The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-01-01
THREE SCENES.

A a AA--~----A ~ y -
IL Was the coolest, iciest morning
there had yet been in November, All
over the brown fields shone tie frost !;
the little ponds were skimmed over with
giittering flml: in the gardens the
vines long since .dead,, shone with the
cold smile OF coming winter. .a.siisi ~
But, withai, 1t was Q bright, shining
morning, and the smoke from the CHM
nay lay In the air, soft and beautifuL q
! The sharp ring of, an AZ sounded regu-
iariy from the barn.yard. 1t was
welded hy A boy Of thirteen perhaps,
but hmaIl for that age.l His Jacket was
buttened closely around him bis cap
pressed down upon rahis curly hair; and
his cheeks gIowed with the frosty air
and the exercise. - p" - ~
He had been cutting wood an hour I;
mean While, IN ths1hotse had arrived a
little girl, brought there by the over
seer Of the poor.fs Sho stood timidly at
ONE side OF the crate fire, the blaze
warming her chilled limbs. She hugged
an old cloak tightly about her, and re-
piled in. q low voice to the kind ques-
tons asked her by the farmers wife,
Mrs. wyllis. 40 i.s66s55 s's's p, .ssss5 =
The good woman was Questioning her
pretty closely as to who her parents
were, and especially her fathers name,
and why she had been left In the poor
masters charge; which the poor, shiv-
ering child seemed evidently desirous to
avoid answering. -.--------
Seems to me-" said q voice by the
door behind Mrs. Wyllis, off was you,
mother, l wouldn't ask her anything
more about her father" - y
Marjory cast look of thankfulness
toward the speaker, who had come in
unnoticed, aud who was the boy who
had been chopping wood. -. :.
~ You needn't interrupt me, Fred,
said his mother. "Of course l. want
TO know all I can about her parents.
But I1f Ieave it till she has taken off
her things." And then turning to the
girl she. said: Js
"WelI, l think you'll be very good
little girl; and I'll take you upstairs to
the room you'll sleep in; then you may
come down and help me-"
And Mr.. Wyllis led her of, and
shortly returned without her. t1,
Fred sat by the fire, his cap thrown
off, ms chin on his hand. He remained
thoughtful few minutes, then lifting
his hesd, he said: -
What did she say her name was
"Quite a romantic name--Marjor,
st. James" 49, 4T ii
who do you suppose she is, any
wayf 49, A<
MaUory, softly coming along the othe
room, whose door was half open, hear
her namd, and involuntarily parsed
az am sure I don't know,s Mr.
-Wyllis replied. shall try. to- sent
her to school this winter; you must b
kind toher, Fred, add treat her WE'LL"
Treat her welll OF course shall
] declare, she's got about the homeless
phiz reyer saw"
Hushp said his mother, lookin
with illconcealed pride at the hanc
some face of her boy. "You shouldn'
talk so.p t'.-A
The boy took up his cap and wen
back TO his chopping, while the girl i
the other room stood still for amomer
with q flushed face and strangely brigh
eyes; then she came quietly into th
kitchen and began washing dishes.
Fred had every inclination to be kin
and on intimate terms with the new
conner. King he was, but it did NJ
seem possible to be very intimate wit
the poor-house girl. Fred decided in b
own mind that she was the proude
piece he ever saw, and he was very muc
provoked with himself that he coul
not help liking her, for she certainl
appeared to csrs very little for him.
And SO things went on until one da-
after she had been at the farm about tv
ha haD
which efectually broke down the r
serve the child had striven to maintai
1t was warm, thawy day in Januar
Fred had been out in the meadow half
NILE below the house all the mornin
when his mother experienced an impe
ative desire that he should return to G.
upa pile of oven wood. Mrs. Wyllis d
rected Marlorty to run down and ca
him, and bring him back directly.
MaIjority walked sedately along d
path, through the woods that separt.
the house from the meadow; and on d
borders OF the low land, she paused al
looked around for Fred. She could n
see him, but she saw the prints of /
boots in the soft watery snow. The
was but little snow among the ire,
but she ssw the gleam Of black pools
water.
She plunged into the gloom, at fiji
following Fred's footsteps, which 5
could family discern. but soon she Ii
them, and could not find them aga
until, finally, she broke through tan,
OF horse-briers upon the bank OF lit
pond, In whose dark, stagnant wat,
she saw the boy for whom she had be
sent, his head thrown back, his han
holding fast to floating log of half-t
cayed wood, that barely kept him up.
Marjory, stood for one moment
covering her breath, and trying to
eide upon what to do. Fred looked
silence at her, an instinct telling b
that she would do the best thing.
). clasped her hands, and cried:
al will get long pole and reach
to you," and turned to find it, wh
Fred said despondingly:
....s I" You are not strong enough"
..saa But the frail little arms were m
cular, and seemed now endowed "
superhuman strength. With IN,
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