per-table was spread, but Mrs. W. was
unable to taste food; and, giving the children their suppers, she
awaited with intense anxiety the return of her husband. The storm
increased till it was evident that it was one of unusual severity, even
for the rigorous climate of Canada, and, as the wind shook the windows
of their dwelling, the children often exclaimed in tones of terror: "O!
what will become of poor father if he is out in this storm." Bye-and-bye
the tired children fell asleep, and Mrs. W. was left alone by her
fireside. She endeavoured to quiet her fears by thinking him safe in the
house of his friend, but she could not drive away the thought that he
had set out upon his return home, and she feared, if such was the case,
he had met his death in that pitiless storm. She was two miles from any
neighbour, surrounded by her family of young children; so all she could
do was to wait and watch as the hours wore on. Sleep was out of the
question, and the dawn of day found her still keeping her lonely vigil.
As the Sun rose the wind calmed, but the thick drifts of snow rendered
it impossible for her to leave the house, and she watched anxiously if
any one might chances to pass, to whom she could apply for assistance in
gaining tidings of her husband. Alas! her fears of the previous night
were but too well founded. He _had_ perished in the storm. His friend
tried his utmost to persuade him to remain for the night when the storm
began, but he was anxious to return to his home, fearing the anxiety of
his family: and he left his friend's house about four o'clock in the
afternoon. The weather was intensely cold, as well as stormy, and, owing
to the depth of snow which had already fallen, he could make but slow
progress, and, when overtaken by darkness and the increasing tempest,
benumbed with cold, and blinded by the whirling drifts of snow, he sank
down by the road side to die, and the suspense of his wife was at length
relieved by the painful certainty of his fate.

About noon on the day succeeding the storm, as Dr S. was slowly urging
his horse onward, in order to Visit a patient who resided in the
vicinity, he observed some object lying almost concealed in the snow.
Stopping his horse, he left his sleigh to examine it, and was
horrorstruck to find it the body of a man. Thinking that, possibly,
life was not extinct, he took the body into his sleigh, and made all
possible haste to the nearest dwelling, where every means was