis, give me the baby, I'll
feed him; and as for you, jest see that you
don't more'n nibble."
ooh give ME drink |" cried Winnie,
swallowing the cracker in two bites and
for an instant even forgetting Nat.
The man pulled canteen or fiat tin
of water; then lie FASTENED to moisten
of linn fad II
of the broken biscuit.
Another hour" he muttered to himself,
as he gently fed the boy and smoothed
back the tangled yellow hair from the pale
little face, "anothcr hour and he'd bin
past mendln'."
Winnie looked up quickly.
Is he going to die2' shc asked.
l. "Not he." said tho man he'll come
through right end up yet. He's got a
fever on him, but we'll soon knock that
under. How'd you get here, little gala"
Winnie told her story, all. the while feel
ing a glad certainty at her heart that her
troubles were over. The strange man car
ried Il gun, and he had pistol and an axe
and knife IN his belt. He looked very
harm her. She had seen many lrappcr
though this man looked very grand and
wore wonderful hunting dress all en-
broidercd and fringeu, and a big hat and
yellow leggins, she felt sure he was the
very trapper who had been at her fathers
cabin few weeks before and taken supper,
and warmed himself before the fire, while
he told wonderful stories about the Indians
and furs, and about having many a time
had "1fty mile O. traps ont on one
stretch"
She remembered, too, that her father
had told her the next day that trappers
lived by catching with traps all sorts of
wild animals, and selling their furs to the
traders, and that this particular trapper had
been very successful, and had great inilu-
ence among the Indans--one of the big
men of Colorado, as he said.
These thoughts running through her
| mind now as she told how they had been
lost for three whole days and two nights.
and the sight of Nat falling peacefully