Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-12-21

81 won't stir one step in this way; Ill
call the neighbors, she declared.
"Do, if you dare"
She was too afraid to perform her
threat. Then seeing she did not start,
he took her 10y the wrists, and she
found herself and baby out in the cold.
Sue crept under the wood-shed, and
sat down on pile of boards and cried.
Misery had shown her bold front be-
fore: now it overwhelmed her. Her boy
stirred in her arms and she wrapped
the shawl carefully about him. She sat
shivering. If some team would only
come by aud take her, Just as she was,
to her fathers housed She would spoil
the merrymaking, of course, but they
would not care for that. But no one
came. Everyone is happy hut me, !"
she thought, with suppressed bitterness.
What have / done to deserve it,"
All, there it isl Az if ali discipline
were an evil inflicted as punishment!
How many weak souls, in the depths OF
their gloomy experience, utter that cry,
unknowing that strength comes only III
the struggle to endure.
Her husband came ont presently and
looked the door Then he looked up the
road and down. She shrank into a
corner behind the boards; he did not see
her and passed to the barn whistllng
She heard him swear at the horse as he
saddled it. Then he mounted and went
off through the snow.
She crept out of the shallow. How to
! - tha He
would not be back befor noon she knew.
She tried the doors; they were all fast
ened. The windows raised with diff
Guilty from the inside; it was hopeless
task to open them from the outside.
Besides she could not put her baby on
the snow to make the attempt. His hit
tie hands were cold; he woke and
cried, and she wss 20 chilled to soothe
him.
At last she thought of the dining
room window. Beside it IVES door op-
ening on the piazza: 3 fragment of glass
had fallen from ono 81 the lower panes,
and if she could thrust her hand through
she might unbolt the door Mo- it was
too small fissure. A way she went to
the shed again, and she found a broken
barrel hoop with which she sped back
as fast as her benumbed limbs would
carry her. This happened to hit the
bolt ;she gave vigorous push and heard
il slide. She rekindled the fire and sat
down to think. After this experience
she must leave him; it was evident that
he wished it. But how mortifying to go
back sol Turned away by her husband
with SCOTS and ieers!
She dressed her baby carefully; there
was time enough. He should look his
best at the Christmas feast, if he was
the heir to an unhappy home. Then
she dOnned her own best garments and
made up a bundle to carry with her As
she busted herself thus her heart felt
lighter. 1t seemed to her as if she had
shaken off An incubus which had hither-
to weighted her with iron.
Come baby, We must startr" she
sang to the child, who cooed in return
and made dive at her bonnet with his
fat fingers.
She walked along the snowy road
with light footsteps until the first two
miles were passed. Then she began to
turn her heard and wish some team
would come along; she should beg a
ride But she saw none. The sky was
blue overhead, the sun shone brightly.
The leahess branches of the trees3were
freighted with soft snow which glistened
in the clear sunshine. The air was crisp
and cold, but still. 1t stung her cheeks
into rnddv flame as she walked.
1t Was hard walking. The road va,
indie ted only by plow hne, where
boots had been before her. The snow
covered her ankles, encrustIng her
stockings with considerable pieces, which
she paused from time to time to pick of
1t was pleasant day to those who
walked or rode for pleasure. As for
Many, the recollection of the morning
clothed her spirit with bitterness, dark
ening her whole future.
The short afternoon waned; night fell
ere she reached the village. Her faith
er's farm lay a mile beyond Her limbs
ached with cold and fatigue; her boy
cried; she had eaten nothing since NOR
ming. Her whole soul seemed poising
itself on the wings of despair.
Always when we think our last agony
is reached there ghmmersa respite be
yond. We cry out in our extremity and
make our frantic plunge, and lol We
have waded the brook. We grope along
blindly and it is only when we calm our
fainting fears to look back that We see
the method which has guided us to a
surer footing.
A light now became visible to the
stricken wanderer. 1t came from her
fathers many windows, ray after ray.
which urged on her weary feet Dis
tance shortened itself unaccountably
She stood before the door,
What plight she was iul Should
she spoil their sport? She looked over
the snowy fields and shuddered They
were playing "blind mans buff inside.
Peal after peal of laughter came to her,
cold and silent on the door-stone. She
was ashamed to go in-ashamed to say
that her husband had sent her so.
The door suddenly opened. Sarah 5
little boy looked out. and with a cry of
fear slammed it TO again. He thought
he had seen ghost.
How they started when she stepped
inside! Old and young thronged around
her, crying for sorrow at her distress
and for Joy at her appearance
| 81 have come TO sDend Christmass %