Page:The New-Year's Bargain (1884).djvu/53

 the pan. Then Tot cried hard, and said, 'Mamma, come! oh do come!' over and over. She put all the clothes there were on the bed. When the baby cried, she patted him with her little hand, and cried too. When morning came, they were both still. I could see them through the window. Away off on the prairie I heard the slow jingle of a bell.

Hurry! hurry!' I roared, 'or you'll be too late.' Then I scooped up the snow, and blew open a path. The sleigh got nearer. The woman couldn't wait. She held out her arms to the cottage. At last she jumped into the snow (it was up to her waist), and floundered to the door. She beat upon it, threw it open, and cried out, 'Mary! baby! O my baby!'

"They lay in the bed; but no little voices answered. The mother gave a loud scream. 'Oh, they are dead!' she shrieked, and flung herself over them.

"The men ran in. There were four of them. They built a fire and warmed blankets, and put hot milk into the mouths of the little ones.