The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-04-15
Breaking Up of the Ice.
Tst. Methodist

Among the lnnaOltants OF one OF the little
fishing villages on the south shore of the st.
Lawrence River was q thrifty French Can
adam named Pierre Laval. His family coz
sisted Of his Iosy checked, good natured
wife, Louise the eldest child, from her wo.
manly ways nickusmed 'tbe little mother"
Jean, a strong lsd of thirteen, and the baby,
Whose bright black eyes add white skin made
one think of two blackbsrr in a bowl of
milk.
On the afternoon OF q certain cloudy dsy
the door of the Laval cottage opened every
few moments, and Louise peered anxiously
down the road. At last she spied the stout
figure OF Jean coming up the street, aud
drawing her little red shawl over her head
she ran to meet him.
"Hurrah, Lou!" be cried gayly; 1.-The boat
is almost done, and the boys are going to let
me have the naming of il. think / shall
call it The LOUISE"
But the girl did not seem to hear.
"Oh, hurry, Jeanl" she gasped, pressing
her hands together nervously; 1.-THE bsbyl"
Then Jean, the first time, noticed how pale
and anxious bis face was.
We'll, what Of the baby" be asked.
sick, oh, so sick! he never was like this
before"
And you wanted me to go on some err
rand? am sorry now that staid all night,
but mother said might If the boys wanted
me-"
Your staying was all right, Jean, only
everything has gone wrong this time. Word
came this morning that big gang OF msR
was wanted at the big lumber yard, aud
father and the neighbors went away early
and will not be back before the end OF the
week."
but where's mother BMbstp Can't she
cure the baby?'
Louise shook her head sadly. "Eor once,
Jean, her medicine don't seem to do any
good; but she says she has been With the
great doctor over the river two or three
times when he has had throats evsn verse
than the baby's. and that he used a new
kind of medicines little wlite powder
and 1t always helped the people right off. he
gave her the name of the powder but
couldn't find it at the little shop in the vii
lage, and mother didn't dare to trust me to
60 across the river with Jet. He hasn't been
ont of the stable for four or five days, and
he is as wild IS q WOLF"
1t was toward the close OF the long aud
bitter Canadian winter. Already, in some
localities, little shallow pools of water stand
ing here and there on the frozen surface OK
the st. Lawrence river showed that the sun
was getting back some OF its summer heat
! and power; and the inhabitants along the
shore prophesied the speedy breaking up Of
the ice. But as yet not crack had dishg-
ured the glitteriDg mass, which for two
1 months had stretched out as level as floor,
making firm, safe bridge between the lit.
tie village on the south shore and the large
! town of v.
AS Jean and Louise entered the cottage,
| their mother met them with q sober face.
| How still and lonesome it seemed without
| the bright baby, who always laughed and
put out his little hands the moment the big
brother came in sight. Jean felt conscience
smitten when he remembered how often he
had said: Bother take the bsbym when
his neither bad left the little fellow in his
\ charge for a few mOmonts.
| Take coufsge mother" he said, bravely.
"Ill harness Jet and have him at the door in
q MON entn
In few moments Jean and Louise were
snugly tucked inside the little sleige under
the warm wolfskins, and the black pony
with his head down. going at his best psce,
brought them in short time to the rivers
! edge. The ice was soon crossed, and after q
| short drive up the main street OF the large
town. Jean pulled up in front OF the doc
tors Office. Finding him out he scrawled a
message on the slate, and, stopping at the
white powder which he carefully placed in
his inside coat pocket and then they started
for home.
AS the black pony stepped out upon the
ice, some men motioned Jean back; and,
finding him determined to go on, two OF
three Of them sprang forward aud seizsd
the bride. You're young, my master, but
you're old enough to know better than to
venture across the face of such a sky as that
! Aud haven't you heard the news from up the
! river2 The ice has already weakened IN
spotsl"
"But tell you must cross, and you have
no right to keep me here losing time" re-
turned Jean, flushing aDgrily, while Louise
turned her face imploringly toward the men
1--WE must try to cross" she said, with
trembling lips. my little brother is sick
perhaps dying; We have been for the doc
tor and are taking back the medicine.
Father is away and mother is waiting for
u.s."
The men looked irresolute. 'Bstter to
lose one child than three" said the first
speaker, still keeping hold of the bride.
"Let the youngsters 60, neighbor Tyrrel, i
exclaimed the new conner. 1T Is Pierre La
walls pony, the best traveller about n
Perhaps he can get them across before the
storm bursts Think of your own wife LEFT
alone with dying baby, and waiting fol
medicine. Spare not the whip, my hoy, and
may the good God put such speed in your
d, ny's legs as never was there beforel"
Jet, glad to be released, dalted forward on
his way. The same oppressive stiffness con.
tinued still the black clouds mounted higher
and higher, and there was the same peculiar
moaning in the Ice beneath. The children
had alr~adv crossad mora than fuo-t hirda al