The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-13

know the signs Don't stop to hear an
other lesson, but bundle the children uE
and start EN- off homo right away. My
horses are harnessed up, and I'll be
round with my big bob-sled in five min
utes TO take them home that live fur.
thest away. The Dwight, Barnes,
Greenwood and Long children. bundle
up quick as you can
Miss Dodge went running toward her
stable, while Miss Percy at once dis.
missed school and began helping the
little ones into their cloaks and hoods.
In q very few moments Miss Dodge
came driving mp with a pair of bob -sleds,
on which her wagon-hed was placed.
The wagon-bed was full of clean
straw. and Miss Dodge see med to have
put into it every shawl and quilt and
blanket and other bed-covering in her
house, besides two big buffalo-robes and
a bear-Skin.
The children living near the school
house were already running across the
prairies toward home. 1t was growing
darker and colder every moment, and
Miss Dodge said:
Jump ln-nO time to lose! Snurgle
down in the straw and cover up best you
can. Set close together, and you'll
keep warmer. Here we go! G'lang,
JiHnY-gjt up, Charley"
And as she spoke. away we flew over
the plain, with the wind whistling
around our ears and the sharp, lev
| snow-flalles flying into our faces.
There were in the sled Ned and
Bessie Dwight, Tom Greenwood and his
little brother, three girls named
Barnes. Wilfred Long and his sister
| and my brother James andI.
Wilfred Long, the boy who had given
Miss Dodge so much trouble, was older
than any OF US, and he was. as | have
said, but fourteen years old He was
very quiet and thoughtful as we rode
along.
MISS Rebecca sat upon the high seat,
lines in hand, her scanty skirts blowing
out behind her and her gray head bowed
to the wind.
She had on an old overcoat of her
brothers and d shawl wound around he,
head, while her hands were encased in
huge pair of bearskin mittens she b,.,
herself made
You warm?' she asked. once or twice.
looking back over her shoulders.
YES, ma am" some of us would reply.
respectfully enough now.
1t was surprising how fast it grew
| dark and how rapidly the temperature
| lowered. Struggled up as we were in
the straw and covered with robes and
blankets, We soon began to grow chilled.
The barnes farmhouse was a mile
and quarter from the school house.
while the homes of the rest of us were
farther away. my brother James and I
| coming from distance of nearly two
miles.
The wind steadily increased in fury,
and the snow fell faster Miss DOLCE
Urged her horses on. but one of them
vas lame and imped painfully.
we finally lay down fat in the starw.
| ana covered up in the blankets and he
gan pinching and teasing each other
not realizing that our situation was ar
an dangerous, and not approaching all
Miss Dodge was doing for us.
W oii gave d Suflck as we
went sprawling out in the snow. or on to
the frozen ground in places where the
WIND mad blown the snow away.
The good landi" heard Miss Dodoa
say desp$iringly. Tho tongue of the
sled is broke! This is pretty kittle of
fish,
10 our surprise, it was now so dark
we could hardly see each other. The
wind had risen to perfect gale and was
roaring around onr ears while the snow
swept into our faces. Some of us chung
to the sled to keep from being blown
away.
In turning corner little too alb
rnptiy, the sled had tilted TO one side
and the wind bad helped to tip it over.
1t now lay bottom-side up in little
rayine by the roadside. One side OF the
wagon-bed rested on a rock and was
raised eight or ten inches from the
ground.
Suddenly Miss Dodge called out
sharply and authoritatively, her voice
rising shrill and distinct above the roar