Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-08-19
a BRAVE BOY.
What Tommy Brown Did to Protect His
Little lBrOthsr.

-
What Tommy Brown Did to Protect His
Little brother.
He was only six years old, little
Tommy Brown. His father was
pioneer out in Oregon. (Look on the
map. as always, and find Oregon, If
you don't know where 1t is.) Pioneers
have discomiorts and privations that
the people In older settlements do not
dream of. They are often twenty miles
away from any store. II any thing has
happened that they have not laid In
supply of meat, flour and meal. and
these things give out at home. 1t be.
comes very serious business. IL the
roads are showed rp, or il the mud is
so deep as to make them impossible.
there Is chance that the pioneers
f.mily may 90 hungry; they may even
starvc. Provisions had given out In
the family of Mr.. Brown. There had
been Il deep. soft snow. so the roads
were very bad indeed; but food must
be had. or his babies would have moth
ing to eat. SO the father started with
his wagon to the store. twenty miles
away. He was long time getting
there. for the road was so heavy.
Mr.. Brown loaded his wagon. and
started back; but u tremendous fall OF
snow came and blinded him and
blocked his way. The storm continued
several days. The forlorn man stag
gered 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, AM his children had been left at
home alone to wait till he came back
with the provisions. What had be-
come of them. poor babiesp lthad not
been SO very cold when he left home,
and nobody thought any thing would
happen. There were two children,
Tommy and II younger brother. only
four years old. Their father would
have hardly dared to leave them, ex-
cept that he had n beautiful and faith
full shepherd dog. This noble animal
was used to taking care of the children
Just us II 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 hum
cry us the day wore on; but another
night passed. and the next morning
they were hungry indeed. They
thought they would 60 out and try to
find papa. They were not very warm
" dressed, but out they went They
wandered into the woods, Shep after
them. It was Sunday morning when
they left their cabin. They walked and
walked, and cried bitterly; but nopapa
came. Shep hugged as close to them
us he could. There were wild animals
In the woods that would have attacked
and devoured the helpless babies, only
for Shep. He was as brave rs q 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 II
becamv warmer and began to rain.
How the poor things suffered when
morning came! They had no hope and
no refuge but Shop. They hugged him,
and cried together. They called till
they could shout no longer. but nobody
oame. At last, the younger brother
said,
"Tommy. o Tommy. I'm freezing to
deathr' Then what do you think this
brave, tender big brother didP-big
brother. though hc was only six years
old. He took his own coat of, all the
warm garment he had, and wrapped 1t
around the younger child. Tho rain
poured In torrents, and Tommy had
nothing upon his shoulders but cot.
ton shirt; but he bore 1t all. and pulled
the coat close about his baby brother.
There Is not tho least doubt the little
fellow would have frozen to death but
for Ibis. SO ut last tho ncighb0rs
found them out at noon Monday, cud-
died down close together-Tomlny. the
small brother. and Shep. Afew hours
more, and both the children would
have been dead. But how much the
kind.hearted people made over them.
when they did discover them! There