Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-09-11
my tracks were filled and l had cut my

way anew.
The coldness of the house was in his
favor. His stiffencd ears and finger,
changed slowly from white to red and from
torpor to n burning glow. But Ithe faint
ness was that of hunger as well as fatigue
i Have we any stimulants in the house
he asked desperately.
Nothing but ca,nphOr. was the reply.
don't know about taking camphOr and
cold water upon an empty stomach.
think | could swallow raw egg, if one
could he found.
l wish we had dozens of them. but We
are quite out. l have been waiting till
they were cheaper.
Ah, Lucy, your economy is likely to be
my death, pleaded Harvey. whowould have
been humorous IN ertremis.
Lucy thought, it is rather your want oi
economy.
AT dinner time Harevey empticd bot
FILE Of tomato cat sup, and Lucy and the
children chewed quantity Of cracked
wheat. with manifest relief. They then
got up biood-red flag, made from an old
curtain, which rugged at half mast was dis
played from the window as signal of dis
tress. 1t was seen and commented upon.
bat all the available muscle of tho little
roadside village was mile away upon the
snow plough making effort to clear the rail
road track. and there were none who could
come to the rescue The early twilight
began to fall, and the children, having sup
ped frusally on mixture of sugar and gin
ger, moistened with water, (what their Ia
ther called gingerbread with the bread left
out.) Fad taken refuge III sleep. Granger
sat down in the parlOr to consider
| the situation and be out ofhcaring of his
| wife's cough.
How long was this snow blockade to
last? Would his neigbors come to his re-
lief to morrow, or would they think it their
duty TO clear the railway first! Would
it b. p,ssiblcto br.ak road through the
drifts before the wind went down The
distance was not great in length, but in
depth it was appalling. Itwas to be COM
puted not in lineal but cubic measure. and
growing more so at that. Their supplies
for the siege were meat and Vegetables and
stock of meal and -four: these might sus
tain life tor some time: but surely not
health in one so frail as Mrs. Granger
She had some tendency to consumption
Would 1t not in this interval be fatally COLI
firmcd Granger had been right in say
NJ earlier that their condition was no joke,
but hi. brain turned with half-comical i'm
ages, productive of ghastly g!ee. don't
wonder he solilOquized. that soldiers are
urged to strike for their al ars aud their
fires. | would fight with an Irishnan for
the ceal in his pipe. He rose and walked
up and down the room with h,sty stridcs,
lat turn which way he would, the same
facts stared him in the face,
He Thought he had exhausted; but a
faint one occurred to him, and he tested it
lea in hope than dspair.
Suddenly he looked in upon his " ifc
his face lighted with glow of joy.
have better news to tell YOU than | had
last light, he said in suppressed but jubil
ant tones.
What is it! Have you found match
No. but what is better. pile of hot Goals
That maple log, bless its obdurate heart
/. all alive under white ashes in the parlor
stove.
Ii it possible l never knew that stove
to keep fire bcfor but then it has not of
ten been tried.
Well YOU know the damper is rather
loose and the wind closed it last night.
Yes. and shut the register in front.
You did. YOU did, Lucy, and tha. hit OF
econo NY has saved us more than you can
guess. Ill forgive you everything after
this.
In ten minutes fires were roaring in
parler and kitchen, and in another ten cuf
lee snmered and cakes grew brown
The cloth was laid and the lamps lighted,
but before rousiny the children to thei II
unlonkcdior supper. Granger detained hls
wife to say to her. l don't in'end to let
you do all the moralizing. l am not 80
dull that can't take lesson from what
has happened. admit the Importance ef
little things. Rich or poor. We cannot at
ford to be wasteful.
The glow of gratitude brought back the
youth to Lucy's face Oh. Harry, l am de-
lighted she said ferventy. Now hope
we shall be able to keep your grandfather
fortune. But for this experiepcc, it was
only IA aquestion of time.