The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-01-21

| der hill with the sheep ahead of her,
and old Shop jumping ut her sido just
as happy as he could be.
~ went on to town and put up ut old
Sol Days hotel, and was starting to
look about for Il hcrtcr, when up comes
Roberts, the constable, and summoned
me for Il juryman for trial to take
place at two o'clock i'll the afternoon.
II tried to explain TO him what Il fix
l was in, and that l had to DC back
that afternoon, but he would not lis
ten to me. went then to sec the jus
tice, but he would not let me OFF. lie
said all the people in the village knew
what the trial was about and he had to
get outsiders who didn't know, and he
thought it lucky to catch me in town
| was just the kind of n juryman he
wanted. He looked upon 1T us Il joke
and kept laughing ut me; but didn't
think it was SO funny, particularly
when went out again and found that
snow clouds were gathering in the
sky and it was beginning to blow.
81 went back again and told him n
storm was coming up and how l had
left things Mt the ranch but he was
one of those smartics who knew it all,
and he stuck to it that the weather
was all right and thought that
was trying to fool him to get Off
the jury. l saw it was no use talking.
SO l went to dinner.
when came out again | could see
that regular old blizzard was coming
up, and | was getting scared when
thought of Nellie out with the sheep.
II went for the Justice again, but lie
only pooh-poohcd and would not listen
to me. got raging mad ut the man
and told him would go anyway He
said:
If you try to will have the con-
stable arrest you and make you serve
and fine you in the bargain
"But l did not care for his fine
when my little daughters life and all
my property might be at stake, and
went over to the stable and got my
pony.
II was just mounting him when the
constable came up and grabbed hold of
the bride and stopped me from riding
off.
II argued with him and implored
him to let INC 60 and finally got angry
and was using some pretty strong
words when all the rest Of tie men
who were to go on the jury began
gathering around, attracted by the fuss
~ was blind with fury and hit
the fellow over the head with the whip.
and then he called on the men about
him to help arrest me in the name of
the law.
"They we're mostly neighbors and
friends of mine, but they were ccm-
PEELED to obey, for it is the law, and
were coming for me when l yelled out
"'Mcn, you all know my little girl
Nellie. She is out with my sheep to-
day on the prairie. Look at the biz
zard that is coming. viii you hold me
from going to her.?
They all looked at the northern Sky,
and saw Il scared look on their faces
They caught hold of the constable and
held him, and called to me:
Ride, Jocl-rdc for your life!
Heaven help you, old man"
81 struck out with all speed to make
that twenty miles before the night
would come, but before l had gone
onc-quGrtcr of the distance the biz
card vas at its height and could not
see foot ahead of inc. | had to cover
my face from the slcct and snow,
blowing with terrific force, and at the
same time tried to guide the pony.
Suddenly the animal stopped, and
looking out l saw that had turned
completely around and was on the path
l had just passed over.
II turned his head homcward again
and gave him the rcins. knowing he
to the ranch.
were for me, as we struggled on in
that binding storm.
might came on. and did not know
whether we were nearer or further
from the ranch, us the now faded
pony staggered along in the darkness
hour after hour
Suddenly / heard horse neigh,
and my pony stopped stil and did the
same. The moment he was answered.
he started forward with new life. and
brought me up against my log stable
in which his mate was tied
Il rushed to the house and found nv
wife nearly crazy with anxiety Sick
as she was, she WAS trying to dress
herself to go out to look for our little
girl. She told nc that Shop had come
home at darl: and was whining. and
seemed to be looking for me; not find
ing me, he had gone off again.
IL feared the worst had happened.
It was not one chance in !. hundred
that the child had not persisted before
this or th"t the sheep were not scat
tered in all directions.
The storm had now abatcd some
what. took IL shovel of Goals from
the stove and went out to the great
pile of logs ] had ready chopped to
build new house the next spring
Lnn