The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-01-27
A Boy Hero.

He was only six. years old, little |
Tommy Brown. His father was a pio-
neer out in Oregon. Oook on the map,
as always, and find Oregon, if you don't
know where it is.) Pioneers have dis
comforts and privations that the people
in older settlements do not dream of.
They are often twenty miles away from
any store. If anything has happened
that they have not laid in supply of
meat, flour and meal, and these things
give out at home, it becomes very
serious business. If the roads are
to make them impossible, there is a
chance that the pioneers family may go
hungry. They may even starve.
Provisions had given out in The fam
lily of Mr.. Brown. There had been
deep, soft snow, so the roads were very
bad indeed But food must be had, or
his babies would have nothing to eat.
So the father started with his wagon to
the store, twenty miles away. He was
a long time getting there, for the road
was so heavy.
Mr.. Brown loaded his wagon and
started back But tremendous fall of
snow came and blinded him and blocked
his way. The storm continued several
days. The forlorn man staggered on as
best he could But it grew colder and
colder. He began to be chilled through
Nobody knew what finally happened
to him in those awful hours, or what
he thought about.
For he never came home. When the
storm cleared away, and people went to
look for him, they found him frozen stiff
and dead in the road. His wife was
dead, and his children had been left at
home alone, to wait till he came back
with the provisions. What had become
of them, poor babies.
1t had not been so very cold when
he left home and nobody thought any
thing would happen. There were two
children, Tommy and a younger brother,
only four years old. Their father would
have hardly dared to leave them, except
that he had beautiful and faithful
shepherd dog. This noble animal was
used to taking care of the children just as
if they had been two lambs. His name
was Shep." He watched and guarded
them at play during the hours when
their papa was obliged to leave them
alone.
The little creatures and the faithful
dog waited all day for Mr.. Brown to
come back They went to bed, and to
sleep, and still the father was not there
next morning. They began to get
hungry as the day wore on. But
another night passed, and the next
morning they were very hungry indeed.
They thought they would 90 out and
try to find papa. They were not very
warmly dressed, but out they went.
They wandered into the woods, Shep
after them. 1t was Sunday morning
when they left their cabin. They
walked and walked, and cried bitterly,
but no papa came. Shep Rugged as
close to them as he could. There were
wild animals in the woods who would
: have attacked and devoured the help
less babies, only for Shep. He was as
brave as a lion and faithful as father.
Worn out at last when darkness came,
they huddled down against Shops
warm coat and lay there. 1t is the
greatest wonder they did not die with
the cold.
. But they did not. Toward morning
!. it became warmer and began to rain.
! How the poor things suffered when
: morning came. They had no hope
, and no refuge but Shep. They Rugged
him and cried together. They called
= till they could shout no longer, but no.
body came. AT last the younger brother
said.
Tommy, oh Tommy, Pm freezing tc
DEATH"
Then what do you think this brave
tender, big brother did?-big brother
though he was only six years old. He
took his own coat off, all the warm
garment he had, and wrapped it around
the younger child. The rain poured
in torrents, and Tommy had nothing
upon his shoulders but cotton shirt
but he bore it all, and pulled the Goa
close about his baby brother. There il
not the least doubt the little fellow
would have frozen to death only fol-
this.
So at last the neighbors found then
at noon, Monday, cuddled down al
close together-Tommy, the small
brother and Shep. A few hours more
and both the children would have beer
dead But how much the kind-heartet
people made over them when they die
discover them! There was hardly any
7 thing good enough for those two whom
the storm had left fatherless. The,
will find plenty of friends now. Blu
Tommy Brown is the bravest, mobiles
little lad ! have ever heard of in man,
day. He is one of the heroes of tn,
world