The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-01-05

Yes, said the man slowly, 1t is
4 possible"
+ Il suppose" remarked the boy. you
arc aware II will take four barrels at
least, that the nearest we'll is old
man Reid's, which is three miles away.
and that you can't see six feet in
front Of your"
Il know all that" said the man,
"and more. can tell you that the
horses viii go like the wind, and
when they have had their I'LL of cold
water there'l be no holding them
while the barrels are filed. OF course
the trails obliterated, but they'll find
their way like a blue streak"
Sounds inviting" said the boy with
his ridiculous laugh. 'Td offer to toss
as to who goes II l had a coin, but as
haven't (more injustlce), we'll draw
straws."
IT'S the only way" replied the man.
Those cattle are our all. If they
break loose they'll be frozen stiff. The
one that wins harnesses the horse, and
divides the water round when the loser
gets back. Is 1t a bargain?"
The boy cut two straws of unequal
length, put them in n basin, covered It
with cloth and shook It about.
you draw first" said he. Long one
gets the water, short one bitches
the horses"
When they came to measure the
boy had drawn the long one. MY luck
again" remarked he.
Without a word the man passed
through the door, which the boy closed
behind him, but not quickly enough to
escape a cloud of snow which swirled
round the room. Silently he pulled on
his moccasins and wrapped himself
in such outer clothes as he possessed,
cursing luck generally that he had no
furs.
By and by there was a tinkle Of
sleigh-bells outside, and the man ap-
peared with the team ready harnessed
to the bob-sled, on which four empty
barrels could dlmly be discerned.
Have you put the pail and rope in?"
asked the boy.
The man nodded as they solemnly
shook hands, while the boy shielded
his eyes with the crook Of his arm
and gave the horses their heads. He
tried from time to time to peer into
the storm, but the snow made wraiths
round him and froze his eyelashes to-
gether.
How the horses got there the boy
never knew, but get there they did, and
whilst the icy blast probed remorse-
lessly amongst his clothes for the
flesh beneath, and poured the powder
ed snow down his neck.
The maddened animals charged him
as he lowered the bucket into the well,
and spilled the water all over him as
they fought for the first drink.
1t was a slow process at best, and
his clothes and mittens cracked with
the CONCEALED Ice as he hauled up each
pail. When they had drunk their fill
they quivered with the cold, and
plunged to get back, but the boy bound
the reins round the runners of the fore
most bob. They bucked as the frozen
bits CALLED them, causing him to spill
as much as he put in the barrels, and
to slither about on the rapidly form
ing ice, rendering a foot.hold almost |
impossible. In between times the boy |
rubbed his eyes and the frozen places. |
1t was a slow and tedious task, and |
he soon was tagged, because at 10 the |
are not hardened The horses |
knocked him over and the sleigh ran
over his legs, but, being light, only |
bruised him. In his puny rage he
slashed them with the pail rope, and |
it warmed him until one of the horses
trod on the bucket and bent it 1at
Foolishly he took off his mittens to
straighten it, and only learned sense
when he felt the sensation of many
needles piercing his hands and the
skin on his fingers adhered to the
metal.
1t was painfully slow job; to lift
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