Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-12-02
THE RESCUE,

filled with drifts, which hay thick be-
tween it and tho road. He couldn't get
through easily. 1t would hinder him i'm
his journey, too. Perhaps he wouldn't
see home that night, he said to himself
So he drove on.
What made him connect that dogs
barking with the story Of the lost chilis
He couldn't seem to get rid Of that. He
stopped, and again measured the dis.
tance and the height of the drifts, de-
cided that 1t wasn't worth while TO get
through them "jist fur dog" as he
tried to make himself believe, and again
started.
What il it was your childY' The
thought stung him.
"Well. here goes!" he said and suited
the action TO the word by covering his
torse with the sleigh robe and striking
out for the house. 1t was struggle
even for the hardy farmer. As he neared
the place the barking grew louder. The
door on the side toward him was almost
covered, so he made for the rear That
had been sheltered from drifts by the
building, and small door was accessible
there. AS he opened it u handsome New
foundland dog rushed out, jumping on
him and whining for joy. Mr.. Wilkins
eyes, dazzled by the snow, could at first
see nothing, but the dog pulled him
toward the most sheltered corner OF the
place, where a four-year-old girl lay.
white and motionless.
Mr.. Wilkins dropped down beside her
and felt her hands, head, and finally
her heart. The little one was not dead,
as he first thought, and his chief care
was to revive her. Being utterly ex-
hausted. all he could do at first was to
fold her In his arms under his overcoat.
Presently he started for the sleigh, fol.
lowed b. tho faithful dog whose devo-
ton had perhaps saved the child's life,
he was anxious to reach the sleigh, for
he had bethought himself of bottle Of
milk which his host had put up with
lunch for him. That and the air seemed
10 revive the child. She chung to him,
crying, until the dog poked his nose into
her hand as he sat beside them on the
sleigh seat. Then she smiled and tried
to pat him. calling him "Nelo." her
word for Nero which was the name
on his collar. AS soon as she had recov.
cred sufficiently to sit up. Mr.. Wilkin,
drove or towards homo, planning &c
kend word by tho next person that passed
his house bound downward, for lie fel,
sure this was Judge Carriers lost daugh
ter.
His work was not over when he reached
home, and saw the little group waitins
la the window for him. 1t was necessar,
TO shovel his way In. His wife threw
rope TO him from the loft window, ut
taching shovel on the other end so tina,
tie could haul il out. When tho way wm
clear he brought the now sleeping clik
IN. and told how he had found her ana
the story he h;d heard.
Then what talking and running Il
and fro commenced! The baby must h
petted and fed and put To sleep, and tn
handsome dog must receive some attcn
tiou,
"Will you tell us your nAms, dcsrys
said Mrs. Wilkins to tho child, as sim
took her In her arms
shame. Nellie" said she. and, sur
enough, her gold pin was 10 engraved.
"Mary." ''ride,' doggy" and "bis
man. were all sho could say plainly
about where she had been, psrhaps ne
one could understand her swsst prattls
but hss mother. A. ths th0psht Qf thss