The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-02-23
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.


to say you could drive coach and four.
draw my chair nearer to it, with
vG1niver. ''What night r. say.
'sIs it still snowing?" asks my wife,
Who sits opposite to me. her books and
work on the table beside her.
EAST. You can scarcely see yard
before you"
Heaven help any poor creature on
the moor tonight p says she.
"Who would venture out? It began
showing before dark, and all the people
about know the danger of being benight-
ed on the moor in a snow storm"
eyes. But have known people
frozen to death hereabouts before now"
NY wife is Scotch, and this pleasant
house in the Highlands is hers. We are
trying winter in it for the first time,
and I find it excessively cold and some
what dull. Mentally decide that in the
future we Will only grace it with our
presence during the shooting season.
Presently 60 to the window and look
out; it has ceased showing, and through
q rift in the clouds see star.
sIt is beginning to clear" 1 tell my
wife, and also inform her that it is past
eleven. As she lights her candle at the
side-table heal. whining and scratch
ing at the front door.
"There is Laddie loose again." says
Gshe. "Would you let him in, dear ?"
x 1 did not like facing the cold wind,
but could not refuse to let the poor ami
NAL in. Strangely enough, when 1
opened the door and called him he
wouldn't come. He runs up to the door
and looks into my face with dumb en-
treaty: then he runs back few steps,
looking round to see if am following;
and, finally, he takes my coat in his
mouth and tries to draw me out.
"Laddie won't come in" call out to
my wife. "On the contrary, he seems
to want me to go out and have game of
SNOWFALL with him."
She throws q shawl round her and
comes to the door. The coolie was hers
before we we're married, and she is al
most as fond of him, tell her, as she is
OF Jack, our eldest boy.
"Laddie, Laddie I" she calls, "come
in, SIR" He comes obediently at her
call, but refuses to enter the house, and
pursues the same dumb pantomine he
has already tried on me.
ssI shall shut him out, Jessie" say.
ga night in the snow wont hurt him."
and prepared to close the door.
"You will do nothing Of the kind r
she replies, with an anxious look, "but
you will rouse the servants at once, and
follow him. Some one is lost in the
snow, and Laddie knows it,"
laugh. Really, Jessie, you are alb
surd. Laddie is q sagacious animal, no
doubt, but cannot believe that he IL as
clever as that. How can he possibly
know whether any one is lost in the
now or not?"
"Because he has found them, and
come back to us for help. Look at him
now"
/ cannot but own that the dog seems
restless and uneasy, and is evidently en-
deavoring to coax us to follow him; he
looks at us with pathetic entreaty in his
eloquent eyes. "Why wont you believe
me p he seems to ask.
"Come," she continues; "you know
YOU could not rest while there was
possibility of fellow-creature wanting
your assistance. And am certain Lad
die Is not deceiving u.s."
What is O poor hen-pecked man to do :?
1 grumble, and resist, and yield; as l
have often grumbled, and resisted, and
yielded before. and as doubtless often
shall again.
"L00d1e once 1Ouuu D mhu III tuo
snow before, but he was dead" Jessie
saws, az she hurried of to fill the flask
with brandy, and get ready for us some
blankets to take with US. In the mean
time, rouse the servants.
They were all English, with the ex-
ception Of Donald. the gardener, and !
can see that they are scofangly skeptical
Of Ladies' sagacity, and inwardly dis
.austed ct having to turn out OF their
warm beds, and face the bitter winters
SDinns trouble yerselfs," hear old
Donald say. "The mistress is right
u,ououRh. And Laddie lie cleverer than
a mouy Christian, and will find some
ythinR in the shaw this night"
"Dont sit mp, JESSIE" ] say ~ we
stsrt: 1--WE may be out half the night on
Ghis Wild goose chase"
ssFollow Laddie closely" was the only
Tie dog springs forth with q joyous
hark. constantly looking bask 10 see II
Ne were following. Az we pass through
the avenue gates and emerge on to the
moor. the moon struggles for moment
through the driving clouds, and lights
up With sickly CLEAN the snow-ciad
country before as. =,
ssIrs Ike looking for needle in .
bundle Of hay, sir" says John, the
coecbmsu. confidently, ito think - we
Il = s~~h . v1suhk a.