The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-01-02
Revolutions sweep
WHEN THE WOOD WAS OUT.
A New Years story.

Six o'clock of Sunday evening in n
New England village. Outside, the
snow falling silently and heavily; in
doors, stove, keeping all warm in Il
tidy little parlor. A stone, with its
black funnel stuck through the fire
board that covered the broad, deep, old
fashioned fire place, where our grand
fathers could afford to burn great, cheer
full logs, was not very enlivening
object; but Bessie Paige, sitting by it
and looking in through the open door
of it at the little bright-eyed Goals,
couldn't have looked happier if her eyes
had rested on mounting flames and
cracking wood
She sat with her head a little on one
side, and n dreamy, faint smile on her
lips, and in her eyes wondrous depth
of Joy.
Her brother, a boy of ten years, who
was coming lesson-book mt her side,
looked up into her face for moment,
and remembered q verse the clergyman
had read that morning "And they
saw his face like the face of an angel. "
Bessie went TO the window and
watched the snow. The boy came
quietly to her and stole his hand into
hers.
Glow thick it lies, jim; and how
mysteriously it comes, like our blessings
from heaven: and how it drifts. fast,
fast It blows to the west, Jim. Some
times I would like to follow it there, but
not tonight. | can stay here tonight,
and wait so gladly The pretty, soft
fingered snow %
She seemed to be talking to herself,
not to the boy. He looked up little
wonderinrly.
"You didn't use to like the snow,
Bessie"
She smiled and put her hand on the
boys head, looking into his face. 81
don't mind it tonight, dear. / have
such a dear, good brother to clear the
path for me in the morning. | don't
know what L should do without you,
Jim. You're such comfort. F."
CT shall be able to do more and more
for you, as l grow bigger, Bessie.
could take such good care of You"
81 shan't ask you to do that always.
jim" she answered, with another little
smile.
A sharp gust of wind blowing in
through the crack of the not very tight
window made the boy draw her away
from it TO the stove again.
CT can keep you from taking cold
now, Bessie"
Bessie stood on tiptoe TO look at her.
self in the mirror that hung above the
high. old-fashioned mantel-piece. The
late Mrs. Paige was tall woman, and
L 4 c., Il.
convenience when DIR. Paige brought
her home-his second wife.
DIR. Paige was one of those unpracti-
cal men of unstable talents, and by
some queer turn of fortunes wheel he
found himself and his books settled in
this little New England village, TO
preach, for n very small salary, sermons
far beyond the appreciation of his hear
ers, who, indeed, thought him rather q
stupid preacher, but loved him and bore
his sermons for the sake of his social
qualities and charitable heart. His first
wife, Bessie's mother, was city woman (;
pretty, delicate and cultivated, loving
her husband so devotedly as to make 1t
n small sacrifice TO her TO give up all
society Of her equals but his ; and with
a broad humanity and simplicity that
made her not hold herself aloof, but
find many warm friends among the ex-
cellent village people. And when, in a
few years, she passed away from among
them, leaving her little girl, only two
years old then, there was not one in the
village who did not count him or herself
chief mourner.
DIR. Paige's second wife was a village