The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-02-11

To this speech there were shouts of laugh
ter and drunken EXPLANATIONS. Frightened
almost to death the little unprotected one
hastily left the bacchanalians and running as
fast as her feet and fears could carry her. she
stopped not until all her strength exhausted
she fell PROSTATE in the snow.
Old Joe Blanchnot, as he was called, was
an honest water boatman; he made his living
by furnishing from his boat supplies of wa.
ter to ships and sea-going vessels, during
and his wife lived together happily. They
were without children, but very fond of them
Blanchnot was q rough diamond but a good
one; he had heart made up mostly of tears
and could not bear to hear of one being
pinched by poverty, without putting his
hands in his pocket while the big tears would
in accompanying response, fill his eyes. He
had retired early but was restless, dreams dis
turbed him and kept sleep from his weary
eyes. He knew how hard the weather was
out doors and doing he saw cold, cheer
less room, an invalid woman lay dying, all
alone. Then he saw little girl covered up
in snow-dritt. He went to her relief and
she was dead. Heawoke, his Newfoundland
dog was at his front door giving vent to un.
earthly howlings. Terror seized him. he
awoke his wife and told her God had directed
him to go to some ones help. He dressed
quickly, unlocked the front door then locked
it from the outside, first telling his wife to
build warm fire His dog met him with
manifestations of delight, and with pecu.
liar growl, led the way a short distance to
where lay covered up in the snow, save one
little bare arm, n child. Was she dead p
Blanchnot did not stop to inquire, but TAX
ing her in his arms, he ran as fast as his feet
would carry him, to his home which was
near by, where she was wrapped in blankets
and otherwise cared for Slowly she opened
her eyes, and the first exclamation that fell
from her lips was, poor mother"
1t was not long before she told her story
and almost instantaneously Banchnot and
his wife, armed with basket full of eatables
which she carried, and he with his arms full
of wood, trIdged along to the residence OF
the sick woman. Ii was not far off and when
reached they entered, told who they were
how the little girl was safe mt their house
and soon had cracking fire that made the
old room cheerful Under the good cheer
that was set before her, the invalid rallied
The wife of Blanchnot remained with her all
night. He next went to his home and after
returning with another amful of wood to be
used in the morning, went once more home,
and after providing his youthful charge with
Il comfortable bed, went to his own and was
soon sleeping as soundly rs an infant
The next day the frame house in the court
was tenantless. The storm had subsidized and
the sick one was removed to, and provided
with, n room in Rlanchnots own house
But tho doctor said her end was nearing
And she was so patient and Christian like
that the minister said, when going away from
her bedside, that he felt he had himself re-
cciyed comfort and consolation rather than
to have impaired it.
The storms of winter were over, there was
no more falling snow, the ice had disap-
peared. Bundy had forgotten the incident
which for time gave him some heart burn
ings The lights In the saloon burned as
brilliantly as ever at night, and n new con-
course of corners gathered there. Some of
those who were present on the night in
question, had been buried, filling drunkard's
graves, others had been warned by the land
lord not to come again. They had no more
cash and he wanted no bummers. Such is
the life of the saloons. Such its rules The
birds were singing sweetly in the spring
time, when room in Blanchnots house was
darkened. A group stood around an nvalid's
bed; she spoke, commended her little girl to
Blanchnot and his wife for their keeping,
and smiled as they promised TO take care of
her as their own. Then communing with
her God, she, without pain or cloud, cx-
pired.
The day was grand one when an unpre-
tentious funeral cortegc bore her with heart
achings to the graveyard and every sod that
fell upon the dark coflin-ld seemed to echo
hope. 1t was just after II gentle shower had
fallen that the precincts of the narrow home
were reached, and rainbow had arched the
sky and seemed to bend just over the head of
the grave. But this was not the only sad
procession that day. After the rainbow had
disappeared, and the funeral cortege passed
out of the cemetery gate, another entered
full eyes. The hack of Mr., Bundy's was OPP
posite hers. There was mutual recogni-
ton He bore with him the lifclcss form of
his daughter, followed by courtly pageant
ry.-Bdltim0le Presbyterian