Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-03-11
NO.. 80.
#istellaaeous.
From the st. Nicholas Magazine,
SHOWED NAN INCIDENT OF TRE WIN.
TER OF 1872.
BY MARTHA NJ. THOMAS.

lCoNTINUED FROM YESTERDAY.
Wearied with the DAYS exertions. she
slept soundly. 1t was later than usual.
and intensely cold, when she got up next
morning. Her first glance out of the
window showed they were buried in the
snow. AS far as the eye could reach there
| was trackless waste of white, unbroken
by single object. The barn appeared to
be half buried, the coal-shed was not to be
seen; but the storm had abated. Her first
thought was of father and Jack. Had
they reached Il in safety Her next
thought. as she proceeded to make the
fire, was, what should they do for fuel
There was only that little pile in the kitch-
en-.
She went down stairs. Every window
was blocked up. She made fire to ge,
breakfast, and then opened the door. A
sheet OF white faced her. She closed it
quickly, fearing the snow would fall in up
on her; and utterly appalled,, sat down and
| cried. What were they to do? No one
could get to them. They had no more
than enough fuel to last during the day.
Presently she dried her tears, and sat
for a few moment thinking. Then she
got up, lighted lamp and went about
preparing breakfast. drawing the table as
close to the stove as possible.
When she went up stairs the children
were awake. Jamie fretted, and COM
planned of his head and his throat he
coughed, and had fever. She told him tc
| lie still and she would bring him some cof-
| fee !; and she and Will went down to their
| meal.
She had determined what to do; and,
after soothing Jamie, and telling him to
lie still and try to sleep, she gave Will
| picture book to amuse him, and began her
preparations. She mnst move up stairs
and keep but one fire. Besides the small
| quantity of coal, there was but very little
OIL. All was darkness down stairs. The
wind seemed to have blown the snow be.
fore it across the prairie, and walled them
in.
She carried bench up stairs, aud set it
il. the hall, and on this put her dishes and
eatables; took the baby's cradle and
i crock of milk up chow glad she was she
had the milkD moved a stand and trunk
out of the room, and put table in their
place.
1t was adreadfully dreary day; and she
was g lad when the time came to get din
ner. The difficulties Of cooking on the
Will was immensely amused at the small
table off which they had to eat. There
was a noise at the door, and when they
opened it Rover the dog walked in. He
had been left down stairs and forgotten.
VIII fed him, and he stretched himself be-
side the stove, wagging his tail whenever
they spoke to him.
| Jamie would eat nothing,-he was really
i'll. Beckie saw that. but she did not know
what to give him. The baby and he oc-
cupied her attention all the afternoon,
She got supper ready early and put will
to bed. She was very much alarmed
about Jamie, and frightened when she
saw how little coal there was left; not
more than enough to make fire in the
morning. What should she do? They
must have fire. She went into the cellar
and knockeda a couple Of barrels to pieces,
and carried the slaves up stairs.
She slept little, for Jamie tossed and
threw his arms. out over his head, and
the cover off him, and called "water
watern' every few moments. She had
to keep up the fire for fear he would get
cold; and when daylight came. and She
awoke from an uneasy sleep in which she
had fallen, there was onlyra couple OF
barrel slaves left.
She must keep the children warm, and
she said to herself Il will do it if must
burn up all the furniture in the house."
| Dressing herself warmly, she again WIS.,
tied the cellar. There was an old barrel
in the corner she had overlooked; on re-
moving some bits of iron from it, she
found about busEel of coal. She carried
this up stairs, and with the slaves Of the
barrel, soon had bright, warm fire, and
good breakfast set out for Will and her.
self. Jamie was so i'll he did not notice
anything and the baby, who was always
good slept. From the window was to be
seen only the same dreary waste of un-
broken snow.
All her energies this day were taxed to
keep the fire going. She dressed Win and
the baby warmly as possible, and collected
and burnt every available small article in
the house. The potato masher, the wash
board, the tubs, the shelves in the cellar
and the kitchen, the steps leading to the
cellar, the clothes-h horse, the bread-board
and rolling pin were all split in pieces,
and carefully put in the stove, with bits OF
coal to make them last longer. Before
dark they went to bed, for there was not
more than enough oil in the house to last
Il couple of hours. Jamie did not any
| longer hhoW ucri ue LAY inutteTlHS III
delirium.
The morning dawned, and it was the
same as before. All night-although
nearly overcome with drowsiness and IA
tigue-she had watched Jamie bathed his
hot head, and put water to his lips. 1t
was all she could do. Help must come
with the day. She would not give up.
She used the last of the fuel TO make up
the fire, and managed to make the Kettle
boil. After she had taken some coffee and
Will had eaten his breakfast, she left him
at play with Rover, and went below stairs,
and there sitting down, had hearty cry.
She believed Jamie was dying. She did
not know what to do for him. What should
she do? Why did not father come? I? Was
he deadP Then she thought. ''He will
come if he is alive. The children must
not see me cry" She wiped her eyes.
II must split up this table to burn.
She lifted the axe and struck piece of