The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-10-03
AN ERRAND OF MERCY.
Marie L. Kinney, in Tid-Bits. |

Marie L. Kinney, in Tid-Bts.i
 In the year 1880 my father moved with his family to Dakota, and settled on a claim six miles from the railroad station Ind as far from any human habitation. Our house faced the east, and from the front door could be seen, in the distance, | little shanty standing on a knoll. It vas the only one visible from our house md l used to look at it a great deal, but never knew who lived there, until one day IS was sitting in the back door feeding some chickens, Mir. Phill, neighbor and acquaintance who lived ten miles from us, drove up and said: Miss Grace, I happened to be driving by that house of dere to the east, this morning, aud an old lady ran out and hailed me. She said she had come out here with her son hop ing the climate would benefit his health. He has consumption, you know. But 1t seems he has grown steadily worse and oow lies at the point of death. She is all alone with him and is out of provisions, with the exception of little rice and some dried apples. thought perhaps yoa'd be willing to go over and help her Il little, and take some sort of food along ohe gave me some money and asked me 10 get some things for her in town. Pm on my way now" he went on talking and giving me directions. I didn't stop to listen but hurried him of, telling him I'd start as soon as possible; so l got ready and started.
 My little Indian pony, "Grit," was a treasure. l strapped all could on her pack and put the rest in basket which carried en my arm. The picture painted m my fancy by good MT. Phil was so ter rible that could think of nothing else. | headed Grit in the direction of the shanty, and thought no more of the road till Grit stopped. looked up ex. pecting to see the shanty. Imagine my feelings on discovering that we were in an enormous slough Poor Grits little hoofs were entirely buried in the thick, sticky mud, and what was worse, they were still sinking, and that very rapidly. 1t occurred to me that if were to dis. mount we might get through, so of , umped.
 Horrible My feet were sinking, too What should do? Grit was up to her knees in mud now and was up to my ankles :! looked around there was no possible chance ofoutside help, so must aeip myself. "Grit," said l, "we must elicktn
 h-ave Grit struggled, but the harder she tried the deeper sue sank. looked toward Grit. All could see now Of the orave little pony was her head;I turned away uld not bear to see her burned dive. My feet sunk-kept sinking deeper, deeper, deeper, in the cold, hor- rible mud. Ugh! But come, my brave Couragel raised my head and with my whole strength called, Help help r
 What was my joy and surprise when heard an answer was it an answerp called again and strained my eyes in every direction. At last saw man on aorseback. Joy! waved my handker- chief frantically and called with all my night. On he came straight toward me. Suddenly terrible fear flashed across me. Suppose he should get into the tough. made trumpet of my hands and shouted Go around the slough r Then l motioned to him the direction to ,ake, for he could not sec the outline of he slough from where he was. The aw- 'ul mud had now closed in on my knees. While he was going around the slough l could not sec him SO just waited. Oh, bow hard 1t is sometimes to wait! At last he stood on the bank above me. But now was he to get to mel was some distance from the edge, and if he came near enough to me to pull me out he would get stuck too. Despair seized me. sns he was equal to the occasion, it seemed, for he dismounted and said:
 !" Be very patient till can reach you;" then he took of his saddle and taking knife from his pocket, cut off the flaps, and placing his foot on one he cut two little slits, one each side of his foot then ne did the same with the other. Then he took of his boots and cut little straps from the legs, and slipped them through the holes in the 6aps of his saddle. This done he laid them down and put on his horse what was left of the saddle and on his feet what was left of his boots
 He had done all this so very rapidly and so very neatly that could do nothing but watch him. But when it was done ventured to look at him. He was a stranger, young man of fine physique
 and one of the hspdsomest faces i ever saw. He had not stopped. He went to work tearing up great handfuls of the tall meadow grass that grew all around the slough. This he piled up so as to make a path from the edge of the slough to where vas stuck and just about foot rom me he made great pile which he ssAmpled down until 1t was fat and solid.
 then he returned, taking with him my oasket and drawing of his boots strapped ue his saddie daps, thus making large suEtace for his ieet. Then he came down 10 ne and sanding on the pile which he had mads near mo, he took mo up in his xtsat sroay arms and with mighty pull