Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-11-17

rouse him to life, for Biddy, STOPPING
over him with the lantern, saw his eyes
suddenly open. He looked about him
in bewildered way, and then clutched
at the reins that were still in his hands,
shouting: "Whoa, Fan. whoan' Then
he slowly raised himself on his elbow,
and seeing the planks scattered about
him muttered: ''Why! she's got away"
"Are We much hurried, sur?" asked
Biddy. concernedly. taking his arm as
if she would help him to his feet
% don't know, Pm cold" said he,
slowly.
AN we'll We might be, lynn in all
that wather," and she told him how
they had found him lying in the gutter.
with the planks over him, but not OF
him, and the water around him.
"Is that you, Dearp and has the horse
gone home?" asked he after moment.
seeing the little, shak ing figure beside
him.
"Yes, papa" and all at once the
convulsive sObs leaped beyond her con.
troll. and she fell on her knees, quite
unable to say or do anything but sob.
The sight and the sound of her sobs
did more than anything else to restore
her father to himself. With Biddy's
help he slowly rose from the ground,
and, after standing moment, he said,
steadily: Il believe am all right, only
cold and little confused. The fall
must have stunned me, and but for your
help, my good woman, I should have
been a dead man soon.
1T was yer little CURL tould us. We
shouldn't have known"
He held his hand to Dear, and she
caught it and held it under her chin,
still unable to speak.
do We think We could walk, sur!
Ye've no right to be standin' here wild
yer wet clothes.''
Thus admonished they began to move.
Biddy and Mike and the ''lanthern"
went with them to the top of the hill.
BY that time Harvey Gates had obtained
full possession OF himself, and he babe
Biddy goodnight, telling her he would
see her on the morrow
Now, Dear" said he, 'run home
and tell your mother, quietly, that the
wagon broke down. but that | am all
right, and will be in directly"
1t was not until near noon the next
day, when Dear broke into an irrepress-
ible fit of sobbing, that her mother knew
how near death had been to them that
night. She turned very white. and after
a moment said: Children, we have
great reason to be thankful today"
A little later Harvey Gates came in.
He had been down with Luke to get
the planks out of the road and to see
Biddy Mccoy. He told pitiful story
of the poverty in the little shanty.
"There will be no Thanksgiving supper
there to-day" he said. Mrs. Gates
WINGED n little. She was thrifty
woman, and it was not easy for her to
understand the blessedness of giving
''And such baby. such little mite OF
n baby!' continued Harvey Gates, as il
speaking to himself.
"A baby?" repeated Mrs. Gates,
pauSing on her way TO the oven; "did
you say Biddy had baby?"
Yes, and the poor little thing looks
half starved"
Mamma" said Dear, eagerly,
"why can't we have them all up here
to Thanksgiving supper? We've got
enough for them"
Harvey Gates glanced at his wife
After moments hesitation she said
Yes, they can come, 1 suppose, il
there amt more forty or fifty of en-"
and she opened the oven door and
basted the turkey with energy. liar
vey," she called, as she heard him
going toward the door, "tell Biddy to
bring the baby; and here, you take that
thick shawl in the entry to wrap it up
! warm
And so the McCoy's had the grandest
Thanksgiving supper of their lives;
and no more thankful company gathered
in New England that day, the Gates
family feeling very tender O er their
escape from great calamity. Josephine
IL. Baker, IN 5. S. Times.