The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-09-21

him, but the fascination was too power
full to be resisted. His blood was by this
time little else than alcohol, and within
his veins like cried out to like. Never
theless 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 q gentle voice as she noticed that he
ate no supper and looked sick and sorry.
Does your head ache very badi"
Martin put up his trembling hand as
though to stop her.
"Dinna speak like that, Nelly, ma
BARN. Tell me that AVN shame and q
disgrace to ye, and that the sooner AVN
out O. the world the better for every one,
but dinna pity me. Aw Gamma bide It,"
"Aw1l say nothing Of the kind" retort.
ed Nelly Indignantly. II would like
well to see you get the better Of drink
for your own sake as well as mine, but
Aw'llnever wish you owt but good, neyeri
Ye've been q kind feyther to me, any
ways"
"a kind feyther!" groaned the old
shepherd. "Ohl Nelly, Nelly, ye break
ma HART wi yer tenderness. Do ye not
wish me deid, then"
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 mem.
DRY Of those kisses rise to the girls mind
and comfort her inexpressibiy.
Before daybreak tho 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 fiocks in his charge.
On these extensive border farms, where
the grazing land is composed both Of
valley and Tell, and where the sheep
travel miles away from any place Of safe
shelter and refuge, the utmost precau-
tons are necessary in rough seasons to
prevent the focks 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 fieecy
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 off, also, in differ
ent directions, but tho district under
Martins special charge was the most re-
mote and the one soonest in danger,
because 1t 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 protracted and heavy
fall, and it was all that Martin could do
to keep to the track. Had he not been
the most experienced and weatherwise
Of pedestrians he must have inevitably
been lost at once.
The snow glued his eyelids together,
penetrated his clothing and froze upon
his face. Even his dog Rover, a collie of
great sagacity and experience, required
some encouragement to induce him to
face the storm, and every now and again
he whined and drew closer to his mas
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 at sight of the silly, frightened
sheep Rover gave a 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 a
narrow gorge and laid great wreaths OF
snow all about their woolly sides.
Martin knew that If they could be
once driven around to the other side OF
the hill. where tho wind would keep the
ground comparatively free from snow,
and where there was also some shelter
to be obtained from q hemel and q
roughly constructed foldyard, fenced
round with stone walls, there would be
little to dread, and they could be looked
after and fed, until the severity of the
storm was passed.
But 1t required considerable deter.
mination to make the creatures move at
all, and still more to do 80 n'ths teeth
Of the cutting wind. The cold had
benumbed them and rendered them
almost torpid.
Rover's app however. reused
them to faint display of animation.
and he began proceedings at onco by
running around and biting. or pretend
ing to bite, the laggards. barking all the
while as loudly as his strength would al
low.
After a minute or two they began TO
move in the direction indicated to the
dog by his master. and very slowly. but
surely, they were gradually led away
from their dangerous situation into
safety. 1t took long time for them to
reach the other side of the hill and TO
ind the part fenced in by the roughly
built and mortarless stone walls and
the hurdles, stuffed with ragged furze,
but the difficult task was accomplished
at length, and every sheep and yearling
lamb was folded safe.
Martin, the shepherd, gave "a great sigh
of relief as the last Heating sfraoolar