The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1883-12-20
ROSE BELLS CHRISTMAS.

ROSE BELLS CHRISTMAS.
Daintylace hangings. rivalingthe frost
work that would be on the window by
morning, framed in the fair face OF q
girl, who stood tapping dreariiy on the
window pane and looking at the Storm
and the people hurrying by outside.
Her face was c!ouded, and her gray eyes
had growna shade darker with trouble.
There was snow everywhere-under
foot, overhead and all around, hurrying
and scurrying into peoples faces and
lodging in the folds of every garment.
The traditional Old woman must have
been piuckiny an extra quantity of
geese-for the teathery fakes were dv-
ing hither nd tither, hiding all the
ugliness of the street under their dainty
coverings: making beds of down OF the
freshly raked piles of dirt still, on the
street; Spreading 4 snowy sheet over
side walk and giving ermine-liae edges
to door-frames and window lodges
pattering softly against the glass in the
prettiest and most provoking way to the
girl looking through them. 1t was q
sudden storm, stealing 7iftiy at the
heels OF Indian-summei-lik weather
that had made every one quote the Old
saw: "A green Christmas makes full
graveyard. and no one was ready for it..
With thoughts miles away, the girl stood
looking Sadly and dreamingly on, noting
everything, from the old woman bend
ing under load of wood on her back,
which she had literally fshed out Of
the lake, and which caused the girl. en-
shrined amid comfort and plenty, to
shiver and whisper, God pity the poor
this wretched night.' The poor old
creature with the burden on her weary
back, and burden in her weary heart
that would never in this life grow bright
er, passedsout Of sight. A!portly, warmly
clad business man brIskly followed.
wrapped in fur coat and gloves, his heart,
perchance colder than the shivering
form Of the tiny blue veined child that
jostled his footsteps as it was hurryirg
through the binding snow,yainly draw
eyed working women, tired business
men. sleek-iooking young America, and
naughty danes, hurried along in the
gathering dusk; Il ils-men whipped then
horses, glad that the days work was
over. and snow-covered police left the
city to take care of itself and sought the
warmth OF q barroom fire. Night closed
in. the lamplighter was running about
with his ladder, and presently the lights
began to CLEAN like stars in the dark
ness. 1t was growing colder, bur still
Rose Bell stood looking out on the night.
Presently couple under an umbrella
sauntered slowly along, and as they
passed in the light of the lamp she saw
the tail form OF man with beard so full
Of snow that he looaed q veritable
Santa Claus bent toward the girl leaning
on his arm, and though the girls face WIS
merry, and her answer merry one, Rose
knew That they were lovers, scarce con-
scious of the snow orcold, or OF anything
but that they we're together, h dden as
1t were by the storm. nd all the nearer
forit. The sight made Rose draw the cur
talns and sigh az she turned away, shiv-
erlng, to the fire throwing herself down
on the rug AMI burying her face IN her
arms.
Out on the lake the storm was fercer
than on the land. ana cold, cutting
wind was Flowing. The cold water OF
the lake heaven dark and merclEess, -
q disabled schooner drifted helDles "
about, every now and then the floating
ice grating against Der hull and making
the faintlng hearts Of her crew quake
with fear. Every hour the cold became
more Intense, and the ice was getting
closer and thicker near the shore. The
crew freezing almost in sight OF home.
What dreams OF warm firesides, of low
ing, faithful hearts waiting their com.
ing, must have filed the hours OF the
dreary night watch. What q night If
WAS to cling to rigging as the schooner
became we'lged and half sank be.
twee the ice the stiied voices will new
er tell.
The next morning the snow had
ceased to tall, and the helpless schoon-
er, with its crew still cinging TO the rig
ging, could be seen from land. As soon
as poss bic sturdy tug was got under
way and went putting fiercely, but slow
Nv cutting It's way through the ice. In
tense IS was the cold, a crowd soon
gathered on the shore. watching with
eager interest. No answering shouts
was heard to the cheerful halioo of the
men IN tug. Everything about the
schooner was still and motion ess. What
an age it seemed until the ting scanned
slowly back. Then the crowd rushed
toward 1t. and as suddenly fell back,
while the awful whisper passed from one
to another, Its the Merry Bell, and
every one on board stark deal, frozen
to the rigging" The schooner was only
a charnei house, and the people had
been expanding their sympathy upon
creatures who had been tor hours be-
yond 1t. Among the crowd waiting on
the shore Rose Bel had stood
tears and screams from waiting
wives and mothers, but she turned
quietly away, as one in a dream, and.
walking bllndly, made her way home.
She rang the bell, said nothing, to the
servant who opened the door. but
passed quickly to her own room, utter.
ing no cry, shedding no tears, and threw
herself into chair before the fire. Mrs.
Bell so found her when she came in a
few minutes later, and her own shrek
for help failed to rouse her dausl ter.
Unc"nsciousness is blessing oftentlmes,
and so it proved now.
With the return of consciousness came
memory. "Oh, mamr<a. the schoon
was the Merry Bell, aud all on board
dead frozenl He was tn come home on
it. Oh, what shall / do?" The blessed
tears came now, and caused the shrewd
doctor to nod his head wisely and wiis-
per to Mrs. Bell: She'll be all right
now" and quietly make his exit, Wien
in his buggy he confided to it or his
horse: "Hnmph! A lover at the bottom
ofthis; young Culbertson, too, suppose;
he is parf ou ner of the schooner. Good
fellow; sorry if he is gone; miserable
way OF dying, too; and that pretty girl!
Well. we'll! Get up, there, Dolly; what
are you about?" Then the good doctor
logged on tn another patient and forgot
all about il.
Nhnv