The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-02-09

ADOut all HOuI dlb6kW dIUo uc piuuEOu lAGO
his neighbours yard, calling aloud, Howe.
get out your team: and bring all hands to
break the road to Bennington. Harry and
Mary started home at five o'clock and must
be in the drifts somewhere"
Mrs. Howe heard this and almost fell to the
floor. Mr.. Howe sprang for his greatcoat
and called to his hired men, while Mr.. Will
cox hurried to his own house. AS he rode
into the yard Mrs. Wilcox came to the door
with light, and saw on his face that the
children had started for homel
david" shouted Mr.. Wilcox to his man.
yoke the old oxen to the SLED. Don't stop
to take Patchen's saddle off Hurry Wife,
where is Hero? call him give me some bot
ties Of hot water and flask of brandy. be
quick"
In few moments his wife had these ready,
ana when he got into the yard, David Riley.
MS man, had the oxen there, and Hero, the
st. Bernard dog.
Mr.; Howe has gone by with two yoke of
tell YOU"
Mr.. Wilcox laid the whip over his oxen's
backs and pushed on after MIR. Howe, Soon
both teams got where the drifts were too
deep for them, but the two fathers and their
men worked like tigers with their shoyels,
opening path for the oxen.
Mr.. Wilcox kept sending Hero forward,
hoping he would find the sleigh with Harry
and Mary in 1t, saying, Hero. go find Harry,
go find Harry !" pointing to the road. Hero
fifteen minutes, and then come back silent.
The men all worked with desperation. 1t
| took them more than an hour to go miles
At nine O'Clock they had not got half way to
Bennington. At ten the storm ceased and
soon the moon shone brightly. They were
nearly at the top of the hill which Harry was
| going up when Duncan's strength gave out.
| At the top Mr.. Wilcox looked down the road
ahead. He could see nothing but the white
lane of snow leading away toward Bennlng-
| ton.
snow, Hero" he cried, good boy-on.
Hero, find Harry, find Harry" Hero leaped
| forward again. The men and the oxen
| labored on.
A few minutes afterwards Dayld Riley
| spoke. Il heard Hero bark, Mr.. Wilcox!
NO." said Mr.. Wilcox, Il did not hear 1t.
yes, there 1t is" said David, and in mo
ment all hands heard it.
WIFE HE has found something" cried Mr.
On pushed the men and the oxen, but very
slowly. The sound of the dogs voice came
nearer, and shortly Aero appeared. barking
and wagglng his tail. AS soon as he had
seen Mr.. Wilcox and knew he was coming,
he bounded forward again and was soon out
of sight. w
When near the foot of the hill, the party
looking ahead could see Hero in the snow Oh
| one side of the road He was barking loud
| ly. On they pressed, and soon came up with
Mr.. Wilcox sprang to HERDS side, and
there in front OF him was mound Of snow
which might contain the sleigh and the chill
| dren.
oh. my Godl'' said he, ."my child, my
| child!' He stepped forward with his shovel
and began gently to push the snow from the
top of the mound In a little while he saw
movement in the snow and then heard a
whnny from the pony, who was alive, but
had been buried SO deep that he had not
| heard the dog Hero was almost wild when
he heard the pony's whinny, for Duncan
| and he were great friends.
Mr.. Wilcox and MIR. Howe threw down
their shovels, and began to dig down to the
| sleigh with their hands. They trembled,
| fearing TO come upon the frozen bodies of
| their children.
Shortly the black bear-skin robe began to
| show itself and seemed to lie fiat, as though
the sleigh contained no occupant. They
tried to go to the next house, and are prob
ably lost" Mr.. Howe worked on, and seiz'
| ing the bearrobe turned 1t over, when an
other robe laid tat. came in sight. This he
| pulled off also, and there, with their faces
turned up in the full light Of the moon, lay
Harry and Mary, asleep. They might be
dead-they laylsO still, but David Riley, who
had pushed his face down near to them
called out, They're asleep" aud 50 loudly
thai Harry stirred and opened his eyes,
Mr.. Wilcox, strong man that he was. cried
like baby, and l think there was hardly
dry eye in the party
snow. men," said Mr.. Howe, "get the
teams turned round for homer
When this had been done the sleigh aud
the pony were both lifted on to the big OK
sled.
Harry and Mary were seated again in the
sleigh, with bottles of hot water at their
feet, and the happy party set out for White
Creek, Hero barking and leading the way.
When they drew near to Mr.. Wilcox's house
David Riley said, "Pll go ahead with Hero
and tell Mrs. Wilcox" but he was SO ex-
hausted with the shovelling he had done
that he could hardly go faster than the oxen.
As he came into the yard the two mothers
heard Hero bark, and came anxiously to the
door.
David staggered toward them and gasped,
"They are safe, Mrs. Wilcox" Il
II thank my Heavenly Father" she cried,
and sw0oned to the floor. nn SID
Mrs. Howe, who was herself crying for
joy, with David's ready help, carried her iu-
to the sitting-room and laid her on the sofa
and in minute Harry was at his mothers
side. 1t was not long before she revived and
clasped her boy in her arms.
IF hadn't read Lieut.. Greely's book
mother, shouldn't have known what to do"
said he.
Mrs. Howe and Mary stayed all night, and
Mary helped Harry feed Duncan in the morn
ing. Hero lay in Duncan's stall with one eye
open, and he and Duncan became greater
friends than ever.