New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-17
a. 30 degrees below zero and then how was she I'd
stand nm i'm a storm such as this?

ID
:" It's cot 70 he done said Dove. grimly. dare
say it is not half so bad as IT looks.
She pulled the fur cap close over her ca.a, Yea
wOollcn cloud over her face to protect eyes and
nose and pulled the heavy arctlcs over her boots.
There was no further excuse for moments pause.
so she grasped the bolt OF the door and sd 1t back
The wind tore the door SO furIously from her
hand that poor Dove, after an EFFORT at balance,
found herself, bucket spade and all, in drift be-
side the threshold. Now i is very easy matter
to fall into drift, but IL requires Judgment 70
assist one TO get out of it, as struggling to rise
merely sends one deeper into the snow bank. But
mere the bucket stood friend in need; Dove rose
on its firm basis and took step EDWARDS. FOrtu-
nately the snow was wind-driven towards the fence
and therefore not more than two feet deep on the
path between the kitchen and the shed.
Just nv luck" said Dove, apt to consider her
self fortunate in small things; she struggled val
liantly along with the iron space for stan and
the bucket for balance. The situation TO any hub
the robust was one of danger-foi the blast of the
blizzard is deadly in lis icy penetration the snow.
swept EDWARDS by it's wide.spreafng wings, cuts
like q knife; and in turning her back on 1t in
order to take breath, Dove ionnd her garments
extempOrized into sails, which drove her towards
the snow-b bank by the fence, where she must have
persisted Well, 10 is hardly romantic TO owe ones
life to a bucket and heavy iron SPADE, Dut Dove
knows well how much was due to these humble
friends during that struggle for existence between
the kitchen and the shed-door .
This door, somewhat sunllen. was Choked with
fine snow, and frozen so that 1t w3uli not give
space to a nudge to enter. Dove breathess but
valiant, set the bucket down, and taxing me spade
as battering-ram, plunged against the rlckety
door. 1t gave way at the hinges and eaue down
with a clatter Meantime the bucket mad settled
into the snow and was frozen there when IL was
al length dug out the bottom was SO humW with
Jumps of ice that it could not be indueed 70 stand,
and the coal that Dove laboriousiy shovelledh tum
bled out in a manner that would have eNaslerated
a saint BY this time another calamity Threatened
her-fcct and hands were numbed, and unless she
could speedily get up the circulation, would un-
doubtedly freeze.
What happened in the next few minutes remains
ever kind Of nightmare. OF working against i'm
possibilities but the next thing she distinctly re-
members was the weight Of the bucket, which she
Lad to carry with beth hsnls ana set down at every
step. The minutes seemed hours, ana when the
outer kitchen was reached at last, Dove was gaspng
for breath as one half-drowned. Her hair was
blown down and twisted into the cloud, IS though
mischievOus band had tied 1t perverely into
snars. Her eyeds were frozen, so that Sic had 10
wait until the water thawcd and rolled away like
a tear before she c0ald bit the door agln, and
lid herself of the heavy arctics.
After this came another season OF struggle be-
tween three flights Of STAIRS aid the weight OF the
bucket in unaccustOmed arms.
I've done it," at last said Dove to herSlf, as
she sat on the top stair, looking lovingly a the
well -flled box beside uer. Then she went back
1t was an awful night; the blizzard increasel in
fury, and by seven o'clock IL the morning the
bucket was again empty Exhausted by he
nights watching, Dove contemplated another ysit
20 the she'd with horror: she feared that SHE could
never get through the twelve hours accumulatl4
Of snow. What was to I've done Again Sic
opened the pane and looked into the street. (
| only the milkman would APPEAR! he was one &
the kindest men in the world, and would Il,
| anything to serve her But it would be houH
before the milllman could break the track AMI
come in over the country roads. Nor could Dove
go into the street. the snow had driited han
way up the house door. IL was "a regular block.
adp. May God give me strength" prayed Dove
ferventy, as she took the bucket in ner hand and
began to roll herself up in furs and wraps.
At that very moment came sound OF stampin2
| outside Then kind of earthquake shook the
house this was caused by the wrenchMg open
of the outside door. frozen IN the intense cold.
Then the door bell rang. =.
Dove had flown downstairs at the first sound
and now precpitated herself into the arms OF the
rosy fur-clOthed monster who stood shaking tho
dry snow pellets from his clothes.
Jack, oh, jack whatever made you come
"Oh, I've been all night in the train: it's
hungry that we ate up everything
I" But how did YOU get here ~
II chartered an old habitant To bring ne
haven't been home yet I've been bothered al!
nigh, thinking perhaps Madame and Martha would
get the grippe. and YOU might he left without
coal I'm this blizzard"
This was the second time that Dove had nm
consciously brought this brother 10 her aid at a
crisis. The first time he broke his journey and
travelled n hundred miles because he was
awakened during the night by her voice calling
him, his arrival home being as oppOrtune AS on
This second occasion But psychology. apart. now
see the cheer this rosy-cheekcd healthy Hercules
has brought to thr fiat What n rafting and
banging Of stoves. How he sends the ashes flying
all over the dainty rooms in his zeal How he car.
rcs coal too. until he's black as a coalheaver and
has TO perform elaborate toilet before he is
presentable again
.! say. Dove. that box is 200 heavy to carry
up three flights when il is full" he remarked az
he lifted ii into place ny the stove.
know" said Dove meekly. 1 did IL yes.
terCay."
You did How ever did you get to the shed in
| the blizzard"
Inp't xpoy. Iorril nd 7 fro,a
my toes again"
"IIorrid. wonder YOU are alive 10 tell tha
story. That comes Of living in an old-fashoned
house. with no man 10 look after things.
| told
| But he never finished Lis sentence, for Dove
made sudden friendly assault upon him. undei
! which. man-like. he went down.-tThc Argosy