Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-04-17

by single object. The barn appeared to
be half-buried, the coal l-shed was not to be
seen but the storm had abated. Her first
thought was of her father and Jack. Had
they reached H in safcty9 Her next
thought as she proceeded TO make fire,
was, what should they do for fuel There
was only that little pile in the kitchen.
She went down stairs. Every window
was blocked up. She made n fire 10 get
breakfast, and then opened the door. A
sheet of white faced her. She closed II
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
fuel enough to last during the day.
Presently she dried her tears and sat for
moment thinking. Then she got up,
lighted lamp and went about preparing
breakfast, drawing the table as close to the
steve as'possible.
Wien she went mp stairs the children
were awake. Jamie fretted and omplain-
ed of his head and his throat he coughed
and had fever. She told him 10 lie still
and she would bring him some coffee; and
she and Will went down to their meal.
She had determined what to do /; and af-
ter soothing jamie, and telling him to lie
still and try TO sleep, she gave viii pic
ture book to amuse him, and began her
preparations.
She must move up stairs and keep but
one fire. Besides the small quantity OF
coal, there was but little oil. Ali was dark
ness down stairs. The wind seemed TO have
blown the snow before il across the prairie,
and walled them in.
She carried bench up stairs, and set it
in the hall, and on this put her dishes and
eatables; took the baby's cradle and a
crock of milk up, (how glad she was she
had the milk, moved stand and trunk
out of tho room and put table in their
place.
1t was Il dreadful dreary day; and she
was glad when the time came to get dinner.
The difficulties of cooking on the little
chamber stove occupied her and Will was
immensely amused at the small table Off
at the door, and when they opened il Row
er, the dog, walked in. He had been left
down stairs and forgotten. Will fed him,
and he stretched himself beside 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 occu-
pied her attention all the afternoon.
She got supper ready early and put VIII
TO bed. She wasvery much alarmed about
Jamie, and frightened when she saw how
little coal there was len; not more than
enough, TO make a fire in the morning.
What should she dof They must have fire.
She went into the cellar and knocked a
couple Of barrels 10 pieces, and carried the
slaves up stairs.
She slept little, for Jamie tossed and
threw his arms out over his head, and the
cover of him, and called water wator -
every few moments. She had TO keep up
the fie for fear ho would get cold and
when daylight came, aud she awoke from
an uneasy sleep in which she had fallen,
there was only a couple of barrel slaves
let.
She must keep the children warm, and
she said To herself IL will do it IL must
burn up all the furniture in the house"
Dressing herself warmly, she again vis-
tied the cellar. There was an old barrel in
the corner she had overlook ed on remov-
ing some bits Of iron from it, she found
about a bushcl Of coal She carried this
up stairs, and with the slaves Of the barrel,
soon had bright warm fire, and good
break fast set out for Will and herself ia
mie was so Ill 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 unbroken snow.
All her energies this day were taxed TO
keep the fire going. She dressed Will 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 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 a couple
of hours. Jamie did no longer know her
he lay mutterng in delrum.
The morning dawned, and it was the
same as before. All night-though nearly
overcome with drowsiness and fatigue
she had watched jamie; bathed his hot
head, and put water TO his lips. II 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 the
kettle boil. After she had taken some cof-
fee and Will had eaten his breakf fast, she
left him at play with Rover, aud went
down s.ars, and there sitting down, had q
hearty cry. She believed jamie was dy-
ing. She did not know what 10 Dc
for him. What should she do? Why did
not father come? Was he dead? Their
she thought, "He win come If he is alive
The children must not see me cry" She
wiped her eyes. 81 must split up this Ia
BILE to burn"
She lifted the axe aud struck a piece of
the edge she heard Rove
bark again and again he barked. "Wil
is making him, and he will disturb JAMIE
she thought, and she dropped the axe anG
ran up stairs.
"Beckie, Beckie," called Win as sht
opened the door, "Rover is so fanny, h,
jumped up at the window and keep
wageing his tail anl barking"
A look out of the window showed hel
something moving over the prairie towards
the house. She could not tell what it wa'
for the showerlng snow that accompanied
it.
"Some one is coming some one is com
ingW she exclaimed.
As II neared, the dog sprang up an'
down, resting his paws on the window sill
and barking louder and louder, and VIII
stood beside him, making little springs AM
screaming.
SIT is father, Beckie! 1t is father -
!, | NXVa oa N oaa haut ,Ou in fha other rom