The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-04-30

Degun Wnlle sne SlepJf one ruSneu 10
the easement, looked out-rather, she
strove to look out. Ten feet beyond the
pane she could see absolutely nothing.
The whole world was white, wild, whirl-
ing.
"a snow-storml' gasped Bessie.
But it was no ordinary snow-storfn that
had blown up. 1t was the terrific, the
memorable blizzard of March IL, 1888.
Suddenly she cried out, such fright
ered, quivering cry:
"Williel Baby Wilhew
Quick as a flash she flung a heavy old
shawl of her mothers over her head, and
unlatched the kitchen door The furious
wind tore it from her hold, and dashed
it fiercely back against the wall. Vainly
she strove to close it behind her. The
snow was driving in, swirling over the
floor. She loosened the storm-door
That, the wind dashed into place Just
after she had made frantic plunge into
the storm. Oh, such storm Bessie
had lived on the prairie since she was
a baby, and had seen the elements in
their many moods and caprices. But she
had never seen or imagined anything
like this. From the four quarters of the
earth the wind seemed blowing. The
snow had not the softness one associates
with snow, 1t was a dense, enveloping,
impenetrable cloud, filed with particles,
| icy, singing, sharp as needle points.
The cold was intense. Objects ten feet
away were absolutely indistinguisable.
Ten? Nay, they were mere shapes at
fve-at three.
From the rear Of the house a narrow
wooden sidewalk ran down, past the
barn, past the paddock, toward the
''draw."
In that direction fled Bessie. The
shawl was torn from her head. She
held it in her fingers as she ran. She
would need it when she found Willie.
But soon she was off the walk and
floundering along through riffs and drifts
of binding snow.
Where was the barn2 She strained
her eyes to make out the familiar struc-
| ture. 1t was blotted out. All the
world was blotted out. She could feel
nothing. see nothing but snow-nothing.
Where was the paddockl She was an
swered by running INTO barrier. She
flung out her hands as the shock sent her
reeling. Her palms were cruelty la
cerated by contact with the barbwire
which formed the pasture fence. She
knew now where she stood. About two
yards to the left began the descent to
the bluff, in the ravine of which she had
last seen the child she sought. Her shawl
wound itself around her body IN man
ner which impeded her progress as she
stumbled on. She could feel sec was
going down the draw" feel, for sight
was useless in such a storm.
The dear little lad if she could only
find him She imagined him crouching
down, trembling, sobbing, frightened
and growing stark and helpless with
cold.
She tried to accelerate her speed-to
rush down the incline. She tripped,
fell; but she was up again in a second
and battling on.
Down at last. Here, in the hollow
between the prairie slopes, the blizzard
ragged less fiercely than above.
'Willie!" she called.
She could hardly hear her own voice.
"Willie!" she shrieked.
But the wind swept the word from
her lips, and its sound was soft as {
sigh.
If she could only seel She put up her
hand and rubbed her eyes. The lashe;
were wet with freezing sleet. Her haiI
was one stiff, matted mass. Her feet
ached with the sharp, biting cold. Sh,
tried to pray. Dear God, Baby Willie
Oh, dear God, Baby WillieW That wa
all she uttered.
All at once she stumbled over some
thing-something scarlet in the snow
Eagerly she grasped it. She dragged i
up to her breast. She wrapped, as bes
her cold hands could, the shawl arounC
it. Dead? Oh, no, no! She could fee
the shivering pressure of the little limb
as she cuddled them to her.
Oh, for strength to reach homel O
would they both freeze, and die dowi
here. and be buried in the snow?
A heavy burden for her slight arms
for her freezing hands, the sturdy bab,
she carried; burden made still heavier
by his present semi-stupor. She grippeC
her numb fingers around him. She ben
her head. Beaten, swayed, buffeted, sh
made her way up the hill. She reache,
the level. She could not go much farther
Her hold of Willie was relaxing. He wa
slipping from her, or so she fancied. Tn
bitter, bitter cold her very heart wa
paining with it. Her whole slender, un
protected body was racked with it
agony.
Was that the house3 Directly befor
her something dark had loomed mp. Sh
tottered against it. A haystack. AT it
base she sank exhausted. One step farthe
would be simply physical impossibility
Tighter she wrapped Willie in the shawl
and held him TO her. Then, with he
back against the haystack, her hea,
bowed forward her face hidden, sh
crouched there in torture, which drifte,
into Observation-Disclosures that wa
deadly as delicious!
flNNr.1rs-f3