The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-03-11
WHAT KRISS DID.

drifts of snow were softening under the
full rays of the midday sun. Lottie
Carr. perched upon the front gate-post,
wished that the snow was all gone from
her garden bed, and that her viOlets
were in bloom again. Lottie's brother,
engaged with snowman just outside
the fence, did hot wish so at all. No,
indeed; snow had more charms than
violets for twelve year-old Zenas, and to
him. who had never known any girl
but his sister. it was an unsolved mystic
~ that Lottie should prefer the quiet
amusements of petting dolls, reading
story-books, and bOthering" with
flower seeds to his daring, boyish
sports.
1t was an odd little cottage where the
children lived, standing close by the
railroad track, with only the door-yard
and narrow road between. There
were three tiny rooms on the ground
floor and two chambers above. with
quaint dormer windows in the steep
roof. The upper front room had been
LOttie's as long as her father lived; but
since the cold weather had come on, al
though she was at first loath to leave
her coy chamber, she was glad when
the night wind howled outside to nestle
close to her mother in the warm bed
downstairs.
1t was very lonely in the little cottage
since Lot,ie's father died, three months
before. He had been sick for more
than year, and the little sum of money
that was laid aside in the bank before
he fell i'll was all gone now. and Mrs.
Carr looked ahead with dismal FORE
bodings of what the winter might
lring. They had never yet gone hum
CRY. and there was coal enough In the
cellar to last few weeks longer. But
the poor woman did not know where
the money was coming from to buy
more, and what wonder that she often
looked sorrowful and did not laugh as
she used TO, though she could not un.
burden her heart even to sympathizing
Lottie. God will provide. His prom
ises hold fast she would say to her.
self, and, reproving herself for her lack
of faith. she would lift up q silent
prayer to Him who never fails to hear,
and who will surely answer in the best
way. Then with a lighter heart she
would resume her work, stitching away
on the garment that would bring her
SO little when finished.
When Lottie went up to the village
with her mother. to fetch or carry the
needle-work to or from Squire OsbOrn's.
it seemed very lonely to 60 back to the
little house down the railroad track, a
mile or more from town, and she used
to wish she lived in the village where
she and Zenas could 60 to school with
other boys and girls; for their mother
had always taught them at home, and
Lottie wondered what going to school
was like.
Mr. Carr had been employed by the
railroad company, and the little cottage
had be,n purchased because it was
cheap and convenient to his work.
Now even Mrs. Carr thought if they
lived in town she might perhaps get
more work to do; but times were hard.
and nobody wanted to buy the place.
So She plodded on, hoping and trying
to belive that things would come out all
right.
There was q brother of Mr.. Cars
who had gone to California years be-
fore. but, although there had been no
unpleasantness between the two, let
tiers had been scarce and, after Lottie's
father heard that his brother had be-
come a wealthy man, he grew up to be-
lieve that pride must have come in
with his riches, forgetting that the two
do not always 60 hand in hand. After
a while letters and tidings ceased alto
gether.
In his last days, however, MIR. Carr
told his wife to write to his brother and
ask help if she ever needed it. Mrs.
Carr had written, not for assistance,
only telling of her husband death, but
though an answer had been hoped and
watched for, none ever come.
We left Lottie on the gate-post wat
ing for the fast express. She loved to
sit there as it went whizzing by, and
she would often wave her handkerchief
to the passengers. who sometimea
waved theirs in return; and once d
young man tossed to her an illustrates
paper. That day was a very bright one
to the children. for picture papers were
unknown luxuries in the cottage; and
since then, unless the weather was too
stormy. LOttie could be seen at her
place when the train passed, always
hoping to see the young man again.
"Zenas, there's the whistler ex-
claimed Lottie.
"Is it?' replied her brother, with
unconcern, busy in his work of fitting
a snow-pipe to the mouth of his image.
''Zenas Carr! shouldn't think you'd
make him smoke q pipe. Tobacco is
not nice. Papa said sou asserted Lot
tie, decidedly.
This isn't tobacco; this is snowr'
said Zenas, laughing.
Well. it means the same," argued
Lottie.
But both children forgot snow-men,
tobacco and every thing else just then
but the fact that the engine was putting
by. and Zenas waved his hat frantically
to the baggage-master. who swung
back reply with his own cap. For
some reason the train was moving more
slowly than usual, and Lottie could bet