The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-12-13

she proceeded on her aOund.
Accustomed as the pedlar woman was
to the inelemencies of a winters day,
usually severe that she was often dis
couraged in the prosecution of her un-
dertaking. But one of her most strong
ly confirmed habits was that of strict
adherence to her work, and to be able
to fulfill her promises to furnish
trimming for the wedding dress of her
pretty favorite, the belle of the settle
ment, and to administer remedy for
the cough of an invalid patroness, also
shared her concern. These purposes at
length were accomplished, and though
urged to rest over night, and tempted,
at one place, by blazing fires and rich
potions of warm mulled cider, and at
the other by overgrown turkeys, tower
ing cakes, and matchless transparent
jellies,in preparation of grand wedding
supper, when a wedding was q really
grand affair; she set out on the return
which she had compromised to her be-
nevolent scruples in the morning.
The shades of evening were closing in
when she came in sight of the dwelling
of which an apartment or two had been
granted as a temporary abode to the
object of her anxiety-a low structure of
stone, though spacious, and what was
called double house. There were no new
tracks in the lane, and those of George
had almost disappeared for though the
wind had lulled, brisk snow was de-
scending. AS she advanced she saw
that the windows were closely covered
with their curtains of checked linen,
which she had, herself, drawn over them
the evening before, as she remarked
them to be in the morning. The en-
trance door was unlocked, and when
she pushed it open she beheld her own
little basket as full as when she had
given it into the charge of her son,
standing on the passage floor within
reach of her arm. Her heart sunk, for
she felt that the boy had not entered the
house. She gave a hasty rap against
the inner door, to which no sound was
returned but the feeble wall of child,
that proceeded. The last embers had
died in the wide, stone hearth, and the
the snow flakes, which struggled down
the chimney, rested unmelted on the
few handfuls of gray ashes scattered
over it. The child delicate looking
lite thing, some eighteen months old,
sat upon bed that had been drawn
near the fire place, and with its blue
shivering fingers, stroked the attenua-
ted but youthful face resting beside it on
the pillow.
'Jane, my pretty Jane, what ails
you ?" asked the kind neighoor, trem-
bling with apprehension, as she ap-
preached the bedside. The child sobbed
anew, and leaned across the bosom of
its mother in a vain attempt to reach a
a chair which stood against the bed.-
There was crust of bread upon it, and
bowl that had contained water, but
now was filed with ice and cracked by
its expansion.
Margaret Margaret Wilmot!" gasp
ed the pedlar woman, laying her hand
upon the smooth, high forehead of her
she had named. There was no move
ment at her touch, no shrinking of the
pallid flesh, and the child covered af-
frighted down to the pillow as her shrek
rang dismally through the lonely walls.
She knew the rigidity to be that of death
and for many minutes she stood trans
fixed with intense horror. At length
her recollection returned SO far as to
prompt her to seek assistance, and reach
ing the horn which hung against the
chimney ,she blew itas signal of alarm.
The time seemed long to her almost be-
yond endurance, before the summons
was answered, yet not half an hour had
elapsed when three or four neighbor
men appeared.
''Dead, and frozen to death !" exclaim-
ed stout farmer, looking at the corpse,
and he grew pale and shuddered like a
woman.
''Frozen to death and in the midst of
us, the Lord forgive us all ~ rejoined
another, and he added in selfextenua-
ton, 81 never heard she was so low
near as live, or would surely have
looked after her. Your house is nearer
still, neighbor Slade, and you women
always feel for each other"
"God knows how much felt for her ~
exclaimed the pedlar woman, clasping
her hands; "a widow poor young