Daily Kennebec journal., 1878-06-01
(Continued from first psge.l

speculate over DIR. Wilder and Mr.. Til
any; they would doubtless find cut thei
error and get on the right road In time
before the snow thckened il was TO b.
hoped. II was beginning to snow. gen
ilv but STEADILY; presently | found tn
wind was rising. | thanked Heaven an,
Marcia for my umbrella. spread it aud sc
cured 1t behind us. Before long 1t wa
dark. Little Rose had grown yer,
quiet. was anxious concerning he
exposure to the gathering storm, concern
ing her solicitude. We were in hilll
country now and then a light twinkleC
far up some slope, but we passed nc
houses at all. Our hearts rose and fel
with the unwinding length of the rising
and sinking road. The snow still fell
and now 1t was drifting sadly; everything
WAS weird and strange; it WAS no Longer
possible to distinguish the way; | lett il
TO the instinct OF the horse he stopped
stone still at last, in the middle of hill
pasture, on the edge of the wood, unabl,
TO proceed another rod. | struck my las
match and looked at my watch it wa:
already half-past twelve.
There was 10 help for it, Here we
were to stay till morning. if we lived SC
long. l was full OF apprehension. and
although had done my Uest, was NOR
tilted to the quick. at is not your fault,
Mr. Ferguson" said Rose ,remulously. 81
ought not to have ventured it,"
"And you can't imagine what Mrs. Bur-
bank will say" | exclaimed recklessly.
She burst out crying. "Oh. what shall
| do what shall do p she said
got out and broke down the drift a
little before the horse, and then led him
cautiously within the wood.
How comfortable" cried Rose, be-
tween her sobs. "lt-it is almost like
getting bome.n
1T is the hearth of the great mother
said /.
II was going under real shelter; the
wind hushed. the cold softened; only the
great pine boughs murmured, and the
snow fell quietly. ! unhitched the horse,
blanketed him. broke such boughs as
could for his bed, and bent aud bound
others partially over him. And as was
doing il, heard voices. | listened, hal
looed, and the reply told me that the OH
er team found itself In exactly our posi-
tion. Crying that would be with them
directly, 1 went back 10 Rose. "Dr.
Wilder and his friend have brought up in
the wood, too" said j.
IL heard lhem," said she.
"And that is 50 much more cheerful"
'.Oh. not in the least, she said. Mrs
Burbank will never overlook ii, anyway.
Aad it will kill DIR. Wilder, too--lhat old
man IN this winter storm -
We'll, really, don't know that | am to
blame for his being here,n said.
"Oh, | didn't mean that" she cried,
starting forward. Oh, don't know
what do say-what with the disaster and
the ride and the worry. Don't-don't be
vexed with me-"
"Vsxed with you !" said l. ''How alb
surd - As if it were possible-the poor,
tired child. And by that time | was stand
ing in the snow close by her Rose" "
| began, drawing off one OF the small
otter skin mittens-''how cold the little
hand Is !"
"Oh. no, am very warm and comfort
able"
How cold the little hand ism and 1
pressed it to my lips.
She okitaway hastily. "No, no, no."
she murmured, "You mustn't speak to me
so-here."
Anu IL ~ WCIC HOt utTtE L CIItu, ,
Rose. you will never dare to 60 back to
Mrs. Burbank's now.n
She made no reply.
Then why not 20 home with mep"
go home with youp'' she repeated,
like some one in dream.
with me-" said. ITO stay with me.
Forever"
"Oh, you would never have asked me
If II hadn't been for this!" she cried. do
you think Lam so small so wiliu AS that p'
1t is my misfortune that we are here but
| shall not let you ruin your lite by our
dening you with wife you don't love-"
IL don't loveP" answered her-Heav-
en- knows what joy in my voice and
told the rest in the dark upon her dear,
warm dewy lips.
Five minutes later. Tiffany and had
pulled and tipped and lifted the other
sleigh, with the DR.. in it, to place close
beside our own.
my dear young friends" )" said the DIR.
with whom had now exchanged A few
sentences, "this is very sudden and very
surprising; but indeed as the son of nv
old friend, and as one who has been under
my care, in some measure, since her
childhood. / think may say quite the best
thing. Quite the best thing under the cir
cumstances. don't know upon whose
parish l may be intruding. but / think |
may venture, and as the State requires no
license, and we have witness And
here the old Doctors voice broke forth
under the sonorous arches of the wood in
the music OF the church service that he
knew by heart. We had heard Il lately in
the midst OF flowers and light and friends.
organ strains and bell notes; but here in
the solitude OF the forest, and the great
darkness. and the falling snow, as the
wedding prayer rang out, il was mex
pressiblya solemn. We felt as if grea,
spirits were the Company before whom
we gave and pledged our tro,t, and if we
did not kneel to the blessing, nevertheless
it seemed to fall upon our bent heads like
tender hand, as that voice clied ont
OF the gloom and shadow, The Lord
merclfuily with his favor look upon vou.
and fill You With all spiritual benedc,ion
and grace. that We may so live together
in this lite, that in the world to come We
may have life everlastingl"
Are you sorry. my Rgse?" whispered
And Tor one moment two arms thrown
about me, and little cold cheek on mine.
were more eloquent than words.
'