The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-02-24

looking mp saw big, bearded face
bending over me. The man had a dog
with him and gun. couldn't speak
Another great crack of thunder came
I could only cling to him and cry.
"Lost, I s'pose?' he asked, taking me
up in his strong arms.
''Y-es, yes. sirl" finally stammered.
"Umphr' exclaimed my deliverer
wall, I reckon I'd better take ye to the
cabin and dry ye off, and then wen see
where ye belong"
The dog bounded ahead, and the big,
kind faced man carried me easily on one
arm, and, shouldering his gun, made
great, bold strides through the woods
He must have known them well, for a
black night was coming on and the rain
was binding. We had gone only lit
tie way when a bright and ruddy light
appeared. Here we were at the ''cabin. {"
The door opened into cheerful
kitchen, and at the threshold stood a
young girl holding a lantern.
Here ye are, popw she cried in well
come. Look out, Jacki' to the dog,
who, covered with mud, made a leap at
her.
"Why, pop! what on earth have you
got there?'
Gal" was the only reply of the big
man.
"Gali Lost? Oh, the poor little thing!"
cried the girl, and then was put in a
chair by the kitchen fire, and my wet
shoes and stockings were pulled off and
30 was my dripping gown, and was
wrapped in a big. warm shawl and
given a cup of hot milk to drink.
They were very kind and gentle to me,
rough people though they were, and
neither papa nor ever forgot their good
ness to poor little stranger.
When could speak without shivering
told them my name and where lived.
81 shouldn't have come into the
woods" ended. 'tTve been told not to,
but I was running after the rabbit to see
where he lived, and ] ran on and on and
forgot"
''Why, pop" exclaimed the girl, "it's
Mr.. Harvey's little girl"
'Oh, yes," said the man, s'I know
squire Harvey"
please, SIR asked, "are you the
hunterY'
AYE, s'pose so," answered the man,
''Then," said, beginning to cry again
''then I'm far from home, way at the
other side of the woods" I had heard
of the hunters cabin. ''Oh," went on.
''what will they say athome? They will
be SO frightened What shall dor"
The man went to the window and
looked out.
''The storm is ragin'," he said, and in
deed we could hear it.
Il tell ye, little gal, you'll have to
wait till mornin'. No one could ever git
through them woods tonight"
felt dreadfully, careless as was. l
knew how they would suffer at home,
and yet there was no help for it.
/ cried and sobbed, and after a while
the girl carried me up the little rickety
pair of stairs to her own tiny room.
There were only two rooms up stairs
the girls where I was taken, and her
fathok's. 1t was a poor little room. but
quite clean, and the bed was very, very
narrow. ~
There" said the kind hearted girl,
tucking up my little body under the
warm quilt. Il reckon I'll have to sleep
on the floor; I've got some bedclothes
down stairs put away, so I'll git 'em
out. Now. I'll just leave you the candle.
and I'll be up in an hour or two"
Then she went away, and leftme alone
in the strange little room. looked
about me as lay. It all seemed 30 odd
and my head felt SO queer, and now and
then a cold shiver would run up and
down my boGy.
] couldn't sleep; my eyes were wide
open.
There was an old rag carpet on the
floor, and over in the corner a funny old
fashioned chest of drawers and q poor
little table on which the candle stood,
and one worn out chair.
Bang! bang! went the shuttersl Oh.
how the wind howled, and then would
come the sudden, fearful crashes of
thunder that seemed directly above my
bed!
I trembled SO that my teeth chartered.
1 should have been very warm, for the
coverings on the bed were thick and
plenty, but still felt very, very cold
and shivered dreadfully. It was silent
except for the noise OF the raging storm
without. 80
Twas frightened up there, all alone, in
that strange place.
The candle hickered and made ugly
shadows on the wall, and, oh! wished
that the girl would come up stairs. l
thought of papa and Maria, and longed
for the day to come that they might
know I was safe and sound.
And presently knew nothing, for a
few moments, it seemed to me.
Bangl bang! went the shutters again.
sat up, wide awake, with a dreadful
terror in my heart.
In the moment that I had slept had
dreamed of the old woman in the blanket
was not cold now;I seemed to be