The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-12-18
the clock struck, and the truth flashed

Ill s9lenLy, Sne would not nave been
much alarmed if her husband hid been
home. But snow deep enough to bury
them must cover up all landmarks, and
she knew her husband would not rest
till he had found them. To get lost on
the trackless prairie was fearfully easy,
and to suffer and die almost in sight of
home was no unusual thing, and was
her one dread in living there.
A few moments she lay quiet ia bed,
to calm herself and get control of her
own anxieties before she spoke to the
children.
Willie" she said at last, "are you
awaken
Eyes, mamma said Willie, I've
been awake ever so long; isn't it most
morningp"
willie" said the mother, quietly,
"we mustn't be frightened, but I think
I'm afraid-We are showed in.''
Willie bounded to his feet and ran to
the door.
Don't open it," said mamma. hasti-
ly, ''the snow may fall in. LIGHT
candle and look out the windows
In moment the Pickering rays of
Ghe candle fell upon the windows.
Willie drew back the curtain. Snow
was tightly banked up against it to the
top.
''Why, mammal" he exclaimed, $50
we are! and how can papa find us?
and what shall we doP''
eve must do the best we cam" said
| mamma, in voice which she tried to
| make steady, 'and trust that it isn't
very deep, and that Tim and papa will
find us and dig us out.
BY this time the little girls were
awake and inclined to be very much
frightened, but mamma was calm now,
and Willie was brave and hopeful
They all dressed. and Willie started
the fire. The smoke refused to rise,
but pulled out into the room, and Mrs.
Barnes knew that if the chimney were
closed they would probably suf'ocate,
II they did not starve or freeze.
The smoke in few moments choked
them, and seeing that something must
| be done, she put the two girls, well
| wrapped in blankets, into the shed out
| side the back door, closed the door to
keep out the smoke, and then went
with Willie to the low attic where a
| door opened on to the roof.
@We must try" she said, 'to get it
open without letting in TOO much snow,
ard see if we can manage to clear the
| chimney"
II can reach the chimney from the
scuttle with Shovel said Willie, II
often have with stick"
After much labor, and several ava
lanches Of snow; the scuttle was open
ed far enough for Willie to stand on
the top round of the short ladder, and
beat hole through to the light, which
was only foot above. He then SHOW
eled off the top of the chimney, which
was ornamented with a big round cush-
ion of snow, and then by beating and
shoveling he was able to clear the door,
which he opened wide, and Mrs.
Barnes came upon the ladder to look
out Dreary indeed was the scene!
Nothing but snow, as far as the eve
could reach, and flakes still falling,
though lightly The storm was evil
IDENTIFY almost over, but the sky was
gray and overcast.
They closed the door, went down
and soon had a fire,vhoping that the
smoke would guide somebody to them.
Breakfast was taken by candle-light,
dinner--in time-in the same way, and
supper passed with no sound from the
outside world.
Many times Willie and mamma went
to the scuttle door to see if any one was
in sight, but not shadow broke the
broad expanse of white over which to-
ward night the sun shone. OF course
there were no signs of the roads, for
through so deep snow none could be
broken, and until the sun and frost
should form crust on top there was
little hope of their being reached.
The second morning broke, and
Willie hurried up to his post of lookout
the first thing. No person was in sight,
but he found light crust on the snow,
and the first thing he noticed was a few
half-starved birds trying to pick up
something to eat They looked weak
and almost exhausted, and thought
struck Willie
1t was hard to keep up the courage
OF the little household. Nora had open
ly lamented that tonight was Christmas
Eve, and no Christmas dinner to be
had. Tot had grown very fearful about
her ''waisins, and Mrs. Barnes, though
she tried to keep up heart, had become
very pale and silent.
Willie, though he felt unbounded
faith in papa, and especially in Tim,
found it hard to suppress His own COM
| plants when he remembered that
Christmas would probably be passed in
the same dismal way, with fears for
papa added to their own misery.
The wood. too, was getting low, and
mamma dared not let the fire go out, as
that was the only sign of their exist
ence to anybody; and though she did
not speak Of it, Willie Fnew, too, that
they had not many candles. and in two
days at farthest, they should be left in
the dark,
The thought that struck him pleased
Willie greatly, and he was sure it
would cheer up the rest. He made his
plans, and went to work to carry them
out without saying anything about it.
lie brought out of corner Of the at
tic an old hox-trap he had used in
the summer to catch birds and small
| "A' AAStAos oSN ~ OdlSlt1iy Oh Tile snow,
and scattered crumbs of corn-bread to
attract the birds.
In half an hour he went up again,
and found to his delight he had caught
bigger game-a poor rabbit which had
come from no one knows where over
the crust to find food.
This gave Willie new idea; they
could have their Christmas dinner after
all; rabbits made very nice pies. Poor
Bunny was quietly laid to rest and the
trap set again. This time he caught
another rabbit, perhaps the mate of the
first. This was the last of the rabbits,
but the next eaten was couple of
snow-birds. These he carefully placed
in a corner of the attic, using the trap
for a cage, and giving them plenty of
| food and water.
When the girls We're fast asleep, with
tears on their faces for the dreadful
Christmas they were going tc have,
| Willie told mamma about his plans.
| Mamma was pale and weak with anx-
/ 1nfv q