Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-02-28

selIsr, leaving an ugly black spot that
has betu rsked and searched again and
again fo a Few black pieces, more prec-
i0us Ia ,H I'D and the storm than dia-
ro.ds; &C. closet empty, the kitchen
1latc IT,, wife aud the babies hun
and y, aars ragged.
can't tud this, Mary said John.
II ave To - TO the city. Were on
the e peck 90. Goals, and there Is but
LITTLE good IN The house. It's hard Il
don't get 3 JOB somewhere on the way.
At sll events, we cant Starve here.
We" were John, Mary, little Linnet
the baby, and pretty Elizabeth, now i've
years old. They had used the Goals so
carefully that the room had not been
warm for week. Linnet was bundled
up in shawl as she sat In her cradle.
Little Lizzie was also comfortably GOV.
cred. but she was delicate child and
seT lips looked blue. Mary a neat girl.
lsn-looking matron, not much over
twenty, sat sewing on some apparel for
her husband. Her face was sad, for she
vas not hopeful like John She had
seen better days, but sicknrs, and hard
times, aui the bitter win,er had changed
their lot for the worse.
"IOull have 20 walk, Iuhu. N, said
pitiglly.
"Of course / shall. I've two good
feet, and I've walked twenty mile before.
I did that once to see you Mary"
She smiled.
Yes, but that was in the summer, not
IL bitter January weather can't think
o. 10, John"
But you must think OF it, Mary, for
! am determined to go. | can't sit still
and see you all starve, and while there's
yet something in the house TO leave, |
must start"
Not to-day, John cried Mary, who
was wip.ng away few hot tears that
seemed to sCald her cheeks
This very afternoon. eau yet five !
good miles on before nigh. shall find |
plenty OF places to stop at; You need |
not fear.
4 sad farewell was taken. The two
pretty children were kissed again and !
again, and pressed to Johns heart almost
as !. ne were fearing an eternal sepala-
uOn from them.
Keep up good courage, Mary, were
his last Is nrss but she could say moth
inc.
Found frozen to death, country
man on the road from-to the city.
He had doubtless attempted to walk
through the storm-lost his way and
thus miserably persisted. There were no
papers on his person by which inform4.
zion o. his home could be obtained
Thus said the terrible paragraph that
many merchant read with shuddering,
from the columns of his carefully warmed
newspaper.
Not two hours had elapsed after John
mad LEFT his little family before the snow
began to fall. Mary watched it with
anxiety and ever increasing alarm If
she could but fly after him, or send some
messenger and bring him back.
Even little Lizzie asked Il papa
wouldn't be all buried in the snow TO-
morrow and made the mothers heart
stand almost still with fear. All night
she slept not. Early in the morning
she looked from the window. great
wilderness Of snow, deep and still
deepening. And he was in the storm,
perhaps, desoIatc aud dying Why did
she let him 2O2 Tears, entreatieS, pas
stonate pleadings would have held him
back All through the day her soul was
in agony, II she might but hear from
him.
Lac al night neighbor came in to
tell the news, but learning that John
had started TO the city the day before,
her cheek grew pale-she made her visit
short. AL Wrtc from the house, con-
WINGED thas Mary would never see John
again ia this world. The next dav
neighOor after ueighbor dropped in.
Mary was troubled and half crazy with
apprehension, but keep up heart until
she overheard word that put her on
the rack. And then She read in the
tac,> around her as plain as they had
rcat the paper that John was dead.
cannot paint the scene that followed.
In the first parOXysm OF her anguish
sac .aintcd. The little children cried
pitl'0}iy-the cottage was lull OF women.
Then, like corpse, leaning back in her
chair, she sat, motiOnlGss, taking no |
notice - only moaning under her
breath, -
% John-why did you go-why did
you 90, John :"
1t was 4 sOrrOwcul household, and
more than one was weeping.
Poor gin" said an old neighbor,
they were the happiest couple ever
saw. I'm afraid she'll die, too"
There's no doubt it was he" said
another, the fair face and smooth skin
belonged to John Walters. He was a
handsome young fellow. Poor thing
listening 70 her meanings" she added.
At that moment carriage drove up.
Presently the door opened, and there
stood John, safe and sound little
pale, and good deal anxious but other
wise quite himself
l leave you to imagine whas followed
s-the shrek Of rapture-the bound OF
one woman TO his arms and the gather
ing round of the rest--the laughing of
the ch!ldren--the JOY of all.
John had been nearly lost, and had
almost given up hope of life, when he
was rescued By a gentleman who hap
pened 70 be driving home. At this
mans house he had found good Job,
and was hard at work when he heard
the news of that other poor wanderer-