West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-01-10
The Heart OF Ice.

The winter day was drawing TO q close,
and the bleak shades OF a snowy night were
setting in.
In the silent seclusion Of a deep and
lonely glen, far from any other habitation,
and some length from the public road,
stood small cottage, known as the Glen
Farmhouse, the property of Ralph Granite,
who resided there with his wife, nd had
done so for thirty years.
lie was cold, hard man-cold and hard
as the name he bore.
Mary Granite, his wife, was the exact re-
verse, with motherly face aud warm
and tender heart.
On this bleak night OF December, this
night of storm, wind and snow, Granite
and his wife were quietly seated in the
large, homely kitchen.
AT last Mrs. Granite, dropping her knit
ting in her lap, broke tho silence of the
room.
Il wonder where Alice is tonight,
Ralph?"
''What do you caro- where she Is, eh?"
roughly exclaimed the farmer, looking up
from hls paper with a dark frown,
"a night OF storm never comes but |
think OF my poor girl 1t was ON such
night as this that she left our home, and
tonight | have such a strange feeling at
my heart"
'Banish her from your thoughts as have
done-the disDbedent girl"
''Oh, Ralph, Ralph, it is unfatherly to
talk thus Remember that she is your
daughter, my child-the only child God
ever gave us. y
And tears came rushing to the poor moth
sr's eyes.
"What claim has she on us now2 A
=, I'll Il Il. a
shel" cried tho father, bitterly. "When
Alice disobeyed me by marrying that fop,
George Convey, / tore her face and me-
mory out of my heart"
'Alice was never a disobedient child
never, neverl' wept the mother "She
loved a man who loved her truly. She
came to you and told you all he, too,
came, and asked your consent, TO marry
Alice. What was your answer1 You re-
fused, insulted him, and thrust him from
your house"
''As I'D do again, muttered the farmer,
between his clenched teeth.
"Ihey were married in the village
church. went on Mrs. Granite, land took
the night train for the city two long years
ago. From thas time to this her fate and
where abouts have been mystery, and she
has never written to us"
''Yes, she wrote, said Ralph Granite,
his face growing still harder. "She sent
two or three letters after she went away,
but destroyed them the moment received
them"
"And you never told me-" Oh, Ralph,
Ralph, that was cruell"
''Not more so than her disobedience TO
her fathers wishes. Come how. drop the
subject"
Once more silence reigned in the farmers
cottage.
Ten O'Clock came and the storm sontinu-
ed with unabated fury.
The farmer and his wife took up their
candle, and securely fastening the door,
took their way up to their chamber above
the kitchen.
They had scarcely entered the apartment
when pitiful cry was wabted to their ears
from without.
MIR. Granite raised the window and put
his head out.
Whose therel" be asked, trying to
penetrate the darkness.
A poor wSmsn who has lost her way In
the night and Storm said the souowfn
voice.
"Where do you want 20 GOT"
al want TO reach the village, but I'm not
able TO walk any further Won't you givo
me shelter. Pray do-Only till morning l''
spoke the wanderer out I'm that awful
storm.
Poor thing !" cried GRANTEES wife 1'n
60 down and open the door"
'No you won't
And the farmer stayed his wife; then
said 20 the woman
You follow the road couple O. mile
and you'll reach the village. We don't take
IN wanderers"
He ,hut down the window, and his wife
fell into chair weeping
Ralph, Ralph !" she cried, through her
tears, ''yOur heart IL ice The poor woman
will perish !"
l. The farmer made no answer, but retired
le bed.
Man without a heart, sleep on, for Il Is
last night Of peaceful slumbcr that will
Il visit your pillow. The morrow s
n will bring 70 your house horror
n will blight, darken, and shadow your
- on earth IL will rend your icy heart
VAS never rent before
d the poor woman Of the storm,
was she Out on the lonely road,
now lay In drifts, and the wind tore
b, on, ber step faltered, she stopped,
li
k1ercc aowled the wind, heavier fell the
low, and on the roadside, started up a
lace; white as the snow that surrounded
u, We face Of the strange woman, rigid in
desth, IN her shroud Of snow.
horniRg dawned, with a blue sky, q
IL