Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-09-30
having to turn out of their warm beds and

Donald say. ''Auld Laddie is cleverer than
mony Christian, and will find something
IN the shaw this night
Don't sit up, JESSIE" l say, as WE
start; ''we may be out half the night or
this wild goose chase"
Follow Laddie Closely" is all the an
swer she makes
The dog springs forward with a joyous
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 moment through the
driving clouds and lights up with sickly
gleam the snow-clad country before us.
''Its like looking for needle in bundle
of hay, sir,' says John, the coachman,
confidentially, ''to think as we should ind
somebody on such night as this. Why,
in some places the snow is more than a
couple o. feet thick, and it goes agin rea-
z ~ to think that dumb animal would
4 have the sense to come home and ask for
help"
''Bide wee, bide wee,'' says old Don
aid. II dinna ken what your English dogs
can do, but collie, though it has ma been
pleasing to Providence to give the creature
the gift O. speech. can do mony mair
things than them wad deride it,"
Il amt deridin' of 'em,'' says John
IL only says as how if they be so very
clever I've never seen it,"
eye wull, though, We wull," says old
Donald, as he hurries forward after Lad
die, 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,
and whirls the snow into our faces, nearly
binding US. My finger tips are becoming
numbed, icicles hanging from my mus
tache and beard, and my feet and legs are
soaking wet, even through my shooting
boots and stout leather leggings.
The moon has gone in again, and the
light from the lantern we carry is barely
sufficient to show US the inequalities in
the height of the snow, by which we are
guessing at our path. I begin to wish I
had staid at heme. IL hona11ae propose,
mails Ia femme dispose" I sigh to myself,
and begin TO consider whether I 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 shout in
front of me. and see Donald, who has all
the time been keeping close to I4addie,
drop on his knees and begin digging wildly
in the snow with his hands. We all rush
forward. Laddie has stopped at what ap-
pears to be the foot of stunted tree, and
after scratching and whining for a mo-
| ment, 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, and wrap
it in one of the warm blankets with which
my wifes forethought had provided us,
bring me the lantern,'' l say, huskily,
and John holds it over the PROSTATE form,
of not as we might have expected, some
stalwart shepherd of the hills. but over
that of poor, shriveled, wrinkled, ragged
old woman. try to pour little brandy
down the poor old throat, but the teeth
are so firmly clenched that cannot.
"Get her home as quickly as may be,
sir; the mistress will know better what to
do for her nor we do, if SO be the poor crea-
ture is not past help" says John. turning
instinctively, as we all do in sickness or
trouble, to woman's aid.
So we improvise a sort of hammock OF
the blankets, and gently and tenderly the
men prepare to carry their poor, helpless
burden over the snow.
II am afraid your mistress will be in
bed," I say, as we begin to retrace our
steps.
''Never fear, sir,'' says Donald, with a
triumphant glance at John, 1.-The mistress
will be up and waiting for us. She kens
Laddie dinna bring us out in the shaw for
naething."
"I1l never say nought about believing a
dog again." says John, gracefully striking
his colors. "You were right, and l was
wrong; but to think there should be such
sense in an animal passes me!''
AS we reached the avenue gate 1 dis
patch one of the men for the doctor, who
fortunately lives within stones throw of
us. and hurry on myself to prepare my
wife for what is coming. She runs out
into the hall to meet me.
''Well % she asks eagerly.
"We have found poor old woman" I
say, ''but we do not know whether she is
alive or dead.'
My wife throws her arms around me
and gives me great hug.
"You will find dry things in your dress
ing room, DEAR" she says, and this is the
revenge she takes on me for my skepti-
cism. The poor old woman is carried up
stairs and placed in a warm bath under |
my wife's direction, and before the doc
tor arrives she has shown some faint |
symptoms of life; so my wife sends me
word. DR.. Bruce shakes his head when
he sees her, ''Poor old soul,' says he,
show came she out on such fearful
night [ doubt she has received shock
which, at her age, she will not easily get |
over"
They manage, however, to force few
spoonsful of hot brandy and water down
her throat; and presently a faint color
fickers on her cheek, and the poor old eye
lids begin to tremble. My wife raises her
head and makes her swallow some cordial
which DR.. Bruce has brought with him,
and lays her back among the SOFT warm
pillows.
II think she will rally now," says DR..
Bruce, as her breathing becomes more reg
ular and audible. "Nourishment and
warmth will do the rest, but she has re-
c+ived a shock from which, fear, she will