The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-03-22

close about her, and with such anxious
looking eyes fixed on those blankets. But
now the obnoxious figure in the old shawl
moved on, and Miss Rachel could again
give her undivided attention to difficult
piece Of embroidery she was engaged in
making for a fair.
That very night winter began in earn
est. The north wind and the frost went
out hand in hand. They built bridges
over streams, made rocky roads, and
crept in here and there, unbidden and
unwelcomc They found their way to
Miss Rachel's chamber, but she got a
victory over them by simply reaching out
her hand and drawing over herself soft
comfortable.
The same unmerciful couple visited the
poor as we'll as the rich; they crept into
the cracks and crannes of the Widow
Barnes little house. She aWoke with
chlls creeping over her, and got up and
hunted about in the dark for Something
more to put over the two little girls in
the trundle-bed, who had once or twice
sleepily called out "cold :" She tucked
her shawl and their old sacks about
them, then snuggled little Bessi ie close in
her arms and ''wiShed for the day"
The frost and the wind had their own
az all through the following day. 1t
was a gloomy prospect for the night to
Mrs Barnes She had hoped before cold
weather set in to manage in som me way to
get more bed clothes. A fire all night
was out of the question. As a toriorn
hope, she put on her hood and shawl and
went, towards night, up the hill to Miss
| |, Il,
| There was the least glimmer of a pros
pect that she might get some plain sew
ins to do, or, "Who knows" she told
herself. but that Miss Whitaker will
say, Mis- Barnes, here is an Old comfort
able, if You can make it useful you are
welcome to it, Oh. if she only would"
and while the poor woman struggled up
the hill against the wind she was unCon-
sCiously connecting a suitable reply to
such gracious proposition.
Miss Rachel had an excellent habit Of
employing her odds and ends of time in
reading. BY means Of it she kept up
familiar acquaintance with old authors.
Tonight, after the lamps were lighted
and there were Yet few minutes be
| fore tea--she took a dip into "ThomsOn's
Seasons" She was Just reading
| See. winter comes to rule the invested year.
| Sullen and sad with all his rising train,
Napor> and clouds and storms.
lis done. dread winter spreads his latest
glOomS.
And reigns tremendous DER the conquered
year,
when the kitchen door opened and Mary
admitted Mrs. Barnes. What 4 he dayenIy
| place that room, with its warmth and
brightness, seemed to this other Woman.
Miss Rachel laid aside her book and gave
kindly attention to her poorer neighbor.
They talked about the weather, how very
early the cold had come on, how sharp
the wind had been all day, and W bat an
exceedingly cold night last night was.
II put everything could lay my hands
on over US and yet we shivered n our
beds" Mrs. Barnes said.
Then Miss Rachel suggested that the
house was probably open, and gave some
valuable advice as to the best method of
making doors and windows weather.
proof stop up all the chinkS, and
think YOU viii be more comtOrtable,' she
said and then added that she was sorry
she knew of no work for her 1t was
Nilllt ult " $-tl tlI lllllIS " ttp III lLC
winter time Had she not better try to
put out her children and 90 into some
nice family herself 1t would be great
deal better all round.
Mrs. Barnes got up hastily, then, and
said she must 90. She wanted to say
that if she could get work to do She could
take care of her children without help
from anybody, but something choked her,
50 that she could not speak. This was
the horrible thing that was always star
ing her in the tace-to part with the
children. Must she come to it, Just for
want of a little help over this hard spot /?
She pushed out into the cold and dark
ness, and went on her way, slowly and
heavily. 81 most hope she'll be cold
herself some time, Just to see how it feels, "
she murmured, half aloud, as she caught
the last glimpse of Miss Rachelis light, IN
the bend of the road. "Why couldn't
she let me have a couple Of old comfort
ables and pay for it in work | don't
want to beg, goodness knows, but Ill
have to come to it, for all see"
Miss Whitaker was not so hard heart
ed as she might seem. All the time
Mrs Barnes was talking, she was engag-
tl III tOllSulldllOu VIII utIStll DIS "
whether there was anything in the way
Of bedclothes that she could possibly
spare She did not wish to commit her
self, so she made no promises, but she
nwardly resolved that on the morrow
she would take a look to that end.
Accordingly. the next morning found
her with her head III chests and closets
amid piles of blankets and the like. 1t
was astonishing how many beds one
woman, who lived all alone, had to
provide for. That pile was for Sister
Martha's bed, that for Elvira's, that for
Brother Ephrains. Then, suppose they
should all come at once and bring a
couple Of children apiece they never had
yet, but then they might, and, if they
did, at least SIX beds would need to be
made ready; and, if the weather should
prove to be very cold at the time, why it
would take an enormous amount OF Gov
ering, and it was always best to be ready
for emergencies. Then there were Ger
tain quilts that she would not part with
| under any consideration, even though
they were somewhat faded. The "album"
quilt contained precious association of all
the Whitaker family. The ''Wheel with
in wheel pattern, mother peced and
quilted ''the birds in the air. she peced
herself, beginning at the early age Of
four. As for common comtortables, it
was needful to have a good many to
spread over feather beds and mattresses.
There it was done. Miss Rachel had
gone laboriousy through them all, and
yet, nothing had been found that was in
any way suitable to bestow upon the
Widow Barnes.
Dinner time came now and she put
them all awey with, ON see about it
some other time" Alb, how many good
things Satan hinders with that salve to
the conscience, "some other time"!
After the cold came the snow, pouring
out from the sky one ceaseless, silent
stream for three days and nights. 1t
piled itself in huge drifts in roadways,
hid the fences, and almost buried the
little house in the hollow. The widow
occupied her time in shoveling snow
before her doors and windows, lest they
should be buried entirely. Her thoughts,