Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-01-06

Journey. ana tho dog would Hex hsl
hand and look up Into her face with {
look that said a. plainly ~ word'
could: "I'm dog. but I'm . friend u
be trusted. You can depend on me-"
4 BY and bye, Grandma Waite began Il
realize that she was getting very tired
Her limbs shook under her every time
she paused to set breath.
Il don't know 3 I'm goin' to hole
out to get there" she said. YEARLY
but II die by the roadside, I'll have
my best friend by me-"
On and on the two comrades went
BY and bye Grandma Waite sank dowr
as II all strength had suddenly gone
out of her.
Pm givin' out" she moaned. "God
help US. Rover, but you won't leave
me, will your"
She saw something ahead that looked
like great rock by the roadside to hel
blurred eyes.
IF can get to 1t mebbe it'll keeT
the wind on" she said, and struggled
on again.
The rock" was reached at last
and proved to be a load of hay that
had been overturned and was left
there by its owner.
Wen rest SPELL" she said, as she
sank down by the sheltering heap
Come and lay down by me, Rover;
you'll keep me from gettin' cold
You're most as warns a feather bed, =
and Grandma Waite laughed in a way
that told that her mind was begin
ming to wander, like herself.
Rover snuggled down beside her, and
she spread her shawl over him as ten
derby as IL he had been child in her
care.
We'll share with each other" she
said. That's the way friends ought
to. They sha'n't sep'rate us" and she
put her arms about the faithful friend's
neck and leaned upon his warm body.
mo, Rover, they sha'n't part us IS
longs I can help it,"
The wind began to blow presently,
and it gathered up great handfuls of
snow by the roadside and scattered it
over the two comrades, who seemed to
have fallen asleep by the load of hay,
so quiet were they. And by and bye
they were so covered by it's cold, white
morning could not see them as they
looked down upon the sleeping world.
There's that dog howlin' agin,"
said Mrs. Mason, as she came out of
the bedroom on Christmas morning.
"I've heard it ever sence about four
o'clock, an it seems real clost by.
wonder whose t is?"
''I'll go an see" said Mr.. Mason, as
he gave the kitchen fire stirring that
made 1t roar briskly. 1T sounds s eff
1t come from that load O. hay tipped
over las night
About ten minutes later his wife
looked out and saw him coming up the
path with woman in his arms, and a
dog by his side jumping and barking as
If in great delight.
"For-the lan's sake!" cried Mrs. Ma
son, running to the door. Who have
you got there, james,"
Il don't know" answered her hus-
band. Its a woman l found in the
snow down by the load O. hay. l reckon
she's about chilled to death. Get her
into some warm clo'es as quick as you
can, an I'll get the kittle to b'ilin' SO
you can make her some hot tea. It's
wonder IL she amt froZe."
"The poor thing!" said Mrs. Mason,
stripping off Grandma Waites clothing.
81 declare, it's awful to think o. her
bein' exposed in that way an shelter
SO near"
Grandma Waite was unconscious at
first, but by and bye sense of warmth
began to steal through her limbs, and
the wheels of life that had almost
stopped began to go again. She OPP
ened her eyes and looked about her.
She saw kind faces bending over her,
she felt the contact Of warm hands
chafing her chilled limbs, and she
heard the sound of sympathetic voices.
Where be II" she asked. did I
die?"
mo, you didn't, as luck would have
It," answered Mrs. Mason, tucking
great wooden blanket about her feet.
Where's Rover?" asked Grandma
Waite. There hain't anything hap
pened to him, has there?" and her
face was full of alarm.
The dog, hearing her speak his name,
came and stood by her, wagging his
TAIL
IF 1t hadn't been for the dog, /
wouldn't wonder bit II you had
died." said Mrs. Mason. 1--WE heard
him barkin', an that's how my hus-
ban come to find you. I'm jest a-dy-
in to know how you come to be there"
II was lookin' for the poor-house,"
said Grandma Waite.
For the poor-house!" cried Mrs.
Mason. "Deary me, hain't you got no
other place to go TOT"
Grandma Waite told her story in a
disjointed sort of way, but he- listen
ers got a pretty correct idea of how
matters stood.
II couldn't be separated from Rover"
Grandma said, as she ended her touch
ing story. 1T 'u'd break my heart to
part with him, for he b'longed to Sa-
rah's boy that died. An you've ben
my best friend, hain't you, Rover?"
with a sob.
Mrs. Mason's face was wet with
tears as she looked at her husband.
you shan't be parted from your old
friend" he said, and his eyes were full
of suspicious moisture. "An' you
needn't talk about goin' to the poor
house, either. You can stay here, IL