The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-12-28
ROSE BELLS CHRISTMAS.

ROSE BELLS CHRISTMAS.
Dainty lace hangings, rivaling.the FROST
work that would be on the window by
morning, framed in the fair face of a
girl, who stood tapping drearily on the
window pane and looking at the storm
and the people hnrrying by outside.
Her face was clouded, and her gray eyes
had growna shade darker with trouble.
There was snow everywhere-under
foot, overhead and all around, h%urrying
and scurrying into peoples faces and
lodging in the folds of every garment.
The traditional old woman must have
been plucking an extra quantity of
%geese-for the feathery fakes were fy-
ing hither md 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; Speeding a snowy sheet over
sidewalk and giving ermine-like 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 a
sudden storm, stealing swiftly at the
heels of Indian-summer-like weather
that had made every quote the old
saw: ga green Christmas makes a full
graveyard" and no n was ready TO-" it.
With thoughts miles away, the girl stood
looking sadly and dreamingly on, noting
everything, from the old woman bend
ing under a load Of wood on her back,
which she had literally fshed out of
the lake, and which caused the girl, ell
shrined amid comfort and plenty, to
shiver and whisper, "God pity the poor
this wretched night'!' The poor cid
creature Nth the burden on her weary
back, and a burden in her weary heart
that would never in this life grow bright
er, passedleut of sight. AIportly, 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 hurrying
through che binding snow, yainly draw
ing the threadbare shawl closer. Weary
eyed working women, tired business
men. sleek-looking young America, and
naughty danes, hurried along in the
gathering dusk; milk-men whipped their
horses, glad that the days work was
over, and snow-covered police left the
city to take care of itself and sought the
warmth ola barroom FIRE. Nightfclosed
in. the lsmplighter was running about
with his ladder, and presently the lights
began to CLEAN like stars in the dark
ness. 1t vas growing colder, but still
Rose Bell stood looking out on the night.
Presently a couple under an umbrella
%sauntered slowly along, and as they
passed in the light efthe lamp she saw
the tail form of a man with beard SO full
of snow that he looked a veritable
Santa Claus bent toward the girl leaning
on his arm, and Though the girls face was
merry, and her answer a merry one, Rose
that they were lovers, scarce con.
scious of the snow or cold, or ofanything
but that they were together, hidden as
it were by the storm. and ali the nearer
FORT. The.sight made Rose draw the cur.
tains and sigh as she turned away, shiv.
0TlIig, ~ ttIS AiC UllIoWlLlS utTSCI1 OOWl
on The rug and bErying her face in hel
arms.
+ y
Out on the lake the storm was fierce,
than on the land, and a cold, cutting
wind was blowing. The cold water Of
the lake heaved dark and merciless, as
a disabled schooner drifted helplessly
about, every now and then the floating
ice grating against her hull and making
the fainting hearts Of her crew quake
with feer. Every hour the, cold became
more intense, and the ice was getting
closer and thicker ear the shore. The
crew freezing almost in sight of home
What dreams of warm tiresides, of Low.
ing, faithful hearts waiting their com.
ing, mast have filled the hours of the
dreary night watch. What a night i
was to cling to rigging as the schoone,
became wedged and half sank be.
tween the ice the stilled voices will new.
er tell.
The next morning the snow ha6
ceased to fall, and the helpless schoon.
er, with its crew still clinging to the rig
gine, could be seen from land. As soor
as possible q sturdy tug was got under
wav and went putting tiercely, but slow
Nv cutting its way through the ice. In
tense as was the cold, a crowd soor
gathered Oh OilS SliUlC. watching WILL
eager interest. No answering Shouts
was heard to the cheerful halioo of the
men On tug. Everything about tht
was still and motionless. Wha
an age it seemed until the tug steamed
slowly back. Then the crowd rushet
toward it, and as suddenly fell back
while the awful whisper passed from on,
to another. "Its the Merry Bell, an;
every one on board stark dead, froze1
10 the rigging" The schooner was onl,
a charnel house, and the people hat
been %expending their sympathy upor
creatures who had been Tor hours be
yond it. Among the crowd waiting OF
The shore Rose Bell had stood
closely yelled. There had beer
tears and screams from waitin.
wives and mothers, but she turned
Quietly away, as one ina dream, and
walking blindly, made her way home
She rang the bell, said nothing, to the
servant who opened the door, bu1
passed quickly to her own room, utter,
ing no cry, shedding no tears, and threw
herself into a chair before the fire. Mrs
Bell so found her when she came in {
few minutes later. and her " sbriel