The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-01
LOUISE wISroN,s GIHLHooD.

The little town where the iirst
eighteen years Of my life were pass
ed, was in a lonely part of the coun-
try, many miles distant from any oi
our great commercial towns. | was
the oldest of family of six, and an
only daughter My father was par
ticalarly fond Of me, for | had not
only been pronounced the best scbol-
ar in Rosedale, but had for the last
two years taught our village school.
How dull and monotonous this
kind Of life was to me and how
many times | longed to get away
from il all-longed to go where |
could lead a fuller, richer life. To
nv father | would not for the world
have breathed these thoughts, for be
would not have understood me bat
my sweet, gentle mother was ny
confdant to her laid bare my
heart, and though she said bat little,
knew she secretly sympathized
with me
IL was one Of our oldest, longest
winters; and, although it was now
March, the snow was still lying on
the ground to the depth of several
feet. How lonely that winter had
beeo, and how ! longed for some
change. / did not care what; any
thing was preferable to the dull life
had been leading for the past two
months.
1t was late at night the rest of
the family had been in bed several
hours but feeling not inclined to
sleep, | sat quietly reading, when l
was suddenly interrupted by a loud
knock at the door. Thinking it was
some of the neighbors, who had been
taken suddenly i'll and sent for my
mother, without any hesitation 1
opened the door Great was my sur
prise, when, instead of meeting fa-
miliar face, | saw that it was an en-.
tire stranger, a comparatively young
man, but SO wrapped in furs that
bis eyes and heard only were visi-
BILE.
"Do not be alarmed, my dear
young lady; will not hurt hair oD
your head, but in heavens name al
low me to bring in my wife and
child, who, | fear, are dying OF
cold"
Without waiting to arouse my pa
rents, bade him bring them in at
once. A moment more, and be re
turned, bearing in bis arms a pale,
delicate woman, followed by little
boy Of some five years old, who was
crying bitterly with the cold The
lady was insensible, and i at frs,
thought life was extinct.
The noise of their entrance awak.
eHed my mother SIZE hastily rose
with rare presence of mind, and com
menced using the proper restoratiges
1t did pot take long to wrap her in
warm blankets, and put her in bed
and then for few moments we stood
by her bedside, eagerly watching
for some sign of returning life
! Her husband, too, almost beside
himself with grief. stood wringipe
his hands, and calling upon her il
the most eIdeariDg manner to arouse
to awake. and speak once more to
him
Bot angela did not die. AS We
stood watching her pale glow
spread over her face; there was /,
nervous twilebing about the eyelids
then the eyes slowly opened, apt
looking inquiringly about, sh,
would have spoken, but her husband
forbade ner.
1T is all right, love-" be said: "a
am with you, and we are among
friends, and you are too weak to tall
now.n
And with ber hand tenderly clasp
ed in her husbands, she soon sanl
into an easy slumber, from which
she did not awake till late the mex
morning 1t was then we learned
who our weather-beaten guests were
and bow they happened to come ir
upon us in so unceremoDious man
ner. Their name was Vernon
Their home was in London, and they
were on their way to Mrs. Vernon.
mother, who resided come six miles
beyond us, and VINO was i'll and hat
sent for them. They had come al
far as they could by rail. ant
were anxious to reach their destina
ton that night; SO they had taken I
private conveyance, and would prob
ably have succeeded in doing 80, ha(
it not been for the extreme cold. ah(
an accident which occurred just be
fore they reached my fathers humbl
, home.
The Eernors remained with u
for a week or more. 1t was som
days after that fearful night befor
Mrs Vernon was able to rise from
her bed. But those were hipp,
days for me, happy days for Us all
: My mother would have been kind I
) the poorest beggar thus thrown upol