The Republican journal., 1881-06-09

tHeln. 1ef DrOlner is gong uOWn lO-udy
to carry them the victuals in hand sleds.
They'll be glad enough to see them, if
they get there, but | doubt their getting
there"
Cyrus fastened on full of anxiety con-
cerning his mother, and not without
cause
She had dreaded to have him start,
and had begun to watch for his return
long before it was possible for him to
have travelled the distance. As night
came on, with its flying snow, her anX-
iety increased till she could bear it no
longer. She went to the door and looked
out, but Of course could see nothing, eX-
cept the binding snow. She put shawl
over her head and went out. The wind
nearly took her off her feet. She called
Cyrus-'fSi Y 'Cyrus !" but there was nc
answer. She would try to 90 and see
Mary and Susan-she would not stay
there alone all night. She pushed on
but the wind beat her about and the
snow blinded her She went aimlessly
around and around for awhile, then she
grew tired and sank down in the drifts
\ feeling of dreamy sleepiness came oyel
her; she lay very still, and only a corner
of her shawl and a long lock of her gray
hair tiuttered out above the snow.
Up at neighbor Smiths the drifts grew
higher and higher, the house fairly shook
on its slight foundation. Just at bed
time Smith thought he would go out and
look at the horses and see if they were
all right. He went, but did not come
back.
Dolph went to look for him, and he did
not come back.
The two women crouched in the house
knew what it meant. Susan opened the
door; the wind nearly took her off hel
feet Mary was frantic she would &C
to look for them, but Susan held hel
back. They could not SO to bed; they
wrapped the bed-clothes about then
and sat by the stove, crying. Al
last Susan went to get more wood
There was none What should they
do They sat there while longer til
the fire had died out, then crept into the
little hole under the house which served
the purpose of cellar. There they
crouched in the darkness all night, talk
ing a little in Mortified whispers anC
NCCpIllS ulQtu'
In the morning Susan crept upstairs
and got piece OF loaf OF bread it wa!
all they had to eat and no fire to cooh
more. They ate little of it, but only
a very little, and clung closer to eacl
other as the day wore on. Were they t.
starve to death there? Sometimes they
hoped they should, when they remem
bered what had happened, and agail
they sobbed at the thought.
1t was night when Cyrus reached
home. He stumbled on something neal
the house. He stopped down and drew
it out Of the snow. He staggered into
the house with it and stood wildly star
ing about the room, as if he expected tt
see some one. When he came to hii
senses he knew his feet and hands wert
frozen-he could not tell anything else fo
some time. When he could he picke(
the stit1ened form from the floor as bes
he could with his frozen hands, laid il
tenderly on the bed and made his way tt
neighbor Smiths.
The frightened women in the celia
were wild when they heard his footsteps
overhead, and still more frantic when HI
opOhC " hlON ii IiO oIlC NttS lutlCt Du
finally they understood who it was, ane
crept out Of their hiding place. Mar,
broke the thick ice in the water pail an(
got cold water to take the frost from hi
hands and feet, and Susan seized the aXt
and demolished a couple Of chairs, will
which she started fire. They had bite
tales for each other, but it was a Sigh
comfort to hear the sound of each other
voices.
The snow continued to pile deeper an(
deeper, and no train came with tht
longed-fOr supplies; but by burning tht
furniture in their own house and that be
longing to Cyrus, which he brought tt
them, and finally the most of his house
procured in the same way, the thre'
managed to keep warm, and live care
fully on the small stock of provision
which he had brought from town III
brought his mothers dead body and lai(
it in the little bedroom, till there coul(
be some way to dig grave-the men h
could not find.
When the train finally got through
they were all three living in one littl
room, in which stood a span of horses, t.
save their lives, the cattle having beel
nearly smothered by the snow Whel
the train whistled, it was like news from
another world they were saved.