The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1885-12-24
ROSE BELLS CHRISTMAS.

Dainty lace hangings. rivaling the
frostwork that would be on the window
by morning, framed in the fair face Of
girl, who stood tapping drearily on
the window-pane and looking at the
storm and the people hurrying by
outside. Her face was clonded and
her gray eyes had grown a shade
darker with trouble.
There was snow everywhere
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 plncking an extra quantity
of geese-for the feathery flakes were
flying hither and thither, hiding all
the ugliness of the street under their
dainty coverings; making beds of
down of the frcshly-raked piles of dirt
still on the street; spreading snowy
sheet over. sidewalk and giving ermine-
like edges to door-frames and window
lodges; pattering softly against the
glass in the prcttiest and most pro-
yoking way to the girl trying to look
through them. 1t was sudden storm,
stealing swiftly at the heels Of Indian
summer-like 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 dreamily out.
noting everything from tho old woman
bending under load Of wood on her
back, which she had literally fished
out of the lake and which caused the
girl, enshrincd amid st 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
heart that would never in this life grow
brighter, passed out Of sight. A portly,
warmly-clad business man, briskly fol-
lowed, wrapped in fur coat and gloves,
his heart, pcrchance, colder than the
shivering form Of the tiny blue-vcined
child that jostlcd his footsteps as it
was hnrrying through the binding
snow, vainly drawing the thrcad-barc
shawl closer. Weary-eycd working
women, tired business men, sleek-look-
ing young America, and naughty
DANES, hurried along in the gathering
dusk; milkmcn 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 of
. bar-rOom fire. Night closed in, the
laMplightcr was running about with
his ladder and presently the lights be-
gan to CLEAN like stars in the darkness.
It was growing colder. but still Rose
Bell stood peering 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 tall form of the man with beard SO
full of snow that he looked veritable
Santa Claus, bend toward the girl lean
ing on his arm, and though the girl S
face was merry, and her answer laugh
ing one, Rose knew that they were low
ers, scarce conscious of the snow or the
cold, or Of ANYTHING but that they were
together, hidden as It were by the storm;
and all the nearer for it. The sight
made Rose draw the curtains aud sigh
as she turned away. shivering. to the
fire, throwing herself down on the rug
and burying her face in her arms.
=
Out on the lake the storm was liercer
than on the land. and cold, cutting
wind was blowing. The cold waters
OF the lake heaved dark and merciless,
as disabled schooner drifted help
lessly about, every now and then the
floating Ice grating against her hull
and making the fainting 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 were freezing
almost in sight OF home. What dreams
Of warm tiresides, of loving, faithful
hearts waiting their coming, must
have filled the hours of the dreary
night-watch. What night it was to
cling to rigging as the schooner became
wedged and half sank between the ice
the stilled voices will never tell.
The next morning the snow had
ceased to fall, and the helpless schooner
with its crew still clinging to the rig