Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-12

ndIuly SlIdHSc lndt slo grew udIu tuu
bitter.
Meantime Nabby had succeeded IN
starting the fire, and having changed her
dress, sat down to dry her feet until the
tea kettle boiled. But seven the rudy
light and warmth with which the kitchen
glowed could not send off the dreaIiness
of the night? The rain ''tapped with
ghestly tinger-tip upon the window
pane" and the wind howled and walled
around the house like the spirits of the
lost, pleading once more to be taken back
into human life and warmth. Such
wind stirs even in the happiest heart
vague sense of loss, Or change, all ofthat
which goes to make up the unsatisfac-
torres of life. Dead sorrows creep forth
from their graves on such nights and
stalk up and down the echoing chambers
of the heart.
Nabby coulo not help wondering
where Jos. all was tonight. 1t was so
lonely sitting there with no one to speak
to, listening to the moaning wind, the
creaking of the blinds, the ticking of the
clock.
Sand Thanksgivin' a coming" thought
Nabby. "a pretty Thanksgivin' I shall
have.'
The wind walled and walled, and Nab
by thought and thought. The fact of
having ''freed her mind" TO the Squire
relieved her long put-up indignation.and
now she felt more sorry than angry.
Up before her seemed to rise picture of
her life; the youthful dreams and hopes,
the change and d1sappointments, and
love turned into wrangling. She even
thought of JOSIAH with pity. For the
first time she put herself in his place, and
realized how almost impossible it was
to- ono of his weak nature to resist I'M
aided, the temptation which would cost a
stronger will no effort.
''I'm afraid I've been little too sharp
with JOSIAH thought she. ''I've sorter
took it for granted was saint, and he
sinner, and scolded HIM right down hill.
A nice saint am AS proud and high
strung as Lucifer himself. SOh, dearP'
sighed Nabby, ga pretty mess I've made
OF living. If we could only go back and
begin over again, seems to me things
would go better
Just then there was faint noise like
the clicking of the door latch. Nabb 7
started and looked around. And all wat,
still again-no one was visible. Yet
Nabby could not rid herself of the i'm
preston that some one was near her, tina
odd sense we have of another's lndividu
ality near US, though not present.
"There's some one hangin' round here
I know she SAID to herself.
Nabby was one who always met things
half way. Accordingly she walked to the
outside door, and opening it quickly,
peered into the darkness. There stood
Josiah-wet, sheep1sh, sorry. Once he
had started to go in, but his courage
failed, and he fingered in dubious hest
tation On the doorstep.
"Why won't you come in, Josiah, y
asked Nabby.
81 didn't know that you'd want me
Nabby,' replied Josiah, with all the
meekness becoming a returning prodi
gal.
''Want youa Of course do" sale
Nabby, heartily. ''Come right along in
I'm goin' to have griddle cakes for sup
per, and you must tend them while Sc
the table, Griddle cakes were one O
Josiah's weaknesses, and Nabby knew
it.
Josiah came in. If he ever gets int
heaven, probably his sensations will no
be one whit more delightful than the,
were now, as from the bleakness ant
gloom Of the night, the forlornness of hi
wretched wanderings, he came into tn
cosy brightness of the kitchen. and fel
that he was home once more. How goo(
the tea smelledi The fire roared ant
snapped. the tea-kettle boiled and bub
bled and bobbed its lid up and dow
and from tho griddle the savory odor O
the cakes assembled like homely incense
Josiah's face shining with mingled hea
and happiness, as he turned the griddle
cakes, was something worth seeing.
Nabby stepped briskly around gettins
supper ready. It seemed SO pleasant t
set the table for two again, to have some
one to appreciate her cooking. Tn
November wind might howl its wors
now. Its hold on Nabby was gone. Il
place of all the bitter sadness that hun,
heavily around her heart, was warn
feeling of happiness, of comfort AM
hope.
Ali the explanation they had was this
Josiah drew from under his shabby Goa
an exceedingly awkward and knobb
bundle.
"I've brought somethln' for you, Nab
BY" said he.
The 'somethin' ''Fundone, proved to b
very handsome britannia teapot. Tn
teapot might have known that it was
peace offering, with such preter-naturs
brightness did it shine and glister
Something in Nabby's eyes shone an,
glistened, toe, although she winked har'
and scorned the weakness of poke
handkerchief"
'Thans IYou, Josiah" she said, it's
regular beauty, and shall set lots by it.
Which, SO long as they understood
each other,was, perhaps, as well as
Josiah had made longworded speec
of repentance and reformation, an
Nabby another Of forgiveness. I wish
could say that Nabby never scolde
Josiah again. But I can't. However
"she drew 1t MIDI and there was
general understanding between then
that was only sort OF exercise mad
necessary by habit-a barking by NJ
means involving biting. And Josial
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