Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-03-22

that's right! And you've brought the
sled. and we can have a fire"
Poor Miss Wilkes. shivering with
cold. and ready to drop with fatigue.
yet knowing that her only safety lay
in motion, succeeded finally in break
ing up the sled She had been burn
ing the straw, little at a time, and
at intervals. as a beacon-light for
Jack. while Dolly had been
taking turns with her in calling his
name. Happily the shanty opened to
leeward. so that there was the less
risk in making fire in front of the
doorway-door there was none. The
children still slept in the furthest
corner. thickly clad, and covered by
the soft wooden shawl. Jack scram-
bled to his feet while his teacher was
carefully laying the fire, and was soon
helping her put on the dryest of the
wood he had brought 1t was dis
| couraging work; the flames leaped up.
flickered, and died away again, but at
last a CHEEKY crackle rewarded their
efforts. and the owner of the burnin 6
Dart" witnessed its destruction with
| out a pang. Then Miss Wilkes told
Jack to go to the furthest limit of the
hut.
You must stay there and get the
heat gradually; it is most dangerous
| to do other WISE" she said as Jack s
| face warned the speaker that he was
about to rebel He remembered his
| resolution out there in the snow. and
| obediently crouched as far away from
| the flames as he could get.
Pm dead beat out" he told Dolly.
adding: isn't she brick?" as he
watched his teacher. who took one of
the children's dinner-pails. filled it
| with snow, and contrived support
| for it from the iron runners of the
sled. The snow was long time
melting, and the water a longer time
getting warm; but when Miss Wilkes
| brought him some of this rather
meager refreshment it seemed the
most reviving thing he had ever
tasted. The little ones were awake
now The fire diffused comforting
warmth. but needed constant atten-
ton. Its light, too, was most well
come, and the thought that there was
plenty of wood was comforting.
''If we only had something to eat
we'd be quite cozy," Dolly said.
Don't you think we might go to
sleep, thought"
Il do not dare to do so myself but
you might, now that the place is
warm. There's so little straw left
that we'll need it to coax the fire. so
you'll have to lie on the floor"
Dolly and the little ones were soon
huddled together in the warmest
corner. the gray shawl again cover
ing them. Jack refused to try to
sleep.
Il sha'n't let you sit up alone. We
can take turns tending the fire, and
you may need more wood. l want to
tell you, Miss Wilkes" he whispered
a few minutes later, I'm going to
behave in school now. No more OF
this" and he executed few motions
as in fiddling. then darted off to the
woodpile.
1t was a long night. Neither
dared give way to sleep. and the
wildly shrieking wind kept them in a
constant state of anxiety about the
fire. 1t was built so closely to the
doorway that the snow rarely
reached it; but sometimes it went
nearly out, and had to be ''doctored,'
as Jack said, with straw. and some
times cloud of smoke was
blown into the room, causing
the sleeping children to waken
and cry. Several times tongue of
flame darted toward the boards tina
framed the doorway. jack quick eye
saw it, and he dashed upon it the con.
tents of the little water-pail, KEPT
constantly filled.
How slowly the time went! Miss
Wilkes wondered if her hair was turn
ing white. Five, six, seven; it seemed
as if the intervals between were 81,
hundred instead of sixty minutes.
Daylight came again, but still the
snow fell and the wind blew.
Would help come? When? They
were all exhausted with hunger. Dolly
awoke and begged the others to take
| SOlue resi-. Miss w linus Ciep1 uhuOi
the shawl by the children. but could
not sleep. After an hours vain effort
she insisted on jack S taking her place
and then she and Dolly resumed the
watch by the fire.
DO you suppose they've sent ou
for us yetP' whispered Dolly. Ain
you awful tired?'
Yes. dear. 1 am. I don't know i
they are looking for us. but / think
they must be. pray that the Other
children reached home safely. l car
think of little else. for I'm afraid al
have not been so fortunate as we"
do you think" Dolly's voice was
full of awe, ..that some are-lost?''
I'VE can not tell. We can only
pray for them, dear. Awake again 81
soon, Jack?"
"Yes'm m. I'm rested some. Hullo,
young one!"
This remark, addressed to little
Johnny Grey. produced an effect no
intended by the speaker, for the
hungry child began to cry vigorously,
aided by his smaller sister. Fairy tales
proved soothing for awhile. but soof
these lost their charms. Then they al
ate a little snow and had drink of ho
water, but such fare was far from
satisfactory to the children, though
Jack found his spirits suffi cientl.
raised to enable him to take walk oil
his hands, twist ting his mobile fac