Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-10

gu, tHe Wlnu DEW, ana great drifts
were indications of its power. The
thick clouds OF white flakes were
thrown in every direction, and only
dire necessity, it seemed, would be suf-
ficient reason for leaving comfort
able fireside.
Mandy and Mrs. Crowley were bust.
| ~ engaged in preparing the morning
meal, when a loud scratching at
door, which led into large room that
was used as an addition to the kitchen,
attracted their attention. In bounded
Swiss, the big st. Bernard dog belong
, ing to Uncle Ike At Uncle Ike's spe-
cial request Swiss had not been ban
ished to the barn or the woodshed, but
had been allowed to sleep on pallet
| in the corner Of the large room re.
lferred to.
| Swiss was great fayorite with Man
dy, and he was great friend of hers,
for Swiss was very particular about
| his food, and he had found Mandy to
be a much better cook than, Uncle Ike
had been; besides the fare was more
tbounteous at the Pettengill homestead
than down at the chicken coop, and
Swiss had gained in weight and
strength since his change Of quarters.
| After breakfast Uncle Ike came into
the kitchen and received a warm well
come from Swiss. Uncle Ike told
Mandy and Mrs. Crowley the we'll
known story of the rescues of lost
travellers made by the ST. Bernard
dogs on the snow-clad mountains of
Switzerland. When Mrs. Crowley
learned that Swiss had come from a
country a great many miles farther
away from America than Ireland was,
he rose greatly in her estimation and
she made no objection to his occupying
a warm corner of the kitchen
About noon, when the storm was at
Its very worst, Mandy, who was look.
ling out of the kitchen window, espied
something black in the road about half
way between Deacon Mason's and the
Pettengill house. She called Mrs.
Crowley to the window and asked her
what she thought it was.
''That's aisy," said Mrs Crowley.
s'It's man coming down the road.
what can bring a man out in such
a storm as this?" asked Mandy.
perhaps he is going for the doc
Their" remarked Mrs. Crowley.
: "Then he would be going the other
: way" asserted Mandy.
Hes plucky little divil anyway
said Mrs Crowley st
chats So" said Mandy. He is all
right as long as he keeps on his feet
but if he should fall down"
At that moment the man did fall
, down or disappear from sight. Man
dy pressed her face against the win
dow pane and looked with strained
eyes. He was up again, she could see
the dark clothing above the top of the
snow.
What was that! A cry? The sound
. was repeated.
81 do believe the man is calling fol
: help cried Mandy.
3 She rushed to the kitchen door and
: lopened it. A gust of snow swept into
the room, followed by a stream of cold
. chilling air. Swiss awoke from his
{ nap and lifted his head. Despite the
8 storm, Mandy stood at the door ant
Q screamed "Hello!" with her sharp, stri
4 dent voice. Could she believe hel
ears? Through the bowling storm
0 came a word uttered in a voice which
Z her woman's heart at once recognized
j The word was Mandy" and the voice
5 was Hiram's.
! "What on earth is he out in thi.
:, storm IOf! SAID Mandy TO nerSelI Snt
d called back in response, Hello! Hello
/ Hello!" and once more her own name
$ was borne to her through the beating
g driving storm.
: She shut the door and resumed he
u post at the window Hiram was still
!, struggling manfully against the storm
q and had made considerable progress
s Mandy turned to Mrs. Crowley ant
i said, "Mr Maxwell is coming, Mrs
a Crowley"
More fool he" remarked Mrs Grow
e ley, ito be out in storm like this
e Get some cider, Mrs. Crowley" sal
t. Mandy, "and put it on the stove. HI
e will need a good warm drink wnen h
a gets here"
IS IF he was son of mine he'd get
good warmth" said Mrs. Crowley a
n she went down cellar to get the cider
e Mandy still strained her eyes at tn
r window. The dark form was still Wis
IT BILE, moving slowly through the snow
e, AT that moment a terrific storm @