The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-02-15
TIE ICTCLF FAIRY
~ ~ -

Ia EVER had colder day been suf-
fered. Every tree wss 50 frozen
that Its h. ndvads Of large sod
~ small limbs cracked as the wiijs
bis"v !Sxa&.t Gud taNoush than.
f<1oAss hung stSy from the caves Of
~ haas house in vhi-h the Dea Rings
ev~d- And the bouns itaaaf shuddered
lockwood huge dras.s Of snow which had
bssn pllad and pied tu the Winds from
~ oEsts.
m JAAsdnSs shi~ cred beside a dying
nss .us*de ~ house; mother. son and
bakg daughter. The father had gone
into - xcocs to get some fuel for
EAs drs. He had been away ali the af-
ssrnooc, ana now the evening shadows
had begun to fall, and Mother Dear
ling was becoming bit anxious about
her husbands continued absence. for the
weather was not the kind to be exposed
to at evening time.
ITS strange that father doesn't re-
turn" said Mother Dearling, address
ing Tommy, her 10-year-old son. Hes
been away for three hours. And the ice
will get into his blood II he doesn't
come to the fire soon. wonder II some
accident might have happened HIM"
Tommys face grew serious. Father
always crosses the creek the ice at
this time of year." he remarked. Maybe
the Ice was thin and gave way beneath
him and his load of wood
Mother Dearling shuddered at the mere
thought. Gould you run down to the
creek and see2" she asked in tones Of
anxiety. Put on your warmest coat
and then wrap my double cloak about
you"
Yes. mother 1 can run down TO the
crossing place and see il there are amy
signs of father having crossed with the
InaA Ard hast fIr, mt
warmest coat and then Ills mothers
heavy double cape His eyes p eped
from beneath coonskin cap and bis
feet were mcased in heavy home-ma :
sheepskin shoes He carried n rough
wooden stick in his hands to assist his
getting through the deep snow.
Down the hillside he went as fast as
he could make his way through the
snow. He soon reached the place on
the creeks bank where his father crossed
to the heavy woods beyond. In that
woods Father Dearling always found
plenty OF good fuel. picking up the dead
limbs on the earth or Telling dead trees
Never living tree would he touch.
for he thought that would he wrong
80 long as Nature supplies us with dry
fuel in the shape of dead trees ] shall
not touch a living tree with nv AK"
And this good resolution had caused
the elder Dearling's delay from home on
this cold day In January. Many nelgh-
boring farmers and hunters, and rowing
tribes of Indians flor this story deals
Of the early days in the United Statesl
had discovered the plentiful supply Of
nne dry wood in this particular wood.
and had been busy for days gathering It,
At last the frost got into his very mar
row. and be found himself miles from
home. As yet he had procured but an
armful of frozen bark and sticks. not
sufficient wood to keep the house warm
through the evening. not to speak Of
the morning. when there must be a fre
to last until he could go after more fuel
He struggled homeward carrying the
wood over his shoulder. Now and again
he stumbled and fell into the snow. and
eaci time. he found II more difficult to
rise and proceed on his way.
And while his poor half-frozen father
was struggling against cold that was not
only terrible. but dangerous. Tommy was