St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-09-01

Morning dawned, clear, bright and
mocking, as if such things as storms
were unknown, and with the first break
of day the anxious watchers looked out
upon the glittering landscape from the
open door.
"Oh, Dolly, Dolly!'' cried Arthur,
with an awful fear in his heart, ''what
is that leaning against the fence by the
barn9n
1t was a motionless figure, crusted
with snow and sleet until it had almost
lost the form of a man.
What if it's father moaned Dolly,
faint with the nameless horror which
had seized her heart, while Arthur
bounding through the drifts, ploughed
his way to the awful figure.
He brushed the snow from the face
with hurried tenderness, and then
screamed back in horror: "Oh, Dolly,
it is father. What shall we do?'
The girl was at his side as quickly as
her almost sinking limbs would carry
her, and they tried to move the statue
like form to the house, but all in
vain.
There was a neighbours house just
visible over a knoll in the road beyond.
Run, Arthur" she gasped, ''to Mr..
Willoughby's for help. Oh God, if this
| is father, where can mother and the
! children be?' and her tottering limbs
| could hardly support her back to the
house.
The time which elapsed before Mr..
Willoughby, his wife, son and hired
man arrived, with the necessary appli-
ances for getting through the drifts,
seemed like days Of torture to the
lonely girl in her grief and anxiety.
It was well that Mrs. Willoughby had
come, to bear her company in the fol-
lowing hours of awful dread, for as Mr..
Graham was past all help, they pushed
on at once, hoping to find the mother
and children still alive.
The horses had found their way home,
and were standing chilled and SILVER
| ing and much exhausted. in the shed,
revealing at once that an accident had
occurred, and the kind-hearted woman
made fires, warmed blankets and water,
while she tried to reassure Dolly
heart with hopeful words, though in
her own secret heart, hope died at the
first glimpse of that awful statue Of
death by the fence.
The snow had drifted over the sleigh
box, making an ominous mound, wher
the searching party found it, and they
worked with hushed voices until the
box could be turned back.
1t was a pitiful sight, the mother
with her little ones gathered about her
marble group of death. The baby
drew one faint breath when they tool
him from his mothers arms, but tina
was all the life remaining, and the res
cuing party went back to the farm
house with the terrible load, with ach
ing hearts for the orphans there, await
ing their desolation
Poor Dolly tainted away when thu
terrible news was broken to her, ant
Mrs. Willougbby had her carried to- al
upper room, where she was spared tn
) sight of the dreadful details.
Aunt Katy and her husband came a
soon as messenger could be dispatched
for them, and the first tears poor
stricken Dolly shed was when the daint,
hood, the evidence of her mothers Low
ing thought for her, was brought to he
bedside.
Youth is elastic, and in time, doubt
less, the orphans will outlive this ter
rible grief in the sunny atmosphere o
Aunt Katy's home; but in the mean
time, may the God of the fatherles
comfort and sustain their hearts.
Mrs. F. M. HOWARD.