The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1857-11-27
SsIttt Storu.
From The True Flag.
The Snow-shroud.
BY LOUISE CHANDLER MoULToN.

"Oh, dear, there's 80 many 10
washl" and little Sally Nash survey.
ed, with a rueful glance. the long
table full OF dishes.
Two years ago her mother had
died. Mrs. Nash was a tender, gen.
tie woman, living only in the hap.
piness OF her beloved ones, and she
had made the first years OF her lit
tie daughters life very bright
When che died the bitterest pang
was in the thought OF leaving this,
her only child, to the tender nercies
of world whi,h Is no ways dispos.
ed to be merciful. When the death
agony was upon her, she called the
little one to her bedside and kissed
her long and feivently; brushing
b ok her thick curls with her pale
hand and looking into her eyes with
n steadfast gaze Of hopeless love and
sorrc W.
"Oh," she faltered, 81 can give up
everything clse, bnt wish 1 could
take you with me. l cannot bear
to leave you in this cold world
motherless, my child, my child
Better for you if you could 60 to
sleep here on my bosom and never
wake up again. l wish we could
be buried together"
Deacon Nash was a kind hearted
man. His sympathies were quick
rather than deep. Perhaps this was
he had never understood the woman
who for then years had slept in his
bosom. Her nature was very dif-
fereut. Her feelings lay deep buried
in her woman's heart. Sometimes,
like diamonds in the winding ways
OF a gloomy mine, they would flash
out Tor q moment, giving tie bchol
der a sudden, startling glimpse of
the richness hidden within. Her
love was like the course of subter
ranean stream which you could only
trace by the sweeter fragrance Of the
flowers; the richer verdure OF the
grass above it.
Her husband saw things from a
different stand point, therefore her
words seemed to him Incompetent
sible. He had been sitting at his
dying wife's bedside, his face bowed
upon his hands, and the tears trick
ling through his fingers, but he rails
ed his head now.
Il don't like to hear you say that,
Sarah. II you must die, it isn't
right to wish the child dead too. ]
want something left for mo. After
you are gone shall love her better
than anything else in the world
A faint, sad smile crossed the
dying woman's face. She knew her
husband better than he knew him
self.
'You will be comforted;' she mur.
INJURED, in her low tones, but she did
not remove her steady, questionin
ing, sorfowiul gaze from her child 3
face. Size diei with her hand twin,
ed in the girls thick curls.
Deacon Nash was loud ia his Ia.
meutings over the dead, but Sally
was very quiet. No one ever saw
her weep; and some persons, even,
remarked that it was strange the
child didn't seem to care more about
her mother. But there were others,
shrewder, observers, who noticed that
fer months afterward a smile never
crossed her face; that she scarcely
tasted food, and grew so thin and
pale, one Nigh. afrnosthave thought
that her dead mothers last kisses
had drawn half the life from her
childish veins.
For awhile, the good deacon did
indeed seem absorbed in his child
and his grief, but time passed on.
his wiie's words came true-he was
comtorted.
He needed a housekeeper sadly.
The sister, who hal come to him
when his wife first died, could re.
main no longer. He must procure
some one to take her place. 1t was
with this view he first called upon
the Widow Bennett. But she was
not willing, she told him, to leave
her own home in the capacity OF
houskeeper, and it all ended in hit
asking her to come in that Of q wife
and bring her own three children
with her.
She was . dominant, astfuA som'
said a hard won,sn; very dideren
from the first Ms. Nash. Little
Sslly's life, under this new rule
seemed more weary and dosolat'
than ever. though SO long as he
father lived, she was secure from
positive ill,treatrnsnt. There wer
hot Wanting those who wbisPerst
that Adam Bonnett's buxom widow
did not msks the dssoop's life . var!
happy one. He certainly did seen
to grow old very iast. Be that a.
might, he was under his wife's ful
control, and they had not been lonl
married before hs had made his will
bequsathing to her the use Of ell hi
property, dnring her life. She hs'
managed we'll in securing this boil
in good season, Tor she had not beci
Mrs. Nash for quite . year, whe'
the deacon fell q victim to fever, an
was laid in peace BY bis gentle fin
wifs's side. ! think he dlsd willing
u. He was glad ofrsss.
:" M. Nssh kspt Sally with bar, I