Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-05-10

dow-pane and peeped out of doors, and, II
il was dark, it seemed very CHEEKY, and
not bit what Abby called pokcrish. y
red lantern was flashing along the road.
There was sound of distant sleigh-bellS,
and the wind was blowing pIerrily. \
sudden idea flashed into her mind. She
might steal ont of doors and run down to
Aunt Mary's, and no one would know 4
thing about it. She would wait until
grandma got asleep over her knitting in
the sitting-room, and Abby got settled
over her apple-peeling in the kitchen.
Then ii Abby missed her, she would think
she was in the sitting-room with grandma,
and if grandma woke and found that she
was not in the sittingroom, why, She
would conclude at once that she was in
the kitchen with Abby. And it was not
long before an opportunity favored her to
do rs she had planned. II was awfully
| cold out OF doors, 10 Be sure, but Bessie
ran very fast and did not mind it much.
Sometimes the wind almost took her
breath away, but what was that when one
had such delights before her? Then,
when she got under the hill out of sight
of the lights in g.andpa's house, Snd out
of sight of any house, she commenced to
feel Il little frightened and TO wish that
she was safe at home. If she had only
taken old Carlo with her, she would not
have felt so lonely. But still she trotted
bravely on and finally reached the little
lane which led to Aunt Mary's house and
past it through a stretch of woods into
another road. The lane WAS sheltered by
great trees, so that it was not so cold, and
Bessie's spirits rose again. Her hand was
upon the latch Of the garden-gate, when,
on looking up, she bcheld sight which
fairly curdled her blood with horror. 1t
was, in reality, Tommy's Jack o. Lantern
which he had just finished and stuck upon
the gale-post, hoping to startle his moth
er's servant-girl whom she came in from
milking. But TO Bessie, who had net the
most distant idea what it was, it seemed
like the head of some frightful, grinning
monster, whose mouth was already open
to swallow naughty children. She uttered
one loud, agonizing scream, dropped the
latch, and ran on toward the woods rs fast
as her feet would carry her. Not for the
world would she have gone through that
gate which was guarded by the horrible
thing. But the people in the house did
not hear her scream, for the wind was
doing the same thing, and she went on
and on; never needing where she went,
caring nothing for the darkness Of the
woods, conscious of nothing but the
dreadful fear that the monster was fol-
lowing her. She dared not look behind
her; she had not strength even to cry. In
some places the snow was deep, and the
effort she made in running through it was
very cxhaustiug for little thing like
Bessie. 1t was warmer in the woods than
out in the bleak highway, but still it was
bitterly cold; and it was so dark in some
places that she ran into the trees.
"Oh, what should she do? Wouldn't
she get out OF the woods soon and find
some house with good, Kind people in ii,
WHO would take her home to grandma"
she said to herself.
But it was 4 whole mile through the
woods, and that is 4 good way for little
girl to run on wild winters night; and
lust before she reached the end of it she
sank down quite exhausted in the snow.
She was horribly cold at first, and this
sensation soon passed away, sense Of
drowsiness stole over her, and she was
soon quite unconscious.
Athome no one but old Carlo missed
her for long time. lie did not see her
90 out, for he had been eating his supper
in the woodshed ut the time; but when,
not very long after she had gone, lie
scratched at the kitchen door and Joe let
him in, lie looked in ut the sittlng-room
door, and not finding her there, he came
back to the kitchen, mcditatcd for mo-
ment, and then significd his desire to go
out Of doors.
"Come here and lie down, Carlo; you
don't want to go out tonight. II you do
so, it won't be two minutes before you'll
want to get back again." demonstrated
Joe.
But Carlo persisted that he did want to
90, and that he wanted to go at once, too,
and finally Joe dropped his work and
opened the door tor him. II it had not
been boltcd, Carlo could have opened it
himself, for he could lift n latch rs well rs
any one, and, with 4 little patient effort,
could turn knob with his great, clumsy
paw.
"You won't find any tramps to bark at,
or any foxes to chase tonight, Carlo, and
it's as cold as Greenland, you foolish old
dog" said he, as Carlo leapcd down the
steps.
Carlo put his nose down to the ground
and snuffed at some little tracks in the
snow, then he gave quick little bark,
and ran out into the road and down the
hill OH brisk trot, every now and then
stopping bit to investigate the foot
prints, for the wind had drifted the snow
into them, and they were hard to follow.
lie paused moment at the gate Of Aunt
Mary's house, uttered growl Of con-
Tempt at the Jack o. Lantern, and then
ran wildly into the woods, and on and on
until he reached the spot where poor little
Bessie was lying. He licked her cold
face, he barked wildly, lie tore at her
clothes, but it was all in vain, lie could
not wake her. Then he tried to drag her