The daily gazette., 1874-09-05

retrace her steps; she could not be far
| from the house.
| She wandered first in one direction,
then in another, but ut each step sank
deeper and deeper into the snow.
The short winter day was drawing toa
close; it was almost dusk now. A ter
rible dread took possession of the girl; &;
she trcmbled convulsivcly. Would she,
indeed, perish in tlc snow, and be
frozen stiff? She thought of her mother,
happy ut home, unconscious of her
child's danger She thought of
| Lystcr Farm, its warmth and comfort.
She could not die, she was so young
and beloved. Life was so beautiful,
death was SO terrible Surely she could
not be doomed TO such death. Then
she cried aloud for help; cried with all
the strength of one in deadly peril.
The wind mockingly repeated her cries.
Her strength failed her.
! Nellie now knew that no succor
could come. Tendcrly cherished dar-
ling rs she was, she must now die like
a homeless, friendless outcast, in the
storm. Panic-strickcn, suffering bit
terly from the cold, exhausted, stumb-
| ling deeper at every step, at length
|
as though it had been Il friend She
had dim idea that relief had come in
the hour of dire distress.
She threw her arms around it, kissed
il, as she would n living being; she did
not feel the cold SO painfully now, only
II little sleepy and weary. She tried to
repeat her prayers like frightened
child, but could not remember the
words. Then, with the pure cold snow
for pillow, Nellie Ross sank gently
into the sleep of death.
VIII Lyster's rest was strangely
troubled that night he fancicd several
times that he heard Nellie's voice cal
ling for aid and his mothers dist rcss
increased his uneasincss. AT break
of day he was ready to go over to
Mrs. Ross his pride was quite van
lquished by intense anxiety. He could
only think of his pretty, willful cousin,
lovingly. After all, il was natural she
should like admiration. She was very
lyoung she would grow steadier in
time.
He acknowledged to himself that
he had been harsh to her, but he would
make il all right now. Then he
thought of Nellie's surprise at seeing
him so early. The dimple face half
pouting, half-shyly smiling, that would
greet him on the whole, now that
his bad temper was exhausted, VIII
Lyster felt very considerably relieved.
The revulsion of feeling was terrible
when the frightened mother informed
him that Nellie was not at home. She
had supposed that her daughtar would
remain at Lyster Farm until the storm
had passed over. Will insisted that
some neighbor had found her and Ia
ken'her home. She could not be lost
in the snow within sight of home :;
still he was in an agony of terror.
AS he returned through the fields
) his attention was attracted by Il few
worl<mcn standing beneath II tree.
Their gestures denoted that they were
much excited With plying, awe
stricken faces, all drew back as he APP
preached, and VIII l.yster hcheld Il
sight which haunted him till the hour
of his death.
Resting placidly, with face npturncd
to the sky, and hands mcckly folded
upon her breast, no expression of pain
upon her marble features, and only
perfect peace, lay the girl he had hoped
some day would bccome his wife. No
more angry tiushes would crimson the
. pale brow no more coquettish smiles
would dimplc the tender mouth far,
and sorrow. Nellie Ross very soundly
slept.
"Heavcn help me, killed her ~ he
cried hoarscly
Then raising her in his arms, he cturn-
| a a. la,
borers were weeping for the blithc lii
tie maiden, who llldalwaysa smile and
/, Il cherry word; but the man who loved
} her best of all, the very light of whose
eyes she had bcen-was stunned by the
! sudden blow, and could shed no tears.
. He carried his unconscious burden in
, to the house, walking like one in II
, dream, without II word, and laid her
upon the bed,
The bereaved mothers wall of an
guish rang out clear upon the frosty air
Nellie's girlish friends lamentcd loudly
their companion, cut off in the bloom
| Of youth, the poor whom she had help
ed and comforted, mourned deeply ;but
, VIII Lyster neverspollc. But once did
he show any trace, when the household
had retired, his mother, alone, remain
ed watching beside the body. He came
to look upon the childlike face, calm
, in the silent majesty of death.
80, Nellie, Nellie" he cried, loved
, you so dearly, and killed you"
; Then resting his head on his moth
er's breast the strong man sobbed like
} a child. lie never recovered from the
| shock, but lived on, prematurely old
man; very grave, very tender to his
| mother, but rarely speaking, never smil-
: ing. He has remained II bachelor even
until now, for the sake of sweet Nellie
! Ross, slumbering in the grass grown
| grave in the country ehurchyard upon
2 the hill.
/ ---.-----
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