The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1856-11-20

through and through, and the wind ris
ing still higher, its snowy keennes
sweeps beneath her scant and thread
bare garments, numbs her limbs, as vel
as chihs the life-blood in her veins
Still she plods on, thinking, if she does
not thus strive, their hearth this Eve
will be desolate and chill, and the NOR
row still more drear if their Rose should
come. fl.s ...ts ..
Margaret is within two miles of the
town, when, the wind veering round, a
mingled cloud Of rain and snow cones
down, so that, there being no shelter
near at hand, and her umbrella very old
and frail, she is soon wetted to the skin.
Still it is no use repinipg; so she guards
the precious volumes, saves her poor
dress as well as she may, and, plodding
on, wet, weary, depressed and chill, she
prays low inward prayers to God that
He will lay His burden lightly on her,
even for the morrow's sake--so dear to
all humanity s...a...
Thus it is three o'clock or more be-
fore she reaches the cathedral town.
Though it is such a dismal day, and
such storm yet pours down. the streets
have many passers to and fro, intent on
Christmas needs. So, unwilling to be
recognized in such drenched and wan
condition, and being too poor to seek
the shelter of an inn, it occurs to her to
pass into the cathedral cloisters, as these
lie near the house of Canon Mosley,
whom she seeks. Here she will be able
to rest unobservcd, to squeeze the rain
from her dripping garments, and COM
pose her MUD to due fitness for the duty
before it.
As she thinks, she does. She passes
quietly iuto the cloisters, feels at once
soothed and comforted by tho impression
of their sublime silence sits down to
rest upon some old worn steps, from
which she had glimpses Of the mighty
western window I; notices the groining
and tracery Of the clustered roof, the
shadows which lie thereon, the solitary
robin or chirping sparrow which fits up
and down; and then her gaze rests at
last upon the square, still plot of burial
ground, in some places uncovered by
the snow, and so warm and sheltered as
to show turfy greenness, and here and
there daisy on the bosom of the dead
When rested, she wrings the water
from her soddened clothes, smootbes her
rumpled dress and shattered umbrella,
and then prepares to 60. But, just as
she is rising, the organ in the choir hard
by begins to play, the choristers to sing.
1t is the sublime music of the evening
service, enriched by that Of the advent
of the Christmas Eve, and melting her
to tears, gives inexpensive peace to her
troubled soul.
In while she rises, and is about to
90, when she perceives that she has
been observed by stranger in the dis
tance, who elderly, and dressed some
what as a clergyman. seems advancing
towards her. Ashamed of being re-
cognized iu her soddened garb, she turns
through an archway In the cloister, ano
is gone.
In few minutes, she knocks at Can
on Mosley's door. A pert STRIPPING o
a lacquey opens it.
Yes the Canon is at home but be
is busy-cannot see people Of your kind
call again.
He has viewed her soddsn garments
with contempt, and is now about to close
the door.
But will you be good enough to say
that it is Miss Margaret Butler; that
she has come far, and wishes to speak
to him p -. :,
No answer was returned to this /; and
the door is about to be closed in her
face, when voice behind her says,
sHow dare you it is Miss Butler, a
prebend's daug ghter.' And the lackey,
shrinking away, gives place to an upper
servant of venerable look. a.
'How do you do, ma am y he says
as be ushers the lady in.
: I hope Miss Eleanor is no worse than
usual, aud the young lady well.' ul
Thank you, Willis, my sister is much
the same. Miss Rose, whom 1 expect