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girls were now ~ending their way after their mid-day meal, to
lend the men a helping hand when nearing home. It was a custom ­
ary practice and afforded some enjoyment. In bad weather it was
a real help. Now end then at some sharp declivity of the road
the young ones would spring unto the runners of the s led and
enjoy a short "randy". A mi le or so was t r avel l e d and their
respective friends wer e met . The weather was now becomin g more
boisterous every moment, and the return to the settlement more
dU1'icul t .
Among those who went forth was a widow named Harriett M------,
a strong able woman , 's i x r e e t in he ight , though now approachi ng
50 years of age, to give assistance t o her only son, a l ad of
sixteen . As one party after S1 other was encountered and passed,
a warning was uttered by man who well judged t h e danger of going
-fu; t he r ~;;y- Ir ;;;;- h~m 9t: "Go ba~k- , - ';oman, y·o·ur boy '"will come on
safely wi th the rest" . But i n vai n! A mother's l ove prevailed,
a~d on s~~ _ t oiled _t ill the s turdy l ad with hi s dog ,an d sled wer~
met . Powerful as was the woman's f r ame , and hardy and strong as
was the l a d, -i t taxed their exertions almost to the utmost t o
make much be adwny against so fierce a sto~ . The difficulty
increased with almost every step. They wer e on a bleme hillside
, de s t itut e of tre e or f en ce, or any other mark to guide
them but t he dent in tho snow Dade by the runners of the sleds,
and the f oo t s t ep s of those ahead of them, who were pressing on
as rapidly as they were able towards horne . 1:0 object could be
discovered by the eye .for yard.o distant for the blinding drift .