Year: 1872

and towards afternoon large flakes of
fleecy whiteness found their way down
through the restless branches above their
heads AS the fakes grew smaller, they
fell more thick kly-without the wood the
wind swept bowling over hin and plain.
but here in the very heart of the forest
only the wall of the spirit voices rushed
through the tree tops with the dash of the
storm against them, and. driving the snow
through the branches. it fell on the help
less, unresisting group below-and GOV
cred everything with white pail, as if
making ready tor the final tragedy of the
close of their lives.


Nellie covered her own and her brothers
heads with the skirt of her dress, but it
was not large enough to protect them all
so she led them to clump of bushes
bound together with tangled vines which
oyer-toped them, and b1ttoning them up
closer in their little jackets and covering
their caps down over their ears, She made
them he down close together under the
clump. She took off her warm sacque
and laid it over them. but as the cold in
creased, they moaned and sobbed, and
could not sleep. Then the child took of
her thick stuffed petticoat, quilted by her
loving mothers hands, and wrapped il
round the shivering boys


Comlorted by its warmth, they sank to
sleep, and Neilie's cares were over But
not her sufierings Wrapping her arms
in her dress skirt, with her short little
flannel petticoat fHttering against her
stiffenng limbs, she walked up and down
To get warm! Her teeth chattered. her
slight frame shook: and she looked from
side to side for refuge from the deadly
chill. which clasped her IN Its embrace.
But there was none-siient, remorseless,
pitlless in its persistency, the snow fell
and clung to that scantily clad shape. till
scarcely the color of the little red hood
was visible as she sat huddled up on the
cold ground. And tar and near the storm
ragged. Its huge gray death-like shade
extended over the whole country, making
the hearts OF men quake as they looked
into each others faces, and thought of the
lost children for whom they had so vainly
searched, but without penetrating to the
heart of the forest, as they never dreamed
OF their having strength to 60 so far


And now the child's strength begins TO
fail. She lifts her head, staggers to her
feet. and looks toward the clump, cano-
pied with snow, beneath which lie the lit
tie brothers for whom she is giving up her
life. Her trembling lips move, her tongue
talters out the words "Mother-Father-
Home. while slowly she turns herhe and
casts a faint look all around-hopeless-
lpless-resigned


A long moan swept through the tree
tops-inarticulatc voices walled out with
great sobs of pain. and an awful Presence
approached. 1t was rs if all Nature
shrank from the God-given relief sent to
the child. On the one side sleep brooded
over the strange bed, where reposed the
dearly-beloved brothers-whie his twin
brother, Death stood beside the suffering
little sister, whose wan face wore shad-
owy smile, as she sank softly down on the
whitened ground, and his kiss closed her
failing eyes-forever.


And still kept watch and guard over his
changes. The snow softly shrouded the
still form, as If for the grave. Ii rested
lightly on the motionless eye-lashes, it
twined wreath over the pale face, from
which the little hood was pushed back,
and rested in soft caress over the slight
form. The night wore away the snow
gradually ceased, distant shouts came
nearer and nearer, rs the Gordon of pen
narrowe ed thelrcircie, and drew towards the
centre of the forest. in which they sought
only the bodies of the lost chltlren-for
hope was extinguished of finding them
|
alive.


Nearer and nearer they came, till the
foremost, Il haggard, hoilow-eyed man
plunged into the little opening where the
end had come The voices of those who
followed aroused Willie. who family cried
ont. "Oh father, father


And with grasp the father turned to
see his lost boys beneath the canopy of
Snow-alve.


He >natched him out, and little Johnny
. who was scarcely conscious, was lifted
from his checrless couch also. But deep
groan from the others made him turn.
The pathetic little form lying apart on the
s.ope of n knoll. meets his eyes. no need
to ask lis there lite?' Deaths seal is un-
mstakable, and the wan still face looks
solemnly indifferent to the deep sobs which
break from the strong hearts gathered
around the ptiiul death bed, awful in Its
lonlness and surroundings of snow-draped
bushes. and graceful vine weaths of the
most delicate tracery.


"Givc sister her petticoat We were so
cold that she took it off and put it over
us.


Thus was the story told and with great
tears dropping from their eyes, the rude
back-woodsmen reverently covered the
little form which had perished for lack of
its warmth. And the sad procession
tramped in unbroken silence back over the
weary miles those little feet had strayed.
back to the home where woman's heart
was breaking, with the certainty that
never more would those voices sound in
her straining ears that those tear-blinded
eyes would never see more than the men,
DRY ofthose vanishing forms in the shadow
of the wood


Aud yet, the distant sound of many feet
70 nearing slowly, draws her from the door
: where she stands waiting!


The faces she meets prepare her; yet.


she finds life. All, yes But-death by its
side. God giveth, but lie hath taken
away also


And when Willie had revived, and his
artless tale was told; how There were
not enough berries for us all, and so sister
would not eat any;' how we were SD cold
even after She had put her coat over US,
that she took off her petticoat and covered