Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-04-16
But the singin'?'' esid one, lnquir-

| DuC Tic SIuSAu eSiu OA0p iu4uiE,
Eyes, Twas goin' to tell you about that
singin'. continued Tim. II kept
a.hearin' it and a-hearin' it. and finally
laid the baby down, careful-like, IN
der the edge of the house, and went
huntin' around for tibet singin'. The
sky was as clear as bell now. but
could see the snow-clOud whirlin' along
down the prairie, and knew they were
ketchin' it further on. l peeked into
the house. but that was pretty much
broke up. The whole thing had sep
arated. so far as could Judge, inlo two
or three parts. and it didn't take me
long to see whoever that was singin'
wasn't in there. poked along-I
reckon it was in crazy sort of way.
for was about dragged Out-when. all
of a sudden. came to the top of big
hogshead. 1t was planted sorter side
ways in the snow. and packed in hard
as rock. A little piece was smashed
out of it near the top, and the nearer
to it came the surer l was that the
singin' came out of that. peeked in
at the hole. and, sure enough. there was
a little boy. all mnffied up in a bed
quilt. and he was singin' away as chip
per as you please. l saw in minute
that the hogshead had come down on
him as he had been lyin' or a-crouchin'
down on the snow"
80, come nowr' drawled ..Skep"
Thompson, with the air of man who
has borne all that could possibly be ex-
pected of him. and refuses to endure
anything further.
''It's fact" went on Tim, inflexibly.
1T sounds big. but it is as trNe as
preachin' that that hOgshead had come
down on that little fellow and been
drove into the snow too deep to be
moved again. and there. covered up
with his bed-quilt and under. that hogs
head. that little chap had stood it
through all of that storm. I wish 1
could think what it was he was singin
an old tune. Maybe you'd believe
me if 1 could think what it was. It's a
Christian tune, too. Queer can't think
Of it."
awful queer" said ''Skep" Thomp-
son. with an incredulous laugh, in
which some of the others joined.
1T wasn't" began the Hardaway
boy. with some aSitation-'.it wasn't
like this, was it?'' and he lifted up
pure boyish voice in two lines of the
old hymn
Brightest and best of the sons of the morn
ing,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid"
TIM stood listening to him in a
speeches. transport of amazement.
1T was. thought he cried en-
Enthusiastically, as the boy concluded.
"Why, were you-it cant be-hOw did
you happen"
"Yes, but 1 was, though" said the
boy. his face flushed. and his voice
shaking. Il thought l knew what you
were talkin' about, all along, but ]
thought I'd wait till you got through
before said anything. Our house was
blown away just like that in Dakota ten
years ago this Christmas. My little
sister was killed, but my father and
mother were saved by crawling into
hay-stack that had got stuck in drift.
and hogshead fell on me. in just tho
way you told about, and saved me. l
remember it all-well There was
man there who dug me out, and you
must be the man.
81 nevern' "Have to give in -
Beats all!' cried the men, in aston
ished chorus.
You can ask my mother, if you don't
believe me-" said the boy. Il reckon
she believes him, now"
They turned toward the place where
Mrs. Hardaway had been sitting, but.
>1,rA ,,,lx Il g -
last few moments, she had fallen on The
floor. apparently overcome by the re
collections induced by Tins realistic
recital. and there she lay in dead faint.
Fisherman" Tins truthfulness was
vindicated at last.-Katc Upton Clark.
in Christian Union.