The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-22

Alo
How different things might have
looked he thought, had he not gone to
the had years beforel Ho had once been
The prosperous owner OF fine, big farm
himself, for tho Daglishes mad been yeo-
men and owners OF thcir own land FOR
generations back, out it had oil goilo,
had all melted away TO satisfy that un-
natural thirst which had taken posses
sion of the last OF the family.
Martins reflections. as the drink died
out of him, were of very sad end de-
pressing character. He leaned his head
on his hand and kept watching Nelly ell
the while. Ii was the only good and
beautiful trait left in him now, that nc
loved this girl passionately and to some
extent unseliishly.
For her sake he had made several at
tempts to break the chain that bound
him, but the fascination was too power
full to be resisted. His blood was by this
time little elne than alcohol, and within
! his veins like cried out TO like. Never
theless a rush of tenderness still came
over his soddened senses whenever she
! gave him kind word or glance.
"Ye're not well, daddy" she said now
| in a gentle voice as she noticed that he
ate no supper and looked sick and sorry.
"Does your head ache very bad"
Martin put up his trembling hand as
though to stop her.
"Dinna speak like that, Nelly, ma
BARN. Tell me that Aw'm a shame and
disgrace to we, and that the sooner Aw'm
! out o. the word the better for every one,
but dinna pity me. Aw Gamma bide it,"
"Aw'll say nothing of the kind, retort-
ed Nelly Indignantly. Il would like
well to see you get the better of drink
for your own sake as well as mine, but
Aw'll never wish you owt but good, never!
Ye've been kind feyther to me- any
ways"
IA kind feytherp groaned the old
shepherd. "Oh! Nelly, Nelly, ye break
ma hairt Wi yer tenderness. Do ye not
wish me deid, thenY
For answer Nelly came across to
where he sat, put her soft, loving arms
around his neck and kissed the poor,
bleared, drink sodden face over and over
again.
Many time afterward did the men,
ory of those kisses rise TO the girls mind
and comfort her inexpressibly.
Before daybrealS the clouds had re-
solved themselves into storm of snow,
the most penetrating and persistent that
had been known, even in that bleak dis
trict, for many years.
Long ere dawn Martin Daglish was up
and away over the fells to look after the
outlying flocks in his charge.
On these extensive border farms, whore
the grazing land is composed both of
valley and fell, and where tho sheep
travel miles away from any place OF safe
shelter and refuge, tho utmost precau-
tions are necessary in rough seasons to
prevent the tiocks from perishing from
cold or being engulfed in living grave
of snowdrifts.
In the hollows these Same drifts form
to an alarming depth, and many fleecy
clad carcass lies buried beneath every
considerable fall of snow, unless the
greatest care is taken to prevent such
catastrophes.
Martin was good and careful shep-
herd and in spite of his failing was
never known to neglect the safety of his
sheep.
But on this morning as he crossed the
moors in the face Of that binding storm
he recognized the fact that it would take
him all his time to prevent many of
them from perishing in this storm. The
other shepherds were of, also, in differ
ent directions, but the district under
Martins special charge was the most re-
mote and the one soonest in danger,
because it lay in situation that exposed
it TO the inclemency Of the weather.
! The snow came down in that fine,
powdery, impalpable sort of fashion
which denotes a protracted aud heavy
fall, and il was all that Martin could do
to keep to the track. Had no not been
tho most experienced ami weatherwise
! of pedestrians no must nave inevitably
been lost at once
Tho snow glued his cyelids together,
| penetrated his clothing and iroze upon
| his face Even his dog Rover, collie Of
great sagacity and experience, required
some encouragement TO induce him to
! face the storm. and every now and again
| ut w NlililtNl anu OitW OAOSIl W lllsio-
ter's heels, as though protesting against
the cruelty of nature
Long before they reached the place
where the last flock of sheep were hud-
died helplessly together awaiting in stu
! pid resignation their doom both man
and dog were about spent
But Mt sight of the silly, frightened
sheep Rover gave joyous bark and
bounded forward at once. true TO his in
stinct and training With the stupidity
| of their kind the creatures had chosen
the very worst spot they could have
selected wherein to abide during the
severity of the storm.
The wind whirled and eddied up q
narrow gorge and laid great wreaths Of
mow all about their woolly sides.
Martin knew that if they could be
once driven around TO the other side of
the hill. where the wind would keep the
/ rround comparatiycly free from snov-