The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-02-15

gle Routh, the husband Of Joanna, had
tracked him down to say that she was
terrible near her reckoning. The doc
tor started off with him rather an
Aous, for Fargie was through ither,"
and it was Joanna's first.
DR.. John had floundered into worse
dr1fts, but the wind was lashing his
lace and the visibility was so bad that
they soon lost each other. He tumbled
n rumbled down in a way at which
ne is a master hand, and reached the
smelling hours before the husband,
VINO is a decent stock but very unusual
L the legs. The distance is a short
mile when the track is above ground.
Dr. John was relieved to smell smoke
Tor he dreaded that Fargie might not
nave had the sense to heap On the peat
and that the woman might be found
frozen.
I told him I knew the house, which
is a lonesome n roomed cot of double
stone and divot. I asked if he had
found Joanna alone, but he had taken
the opportunity Of my making a re-
mark to fall asleep again. I got his eyes
open in the manner recommended by
him, and he said with even a little
leer at me, "She was not quite alone;
but may be you are nj of those who do
not count al infant till it be christen-
ed"
IF there is any haste for that"
cried, looking for my boots.
There is none," he said.
But who had been with her? Was
she in such a bad condition that she
could give you nc information about
that?"
"She was in fine condition, and she
could and she did," he said. II was
with her till Fargie, who had gone back
to the farm, brought down the wife,
and I have no doubt Joanna is now
giving the particulars to them. They
are such uncommon particulars" he
went on, that I can fancy even the
proud infant sitting up to listen to
them"
Then who was it that had acted in
his place, I asked, not daring to be
more prolix lest he should again be
overtaken.
That, he said, was what he was ask
ing me.
DIR. JOHN"
BE assured" said he, that I am too
dung over with sleep to be trifling
with you; but this will become more
your affair than mine. It is not to
me they will look to be told who she
was but to their minister"
II hope I shall not fail Them" I said
loftily. Nevertheless I breed was what
coming, and I insisted on his keep
ing awake, "or I would lay a hot iron on
the beard" He said he had found a
kettle on a bright fire and Joanna In
her bed with the child, who was fit
tingly swaddled in a shawl. He would
not let her talk until he had satisfied
himself that everything necessary had
been done, and then Cfor the curiosity
was mounting in his brain) he said
= with pretended ~casualness, II see you
and your friend have been having a
nice cup of tea"
"And merry she was at the making
of it." replied Joanna, turning merry
herself.
II forget" said he, IF you mention
ed who she WASP"
"Of cours it was N of the Strang.
ers." she said.
"Of course it would be one of those
curiosities," said he, "but I never chanc-
ed to fall in with one; what was she
like?"
Co." said Joanna, "she wa like the
little gentleman that sits under his
tail"-meaning a squirrel.
II thought" she would be something
like that" he said, "but had you nc
fear of herr"
Never" said Joanna, till the BARN
was born, and then for just a short
time, when she capered about mad-liks
with glee, holding it high in the air and
! dressing and undressing it in the shawl
so as to have another peep at it, ano
a queer change came over her and ]
had a sinking that she was going tc
bite it. I snatched it from her"
ITO bite them is not my usual pro.
cedure at BIRTH" the doctor had said
"but we all have our different ways"
Joanna gave him a fuller story OF
the night than, as he said, would be o.
any profit to a sumph of a bachelor like
Adam Yestreen, but he told me some o.
its events. The door had blown oper
soon after Fargie's departure, leaving
naught but reek to heat her, and wher
the fire went down she would have beer
glad to cry back the reek. She thought
' the cold candle of her life was at thu
flicker.
The Stranger re-lit the fire, but there
was nc way she could conceive of heat
ing that body on the box-bed. Their
the grand thought came to her. "Sht
strippit herself naked" Joanna said
land lay at my feet and made me keeE
them on her, as if she were one Of them
pig bottles for toasting the feet of tn
gentry, and when my feet were warn
she lay close to me, first on one side
and then on the other. She was a:
warm as a browning hammock wher
she began, but by the time the heal
Of her had passed into me Use uphaue
she was as cold as a trout"
As to the actual birth, though thi!
voc ~Toopro,S fret child che knew more