Year: 1876

I
the path went and what there was at
the end of the world What did she
care il her nose was blue with cold
and her chubby hands as red as beets?
Now and then she would turn her
head away from a rude blast, but re-
newed her brave march in search of
the great unknown.


The mother missed her, but sup
posed that Jones. who could not get
enough of the child's society, had TAX
en- the little pet out with him.
Jones. poor fellow, supposing that
the darling was safe within, chopped
away, until that awful storm broke
upon him, and at last drove him,
half smothered by snow and half fro
zen by cold. into the house. When
there was nothing left but retreat. i.e
had seized an armful of wood and
carried it with him To make sure OF
having enough to keep his wife and
Kitty from freezing in the coming
awfulness OF the night, which now
settled down upon the storm beaten
and storm blinded world.


1t was the beginning OF that horri
BILE storm in which so many people
were frozen to death, and Jones had
fed none too soon.


When once the wood was packed
by the stove, Jones looked round
for Kitty. He had no more than in
quired fol Der when father and moth
er each re a in each others face the
fact that sle was lost iD this wild,
dashing storm Of snow.


So fast did the snow fall and so
dark was the night, that Jones could
not see three feet ahead OF him. a en-
deavored to follow the path which he
thought Kitty might have taken, but
it was buried i'm snow drifts, and he
soon lost himself


He stumbled through the drifts,
calling ont to Kitty in his distress.
After an hour of despairiDg, wander
lug and shouting, he came upon
house, and having raped upon the
door. he found himself face to
face with his own wife. He had re-
turned 10 his own house i'm his be-
wilderment.


When we remember that Jones had
not slept for two nights preceding
this on account OF his mortal quarrel
with Burton, and had now been beat
/ ing an arctic hurricane, and tramp
/ ing through the treacnerous snow for
an hour, we cannot wonder that he
fell over his threshold in an extreme
state of exhaustion.


Happy for him that he did not fall
bewildered on the prairie, as many
another poor wayfarer did on that
fatal night


AS it was, his wife must give up the
vain little searches she had been
making in the neighborhood of the
shanty. She had now a sick hus-
band. with frozen hands, feet and face,
to care for. Every minute the ther-
mometer fell lower and lower, and all
the heat the little cook stove in
Jones shanty could give would hard
ly keep them warm.


Burton had stayed upon that forty
acre lot all day waiting for Jones.
He had not heard Of the arrival OF
Jones, wife, and so he concluded that
his enemy had proved coward and
had left him in possession, or else he
meant to play some treacherous
trick on his way home.


SO Burton resolved TO keep a sharp
look out But lie soon found than
impossible, for the storm was upon
him in all its binding fury. He
tried to follow the path. but he could
not find it,


Had he been less OF frontiersman
he must have perished there, within
] IL
deavoring to keep the direction Of
the path he heard smothered cry
and then saw something white rise
up, covered with snow. and then fall
I down again. He raised his gun to
shoot il, when the creature uttered
another wailing cry, so human that
he put down his gun and went eau
tiously forward.


1t was a child!


He did not remember that there
was such child among all the set
tiers at Newton. But he did not stop
TO ask questions. He must without
delay get himself and the child to a
place of safety, or both would soon
| freeze.


SO he took the little thing in Lis
arms and started through the drifts.
And the child put its little icy fingers
on Burton's rough cheek, and NUT
tered 'Papal' and Burton held her
closer and fought the snow more
courageously than ever.


He found the shanty at last, and
rolled the child in buffalo robe
while he made fire. Then when he
got the room IA little warm he took the
little thing on his knee, dipped her
aching fingers in cold water, and ask
ed her what her name was.


Kitty" she said.


Kitty" he said land what else?"


Kitty she answered, and he
could not find out any more.


Whose Kitty are you?"


"Oose Kitty" she said; for she had
known her father but one day, and
now she believed that Burton was
he.


Burton sat up all night and stuffed
wood in his impotent little stove to
keep the baby from freezing to death.
Never having had anything to do
with children, he firmly believed that
| K,txx. Il 4 D.