Year: 1873

storm. He started to overtake him,
but the man turned the corner where
stood the grandest house of the place,
and was lost to sight in a moment.
Frank called loudly, but the man did
not hear him, or if he did, he did not
choose to halt.


Perhaps he went into the house, !"
thought Frank, "and might have
gone in with him, but it would have
been losing time, and the doctor might
have passed by and missed me-" So,
with almost a sob, he plodded on until
he was again out on the country road,
the drifts and the falling snow and the
cold wind seemed to grow deeper and
colder at every step of his aching little
feet. Sometimes he stopped a moment
and listened, but he heard no sound of
bells. Then he walked on slowly, and
more slowly, until such WEAKNESS
came over him, that, not being able to
walk another step, he sank by the road
side. The poor boy hardly felt the cold
ness of the snow, he hardly knew where
he was, he grew more and more drowsy;
faint thoughts of mother and Nelly, of
warm bed and blazing fire, came
over him, and then he knew nothing
more, but slept the dangerous sleep
that comes when person is freezing.


And now we must go back to poor
Mrs. Lee. The hours passed very
wearily for her, watching her sick child.
At last she began to think it was time
for Frank to return. She listened for
the sound of bells, but heard only the
roaring of the wind she looked out OF
the window, straining her eyes into the
darkness, but saw only the branches
swaying to and fro across the pane.
Then she busted herself, when Nelly
was quiet for moment, in building ur
the fire, piling en- fresh logs till the
cheerful blaze shone far out of doors,
making shining path on the snow.
She hung dry clothes before the fire fol
her boy, often pausing to listen, and
then by her sick child's cradle she pray
ed, with her face hidden in her hands
and her whole frame trembled with the
sobs she tried to keep down, SO that she
might not rouse little Nelly. Any
mother will know what she prayed anC
what she thought. 1t was all she coulG
do but though itseemed as if she were
doing nothing, she was really helping
him more than if she had gone out tC
find him, for the kind Father in HEAVIER
can help and save when we can do no
thing ourselves.


SO she felt at last when she heard ;
pounding at the kitchen door, and she
hurried to open it, the doctors CHEEKY
voice cried out, "Here's your boy
ma aam, though little worse for wha
he has suffered" She held out he,
arms, she not could speak, and if it hat
not been for the doctor words she woult
have thought Frank dead, he looked 81
cold and white, with tight-shut eyes.


No, no, madam, cheer up, there
life in him; warm him and rub hin
well, and he'll come to in little while.
And then the doctor turned to the littl
crib, for Nelly, reused now, began t.
cry and talk wildly. Another hou
and it might have been too late, NUT
tered the doctor to himself, as he pre-
pared mixture for the little girl. Bu
the mother forgot even Nelly for


while, until she saw color returning t,
her dear boys face.


Though the life came back, it was
long, long time before he was what h
had once been, and Mrs. Lee had man,
days Of weary watching over both he
little ones. However, by the time tn
snow had melted away, Nellyand Fran,
were rosy once more, and hardly locke
as if they had been so near death.


But while I have been telling yo
this, my fire has gone out, and I fee
very much as if [ were sitting on


snow drift. So [ must bid you good
bye, dear young friends, and pile u
the wood and warm myself readin
about those lovely sunny lands wher
snow-storms and north winds neve
come.