The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-07
DREW SLEIGH
MANY MILES.
Maclaren Saved His Loved Ones
From Death by Cold.
HIS HORSES LEG WAS BROKEN.
Wife and Two Little Chlrursn Were Nearly
Ffsl'n 10 The WIniT Blast Helped
bJa WayfarM
HIS HORSES LEG WAS BROKEN.

Goshen, ~ Y, Dec. mo one ever will
realize the mental torture--stinging more
than all his bodily psin--endured by Elgin
Maci.aren last night.
Far away from home. IN a driving snow
storm. with his wife and two children he
side m, nc found himself lost In the will
derness. his horses leg broken, miles
away from shelter.
There Was but one Anaa--e,1ttt1 ieese
Tho disabled animal, MacLsren took his
place between the shafts With resling
brain and stumbling feet hedrsgged hts
loved ones mile after mile, stop
ping oily, 10 force ife-saving stim-
ulsnts between their chsttering teeth.
Thanks TO his dogged persever-
anee all were alive today. but so frost
miten that for years they will remember
that fearful ride against an icy death.
Perhaps MacLaren should have known
better than to have risked his own life
aud that Of his dear ones for II was
showing hard aud a piercing cold wind
was driving it in binding gusts when he
started yesterday afternoon TO drive from
southhelds TO Haverstraw Huddled In the
sleigh, together with his wife. were their
boy, Tom. six years old and Agnes, an
infant.
The going was hard for il was straight
~ the teeth Of the wind. with every step
he horse was becoming helpless Then,
as dusk was falling, it came 20 a fork
In the road. All the familiar landmarks
were ohliterated by the snow As All evil
a l.s.ea NN
the branch which took him further and
further, az every ward from his destins-
ton' Then came nlghtfall; with II wind
and snow increased in fury and the ther-
mometer dropped several degrees
HORSE BREAKS HIS LEG.
Happily MseIaren didn't know Of his
error nor did his wife He was urging
his horse 10 reneMed effnrts when the ami.
mai fell A. IL refused TO arise MacI.aren
Jumped out md 20 his dismay found the
horses les broken. In his fearful plight
he did not know what 10 do: 10 remain
where he was meant certain death for
him and his, 70 leave them was that they
should he separated in death
Hoping, however. TO fnd shelter. he
staggered along rhs road for q quarter
Of mile. II was an unbroken expanSe
oi While. he could see no house. no sign
that any one was alive within miles
tiuding his way back 10 the sleigh he
found the lad crying from the blood freez-
ng cold. His brave wife was shiyerins
's one with the sgue from herself ara
he hoy she had taken the buffalo robe
ana the blanket. and i'm them she had
wrapped the baby, which snug in the bot
om Of the sleigh suffered least of all.
IL was then MacLsren's chsracterisnc
scotch coolheadedneSs rose To the exin-
sency. stripping himself OF his great coat
~ wound II about wife and hoy Then
le cut the harness whtCt1- houud the help
ess horse. which he had determined 10
cave to it's fate that precious human be-
ngs might be saved.
HARNESSES HIMSELF.
Taking his place between the shafts %
he sleigh Maclaren so placed the hsr- |
less that all his weight might well be ex- |
rted 60 move the vehicle. while at the !
anne time his hands were so free that he |
night plunge them .nto the pockets OF |
lis undercos' With CHEEKY shout in |
ended Ca encourage the brave little wom- \
m. behind he threw himself forward and,
o his great JOY the sleigh moved
So clated was he that he shouted In joy |
nd dashed ahead at his full speed lie
vas brought TO halt by cry from his
wife, and slipping the harness from his
houlders lac ran back 10 find wife and |
10y ON the verge or INCONSISTENCIES. lie /
ad bottle of vhiskey ia his pocket;
ONE Of the stimulsut he forced both wife
nd son 10 take and then he took up the
art OF horse again, and the sleigh went
onward for another hundred yards But
very few minutes he was forced 10 stop
nd give more Of the whlskey to Mrs
lacLaren and little Thomas
1iG-dIdn-L LknnHA--Llhala-aad -naw-AN-
avs he must have been dclirious. but i'm
x.rEN Il e. 81. L.
ouses where he might have found sue
or
ONE MARROW ESCAPE.
Whenever a down grade was reached
the road. rapid time was made by the
turdy Scotchman. who whis,led AID sang
, cheer the dropping spirits of hts hair
rolen wife. once iu descending a hHi
o fell and the sleigh ran upon him N
had not been 90 the chances are all
le occupants would have been killed in
ne dash down tho steep incline, hut as
was the fan served 10 rouse MacLaren
HIS owN BRAIN BENUMREp.
lie was met near Bradley Mines four
ilcs from his starting point by Charles
arson. who stopped him and tried 10
sccrtain what was wrong
MacI.aren's statements were rot alto
ether clear. and Carson took the almost
'ozeu party to the home OF Mr. Cooper.
lrmer. where they were rcsusciated
hey did not learn for some time how far
.acI.aren had dragged his family. and
,uld scarcely believe Il when they found
It.
All of tho party were more or less FROST
itcn. especially the little boy Mrs. |
IacLsren's ears. unprotected except for |
air. were badly frozen. Her husbands !
lnds and feet We're In the same cond-
on. TIC may lose a singer or two. and
Is nose ears and chin were frosthitten.