The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-06-12


snow begins to fall" calculated Mr.. Holbrook,
anxiously.
Wouldn't better go after them STRIP inquired
Abe
81 can't spare you, sonny, there's too much to do
here" replied Mr.. Holbrook, busting about and
preparing quarters for the cattle to stand block
ade, if need should be.
Twenty minutes later the snow came down,
whirling in great gusts, every crystal sharp
the point of a knife and the puffs and hustling
clouds obscurng the air, so that you could not see
an inch before you.
The tnkle of bell was heard from the house.
and Abe ran in to find Mrs Holbrook sitting up in
bed and anxiously calling for her husband. She
had rung the bell at her side several times before
II had been heard
'Par' she exclaimed, when the Squire hurried
In, ''either you or Abe must go for the children;
they will never find the way home And tell'Becka
to make big fires all over the house, and to keep hot
water plenty of it, and be ready to make coffee the
very moment they come home. I'm worried half
to death, father. Never mind ANYTHING else Go
for the children"
When Mr.. Hobrook started he found that his wife
was right The powdery snow, fine as flour, made
drifting wall of whiteness everywhere Voices
came through this voices do in fog but you could
not see your neighbor forty rods away And the
cold grew steadily more singing, bitter pitess 1t
was with feeling of great Joy as he had never
known when in the midst of his terror q familiar
sound came to him.
Papa papa p
"Fay, my baby |" answered the strong man,
STOPPING in the direction of the voice. and gather
ing Answering bundle in his arms
'The rest are here papa; we're all close together"
the child assured him, and so relieved, the father
turned towards home, seeing the place half by in
stinct and hafby the glimmer ofthe lamps which,
by Mrs. Holbrook's orders, had been lighted and
set in every window.
At home, and in the door, such stamping and
shouting and hurrahing went on for moment that
you would have thought the whole family mad.
Then followed a silence, and bewldered,
frightened pause
'Iibbie is missing! Don't tell your mother T.
was Mr. Holbrooks cry.
But there In the doorway wrapped in great
shawl an eager face looking out from an Unfolding
"nubia," the mother was already standing, count
ing her darlngs Fay was crying with the cold.
The others looked pnched and blue. Abe was
Juggling at Mattie's leggings and Becka with her
round Norwegian face redder than usual, was
Fastening to get the coffee made.
"Iibbie Libbie Where Is my little IibbieP'
called the mother, distractedly. Somebody must
find herl She will perish in this stormp'
"She may be with Maria Lucas" began Frank
hestatingly, but nobody took any notice of him.
II will find Libbe, Mrs. Holbrook." slid a quiet
voice, and Abe faced her with resolution in the
steady blue eyes. He was dressing as he spoke
putting his great rieze coat and the Arctic over
shoes, buttoning we'll up on the legs toward the
knee. How Mrs. Lucas had sneered at the pamper-
ing of an orphan when these shoes and that over
coat had first made their appearance.
II will go, too" said Mr. Holbrook, lighting
lantern and taking great coil of rope
81 wish could l wish L could" moaned the
mother, feeling bitterly that women could only stay
at home and pray at such crises these Oh, the
prayers which mothers send from full hearts when
their dear ones are in peril bringing angels to their
aid. Can we doubt 1t But as the song says:
The waiting time, my brothers,
Is the hardest time of all.
Hours passed. The neghborhood was In n ttI-
multi Over the hoarse voice of the storm came the
cries ofmen and women, the blowing of whistles
the confusion of the bells The church bells were
tolled, hour by hour. Now and then joyous shout
told that some one was brought home. The cold
grew more intense. There was no abatement of
the storm and snow
Finally Mr.. Holbrook came back alone and beaten
out.
~ lost Abe" he said, but I think the boy will
find Libbie. No, Becka, I'll take the brandy flask
with me. Ifthey're alive they'll need u stmulant
Have bed ready for them both, and warm
blankets"
He went away again. this time accompanied by a
score of his friends walking ten abreast with rope
held In every hand that the line might not DO
broken Back and forward, calling, searching
they fought with the wind, but daylight came, and
no Abe, no Libbe!
Mr.. Stone, who had reached shelter early and
shown no disposition to aid the rescuing parties de-
clared that he had dismissed the scholars in the
very beginning OF the snow and thought 1t strange
that any of them had failed to get home IN safety
For his part. he had had enough of Dakota and
should leave rs soon as the railroads were open.
In the early dawn, when the rescuefs were almost
ready to abandon the Search there was Joyful
cry, taken up and sent from house to house,
"FoUND FOUND ForNDp
The two children were huddled tof o her In the
lee of a great drift, the big freze coet wrapped
around them both. They were insensible but after
some hard slapping and rubbing and few drops of
brandy life returned, and they were taken home,
Abe badly frozen, but Libbie not much worse. She
told how he had caught her up when she was
whirling about In the wind like chip and made
her walk up and down, up and down. up and
down, for Abe said, mamma, If We went TO sleep
we'd die And were nearly dead when papa
and the men camel
The Holbrooks say that Abe should hereafter be
Abe Holbrook, and share their name with their
own boys and girls. He shall never have 10 look
for another home while they have roof over their
heads. MARGARET Il. SANGsTER.