The morning call., 1893-05-18
A MODERN SAINT.


tie village on the northern slopes of the
AdIrondacks. She had on a toboggan suit
OF white blank ket stuff, with a hood that
drew over her head. This costume and
her brisk, alert movements made her
seem as much part of the fresh, white
woods as enc Of the hares, which had
donned their winter suits also. and now
made quick. noiseless leaps over the snow
in front of her. There was plenty Of this
snow; in the woods it lay three feet deep
On the level.
Evidently Miss Barbara Murtree was an
exotic. Her elder sister, delicate girl,
had been sent by New York doctor to
spend two of the cold months in the ever
green forests of the Adirondacks. and Miss
Barbara, like a dutiful sister, had shared
her exile. They had avoided the sad at
mosphere of couSumptive resort, finding
quarters instead at little village that had
sprung up around some lumber mills
Here they devoted themselves to outdoor
exercise - skating ever lake and river,
Sleighing on the wood roads, snow shoelng
in the woods themselves.
Barbara had always been strong girl,
and she had never felt better than during
these weeks spent in the woods. Her
small, slender figure had grown rounder
in spite of almost cOnstanteXerciSe-Go
eyes, movement, all told of perfect health.
She seemed to have caught something of
the vigorous, if latent, vitality of the
wintry forest--ip summer the woods sug-
gest the matron. in winter all is virgi nal.
This afternoon, as she pushed further
into the woods. she drew in long breaths
of the pure air. and looked about her with
a pleasure IN the scene which never tired.
She saw the soft, undulatIng surface Of the
snow. marked here and there by dainty
tracks which told of night junketing by
hares and squirrels and wood mice; the
spreading evergreen boughs weighed down
with loads of snow and little clcles; the
glossy green needles OF the same evergreens
whice made so fresh and pleasant COLI
trast to the prevailing white.
While her eyes were wandering in this
way she grew careless of her steps. and so
il happened that one snOwShoe slipped
into a hole made by the caving ia of the
snow at the twisted, bnlging roots of ce-
dar. She pitched forward violently, the
shoe caught IN tie roots, and the slender
wooden frame snapped in two. u She man.
aged TO loose her foot from the broken shoe
ana struggled to her feet, standing waist
deep in the heavy moist snow. She was
unhurt by her fall. but the snowshoe was
very badly hurt-s0 much so as to be use
less. IL was IN vain that she tried to bind
one Of the pieces to her foot. AT length
she began TO realize how serious her situa-
a.
woods, there was no beaten path near her,
and three feel of soft snow lay on the
ground. She imagined herself showed in
and spending the night in the forest, finally
freezing TO death or being killed by wild
animals. She could not repress sob as
she stood there shivering. waist-deep in
the sluggish ocean of snow.
She aroused herself and tried TO walk
with the help of one snowshoe. At each
step her unsupported foot sank far down
into the sDow, and she had to give up
the attempt. Then she took off the snow
shoe and tried again now it was process
of laborious wading, but it seemed her
one hope, and she persevered, foundering
along.
1t was weary work. and finally her
strength gave out completely. She could
move no more, and now began to grow
very cold. a numbneSs crept over her,
which she did not have the power or wish
to resist.
She had lain for some time in a delight
full sleep, when she was dimly conscious
of being annoyed by person who was
speaking to her and lifting her from the
snow.
Take swallow of brandy" said the
voice; ''Ihen We'll have fire. You were
freezing"
1t was wonderful how quickly the brandy
brought back the color to Barbara's
cheeks, and the life to her numbed senses.
He carried her into the midst of little
evergreen thicket. W here the young spruce
and balsam trees kept off the wind, and it
seemed almost warm. Having brushed the
snow from the top Of great log, and so
made a place for her to sit down, he
FASTENED 10 build fire. She saw that he
was tall, gaunt young man, smooth-faced
and serious-looking. He was on snow
shoes, and was dressed in rough, heavy
clothes. like those usually worn by the
Canadians in winter.
He arranged a bed of large evergreen
b0ughs on the snow near her, and on this
bed he soon had hot fire burning. Bar
bara took off her leggiDgs, and he hung
them on branch close by the fire. She
put ont her feet, in their gayly beaded lit
tie moccasins, holding them up to the
flames.
She found out from the tall young man
(who had grown suddenly shy, now that
she had recovered) that ne was taking
short cut through the woods to a settle
ment up the river when lie had crossed
the track she made when wading in the
snow. Struck by its peculiar appearance,
he had followed it and found her. AS he
had started out Tor long tramp in the
cold he had provided himself with flask
of brandy, and so mad the means OF quickly
reviving her.
While lie told her this she was wonder
ing who he was. Evidently he was Cana
dian; but different both in speech and in
manners FROM the rough Canadian chop
pers and teamsters she had seen in the
village.
She made way for him on the log
sit down." she said. II shan't be
ready TO go for ten minutes; l am just
getting warm" Adding. as he obeyed and
sat down by her side, And then, it is so
very pleasant here"
The little evergreen thicket was a pleas
ant place. 1t seemed to be one of the inner
r.fft. arfn rNft tl.n fA- y H. 49,
wood nymphs danced in summer and in
winter might sleep, warm and undis-
turbed, beneath the thick. soft snow. No
harsh wind came here-each breath OF air
was softened and perfumed by the bal
sans before II was permitted to enter. To
the girl the air seemed warm and heavy,
like lncense--the whole place was filled
with hush such as she had once or twice
been conscious of while wandering under
the Ugh arches of an Old World cathedral.
The warmth OF the fire, together with
the brandy, was putting Barbara into de-
iIghtiul glow. She threw back the hood
of her toboggan suit and unbuttoned the
jacket. Her cheeks were flushed and her
eyes shone. AS she stretched out her
feet yet nearer the fra she lost her balance
on the log, and would have rolled into the
snow had she not fallen against the young
Canadian. Suddenly she was caught in his
arms and kissed again and again with
eager vehemenee.
Then, as suddenly as be had seized her.
before she conld cry out or resist in any
way. he let her go, and himself sprang
away. She looked at his breathess, too