Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-07-24

i ily smoking, her plaintiye little yoic'
suddenly reused him:
ssPapa. I'm so tied. Wouldn't you
les hoP me a little whi-ull'
Then he took the baby girl from hei
bed. and never will keener anguish cut
his heart than when he felt how thin the
tiny form had grown, how pale and
pinched the once rosy face.
One day, after fiercer toll than he could
remember ever having done in his life, he
found the result which he had been
dreading for days: the Bessie" vein
.spinched out''-was suddenly lost No
more mineral was in sight, nor could ne
conceive the slightest idea by any min
eral indications, where to set his drill
once more to find it again. The fiercest
toll failed to uncover anything IN the
least degree resembling the old vein.
The walls were uninterrupted cold, gray
ish-white stone wherever his eyes could
see.
Despair came with a dull heavincss
upon him. His body seemed suddenly
TO have been killed and only his brain
left active to endure the wretchedness of
the worlds losses. He was never after
ward able intelligibly 10 describe the ex-
perience or what he did. He only knew
that he piled his tools together outside
the tunnel entrance and started down the
mountain side, stumbling about among
the rocks and powders, dreading to go
home, and vet with the cabin and its
helpless inmates continually uppermost
in his mind While yet long way of,
he heard his wife's voice calling him.
Frank Frank o, Frankw she
screamed, in tones of so much agony
that, instead Of quickening his steps,
seemed almost to p1ralyze his feet.
Frank" she cried again, ''Come quick!
Bessie-Bessie is dying Quickp'
She fell on her knees and threw up her
hands to the skies. with a cry that must
have pierced its way 10 the mercy seat.
All the words she could speak were
simply;
God have pity!n Then, up again, she
ran as fast as possible back to the cabin,
leaving her husband to follow as well as
be could
The terrible collapse, which sometimes
'ets in after fever, had come to baby
Bess, and in a moment, when even the
lnxious mother least expected the APP
Droach Of death, the little one suddenly
ank into Inconsistencies.
1t was no time then for Mr.. Hale TO go
en miles away for physician. Bessie's
eet were cold and the awful chill was
asst creeping upward over the precious
BODY. All the night long they worked
or her life, rubbing her. applying every
in their power running back
md forth from the fire with warm fan
Iels, never speaking, but striving with |
n intensity which wastes the valuable |
life tissues like the fretting away Of |
ears.
They could not hope. and yet they |
lung to that cold form, that tiny, punched I
ace, as if it had been all Of earth or
eaven to them. Toward morning, the
title one stirred on her couch, and when
he opened her blue eyes and said sweet
=:
'sDess you'd better tome to bed,
the father fell on the ground
eside the little bed, in the very dust of
enitence. But his thankful heart could
My send up the one petition;
God be merciful to me, sinnerip
1t was decided between the parents, as
ley watched the breath return naturally
} the ehild's lungs, the color come back
, the blanched lips, that TO remain with
ne little one at that altitude one more
light would simply be to watch the death
ngel steal her from them.
II can carry her in my arms two
lousand feet below here, to-day Frank
Iale said, forgetting all the past-every-
ling but the necessity in hand. ''We
all take her to the ranch five miles
Glow us.
And he did it.
As soon as the sun came out warm, as
can shine in Colorado, Agnes gathered
,gether few necessaries, and the hus-
and lifted up his tender burden-pro-
eted by an abundance of blankets-and
lie two started down through the wild,
ugh canyon As they descended,
aching green leaves and birds and
savier air, baby Bess breathed more
silly, and gently slept in her fathers
ms.
BY night they had secured the shelter
hospitable ranch house, physician,
id more experienced nursing, so that in
degree the burden of anxiety was lifted
ON the parents hearts.
Neither Agnes nor Frank Hale was
lie to speak when the doctor said cheer
lily:
1--WE will pull her through, now, never
mr." s
A long time afterward, as the two
ltched the little one at play again {
'wn in camp, and the father hammered 5
fay on a convenient anvil as indus I
ously as he had ever done on the walls '
the Bessie Mine,n he said, with !
culiar smile lighting up his handsome .
ce:
Looks like The Bessie would pan l
t, after all, Agnes. always said she c
)uld.n s
"And oh, how rich we arein the wife s
Dlied, in tender voice, eloquent with a
r hearts thanksgiving. II The Ledger. a
d.