The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-02-03
THE SNOW SHROUD.
BY MARY RIVERS.


of dishes.
About two years ago, her mother died
Mrs. Barton was tender, gentle woman,
living only in the happiness Of her beloved
ones, and she had made the first eight
years Of her daughters life very bright
When she died, the bitterest pang was the
thought Of leaving her only child, to the
tender nercics Of world Which is not al
ways disposed to be merciful. When the
hand of death was upon her, she called the
little one to her bedside and kissed her
long and fervently, brushing back her thick
curls with her pale hand, and looking into
her eyes with steadfast gaze Of hopeless
love and sorrow.
"Oh," she faltered 81 can give up every
thing else, out 1 wish l could take you
with me. / cannot bear to leave you in
this cold world, motheress, my child
Better for you if you could sleep here in
my bosom and never wake up again. l
wish we could be buried together"
MI. DdIlOu WIS d hliiu lic'ItcO
His sympatics were quick rather than deep.
Perhaps this was why he never understood
the woman, who, for ten years had been
his wife. Her nature WAS very different.
Her feelings deep buried in her woman's
heart. Sometimes, like diamonds in the
lin the windings of gloomy mine, they
would flash out for a moment, giving the
behoIdcr sudden startling glimpse of the
richness hidden within. Her love was like
the course Of subterrancan stream, which
you could only trace by the swec, fragrance
of the flowers, the rich vcrtluc Of the grass
above it. Her husband saw those things
from different point, therefore her worls
seemed ncomprchcnsiblc. He had been
sitting at his dying wife's bedside, his face
bowed upon his hands, and the tears trick
ling down his fingers, but he raised his
head, now, aud said, 81 don't like to hear
you say that, Sarah. If you must die it
isn't right TO wish the Child dead too. I
want something left for me. After you
are gone, shall love her better than any
thing else in the world
4 faint sad smile crossed the diving wo-
mans face. She knew her husband better
than he knew himself "Iou will lie COM
forted," she murmurel in her low toucs.
but she did not re4,ove her steady ques-
tioning. sorrowful gaze from her chilL's
face. She died witt, her hands twimed in
her girls thick curls.
Mr.. Barton was loud in his lamcntiug,
over the dead, hut Nelly was very quiet
No one ever saw her weep; and some pco-
lle even remarked it was strange the child
Bnt there were others, shrewd observers,
who noticed that for months after smile
never crossed her facc-,lat size scarcely
tasted food-and grew so thin and pale,
one might almos: have thought that her
dead mothers kisses had drawn half tile
life from her childish veins.
For while Mr.. Barton did seem absorb
ed in his child and his grief; but as time
passed on his wife's words came true-he
was comforted.
lie needed housckceper sadly. The
sister, who had come to him when his wife
first died, could remain no longer lie
must procure some one to take her place.
1t was with this view he first called upon
the widow Bennett; but she was not will
ling, she told him, to leave her own home
to become his housekecper and it all end
ed in his asking her to become his wife,
and bring her own three children with her.
She was dominant, arlful. and some
said, a hard woman-very different from
the first Mrs. Barton. Little NelIy's life
under this new rule seemed moro weary
and desolate than ever, though so long as
her father lived she was secure from posi-
tive i'll treatment; There was not wanting
those who whispered that Adam Bennets
buxum widow did not make Mr.. Barton's
life very happy one. lie certainly did
seem to grow old very fast. BE that rs it
might, lie was under his wifes full control
and they had not been long married before
he made his will bequealhing to her all his
property. She had managed we'll in secu-
ring tins hold in good season, for she had
not been Mrs. Barton quite year, when
Mr.. Barton fel! victim to fever, and was
laid in peace by his gentle first wife's
side.
Mrs. Barton had kept Nelly with her Of
course. She had too high regard for
public opinion 10 do otherwise, but she
made the orphan pay, many times over, in
hard toll, for her morsel Of food and her
bed in the attic. Was an crrand to be