Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-19

pressed also to sit down and eat, she said
no, with many thanks, and begged US to
direct her on her way as well as we could,
which we did
Before she went she took out ner little
Well-worn aurse and counted her small
capital. She asked us what we thought
might be the railway fare from Banbury
to Leighton, and we told her as near as
we could guess. Then she shut her
purse and shook her head in way that
said she must walk it all. But being
pressed to take sore little help to make
up the fare tor this part of the journey,
she took it--not without reluctance.
Only once her courage seemed to fail
her. When my sisters little boy, rosy |
! little fellow. eighteen months old, sud. |
dedly began crying to go to her, she |
took him into her arms, kissed HIM, and |
cried over him, thinking, no doubt, of
her own little ones and their loneliness
at this happy Christmas time.
CHAPTER II.
POOR BERTHE.
If Kitty had not been the very best
| little mare that ever drew a wagon be-
hind her, she1 never would have got to
| Thornly station. 1t had gwen up snow
ing and the sun as shining a little. So,
as we thought there would be room
enough, coming back, [ was tempted to
brave the weather and go down with
Sam 70 meet the train.
For thirty years there bad been no
such snow storm known in this part of
the country. AS we drove along-if
should not rather cali it plowlng-the
corn r.cks showed ike SO many tumuh
Even the highest Indigenous cou'd only
be traced as long, sharp ridges, for the
snow had drifted against them till all
was buried save here and there @ tree.
There was . mile of common land, newly
enclosed, which we had TO cross, and
here where all was level, and the fences
were low, it was simply one great
stretch of white, where to keep the road
was no easy matten
Thanks mainly TO the necessity OF run
ming extra trains at Christmas time, our
branch line had with great difficulty
been kept open. The trains were run
ming, and the train for which we had to
wait was not more than "a quarter ot an
hour late.
Long before We saw them we could
hear our young folks. TnAy were chat
fling the station master, advising him TO
600 to jericho to slump up and to do
other things which certainly form no part
of station masters ordinary duties.
Driving home was hardly any easier
task than driving ont had been. For
though we certainly had our own track
to drive back upon there was the added
weight of five new passengers, which
even to Kitty was no joke or such day
as this. The boys, however, declared 1t
e splendid, and the more Likelihood there
was of our site king fast, the more splen-
did they declared it, the more GID they
were to jump out behind, and, under
q pretence Of pushing the wagon, roll each
other in the snow, and put snow balls
down each others backs. On our way
home we met two or three other vehicles,
and at all cross roads could see that
S heavy as had been the snow, it had not
been heavy enough to keep people in
for going oul.
d Home at last, just as the shades OF
night were falling rapidly, and just as
+ the freight began to redden the windo /,
u panes. Then the hustle of hands shaking
kissing, uncoatmg, and finger warming
p, Then the first general inquiries about
, school, and lessons, and prizes, about
skating and sliding. about home and
!. home friends. All these things were
o over, and the lads were sitting or stand
ing round the fire, while Helen and ]
y wore busy with our. decorations, twisting
wreaths OF holly round the pictures and
u mirrors, aud pr.cking our fingers til
s they bled in doing so. Suddenly Frank
called out to Helen: "But, aunt, where:
Bertie-I have not seen him."
ooh, he's asleep" said Helen; "youl
see him and hear him too by and by
Then, as if reminded by this, she left hel
holly-wreaths and ran upstairs to see il
all the recent noise had not walked him
In minute she was down again, ant
g said: "He's not in his cot; some of then
q have got him In the kitchen; rnn, Frank
q and fetch him
}, Soon Frank was back again, and back
u without the baby. Then the mother
e began to run about the house searching
e and to grow uneasy. One of the maids
e however, had been sent some half oul
:, ago to a neighbours, and was expected
a back directly. 1t was presumed, though
no one had seen her take him. that sht
had the baby with her. In few minute.
e she came inland knew nothing of baby
:; Berthe.
i Bnby BERTHE was eighteen months old
u and had just discontinued crawling anC
s taken to walking. His little feet were
for ever pattering from room to room
His little hands were for ever laying
n hold of friendly skirts and coat-tails
t His little legs were forever carrying hin
J. slowly up stairs and tumbling him dowr
e I!again, with much greater rapidity. Der
Il tie. in short, had just got to that age tina
P when in sight he was in overy body's way
o and when out OF sight he was cause O
constant terror lest he should come t.
d mischief. 1t was only when he was
e asleep that he was considered safe, anG
g that his nurse maid dared to turn he
S eyes from him. And now he had effect
q ually given her and all of us the slip
e At first, of course, we all of us. except
g Helen, made light Of the missing baby
being. sure enough that he would bt
e found in some ridicu,ously safe corner
; It is large house, with many spare