New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-01-08
want to take any boardera slong9 Mrs.

Post wants to bring Ter nick baby out for
the summer, and that young student on
the second floor back is Fostering me to
spend bis vacation with Us; but surely,
Hulda, you would not begin our new life
with boarders2"
"No, Magda, no." she said, with that
little melancholy, deprecatory, exasper-
ating smile of hers; and as she went
away she left the germ after ;,er OF rather
a bitter misgiving, which ripened into
full maturity when VIC got settled in the
old homestead. with all our household
goods about US. These deities wore
ruefu! and rusty cir. There was some
thing'out of joint. It was Time himself
no doubt. The tall clock in the corner
didn't tick in the old CHEEKY way, but put
Hulda in mind Of some weary jingle she
had read, with the one refrain of 'sNever,
forever-forever, never" never could
see, myself, the use of reading rhymes
either they are too silly or too grave but
Hulda had always been what they called
romantic. began to hate the approach
of moonlight night, for she would sit
out Of doors and run the risk of the ague;
and when the air grew chill enough to
have,a comfortable fire on the hearth,
Hu!da spoiled it ali by begging me not
to light the lamps, and there she would
cit in a blindman's holiday. I began to
get the ricketts, myself; and though l
wouldn't have owned to it for
the world. was sorry I hadn't brought
out with me Ms. Post and her baby, and
the.young student on the second floor
back. For one thing, hadn't enough to
do. Chloe did all the kitchen work,
Hulda attended to the bedrooms, and the
cooking that was left to me wasn't worth
mentioning. 1t was enough to break
ones heart to see the dishes come and 20
untouched and untasted. I would al
most have been glad to see that greedy
Marley come in for one hearty meal
! There was nobody to brew or bake for;
nobody to mend or make for; and, ali
me-! what bitter cry had one day when
[ stupidity stumbled into Bob's snuggery,
up under the caves If the garnet, and saw
there the broken fishing rods, the old
rabbit hutches, the bird traps, kites, mar
bles, and heaven knows what and all I
couldn't get the boy out OF my mind,
and began, now that 1 had plenty of time,
to think that might have been little
hard myself, and grew to wonderful
about the children of Bob's first wife that
Id given over to the clutch of Judith
Marley without one word to cheer o.
comfort.
The hard northern winter came on
apace. All the little brooks froze tight,
the tender green Of the larches and vii.
lows had given way to red and gold, and
at last there was no color or substance
left them but their skeleton branches
against leaden sky. The snow came
down in whirling drifts, and day in, dav
out, the clock licked the doleful refrain.
I got out some patchwork, but put it
away again-for VINO would inherit my
handwork?-and made up my mind we'd
have no New Years danties that year to
stare US dolefully out Of countenance.
Poor Chloe was getting dyspeptic already
with overlooking, and even her wool
didn't tighten up in the old vigorous
way.
1t was the third day before New Year
when storm SET in of hail and snow and
sleet, SO that it was all we could do to get
the dumb creatures about the place
housed and fed. When all was done
set the logs to blazing upon the hearth,
and happily kepta warm drink IN the
ashes for Chloe. who was still fussing
about the kitchen The wind roared
around the house, swinging the branches
of the trees against the weather. boarding;
and said l, "Hulda, God save any poor
creatures at the mercy of this storm to-
night"
u,,l1o
At that moment we both heard some
thing like human voice strained to the
utmost, and Hulda started to her feet
"Be quiet, Hulda,'I aid, myself far
from easy; tits only the shreaking of the
wind"
But again we heard the voice, and
again we heard my name. reached for
my cloak and hat, and buckled on my
rubbers, while Hulda stood trembling BY,
when suddenly the door flew open, and
great ust Of storm and sleet came pelt-
ing in, driving before it man and come
children he was budding before him like
sheep in a tempest. They were blinded
with the storm and half frozen, Tat the
boy dragged his sister by tie hand, and
poor Bob held the youngest child in his
arms.
"Don't you know us, Aunt Mage said
the little fellow. I'm Bob, you Lnow.
The wagon all broke down, and we're
jolly glad to get ho omc.' Here the lit
tie man began to cry, for his brave heart
was over burdened, and the child in Bob's
arms took up the refrain. Bob himself
was white as the snow outside and seemed
dazed and bewildered.
"see here, Mag" he stammercd out,
"1've brought the children to you to
board for awhile. EveIythings at
SKIES and seveps in the city; Marley 8