Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-12-23

bnen IVuR ago. anu July na0 tolQ ner
all about the long night and day they
had passed since father went away
and the snow began to fall. They had
been so frightened, and had had moth
ing to eat but some corn bread July
baked Oh the hearth, for she couldn't
reach the meat that hung on the raf-
tiers in the store room. She was so glad
when Mr.. Cross came, but she wished
father knew all about it, for he would
De frightened at their being all alone
in the house. Father had gone to
bring home little brother Johnny from
grandfather's, cause tomorrow was
Christmas, and they wanted Johnny
at home. She sposed father would
come early tomorrow morning.
Somehow the child g story filled her
hearers with vague apprehsnsions,
which none of them liked to give ut.
terance to. When Mr.. Cross came in,
Margie whispered her fears to him,
bat was met by the assurance that
Jim Bailey was a prudent man, and
WASH t likely to do nothing rash. He'd
turn up all right.
So they went on with their prepa-
rations for supper, and merrisr meal
than supper was. when it came, never
was seen. They appointed Msrgie
mistress Of ceremonies. as she had prov
ed herself more capable than any one
else of filling the position of house
keeper. and very gracefully she did
the honors
And just as they were rising from
the table, some one discovered that it
was twelve o'clock. and Margie, start
ing up, declared they must sing in
Christmas morning, and sing in the
open air, too, as Christmas carols should
be sung. So she opened the door wide,
and, 10! the fakes had ceased to fall,
the clouds were flying away before the
lulling wind, and on the bending for
est trees. and the steep mountain sides,
and in the wide valleys, the heaped
and drifted snow lay sparkling to the
moon that shone calmly down upon
the quiet earth, while here and there
in the sky large white star glimmer-
ed family forth, too brilliant to be
outdone by the radiant moon.
Then, on the crystal air, went ring
ing like chime of bells a chorus of
clear young voices in the sweet old
Christmas hymn
awhile shepherds watched their flocks
by night,
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around
1t was Margie who led the hymn in
a wonderful voice, so fresh, SO sweet,
and so full, that the others could
scarcely sing for listening, and when
the last liquid note had floated up be-
yond the stars, the listeners stood look
ing up as if there must be angels how
ering over them.
A long deep silence followed, which
Addv was the first to break. Going
up to Margie, her clear cheek flushing,
and her great dark eyes shining with
tears, she touched the young girls
brow with her beautiful lips, and said,
gently, Child, you make Inc love you
with your lovely voice
Margie smiled family in return.
She was bending forward listening to
some fancied sound that came home
on the ft:ul wind. Was it fancy?
She turned, and catching little July's
arm, drew her softly to the door.
July, listen, she whispered. Don't
you hear some one calling?
The child listened intently, fixing
her eyes meanwhile on Margies face.
The wind blew her black hair over
her pale little face, and tiuttered the
dark dress she wore, but still she lis
tened with that look Of painful, fright
ensd intensity, while Margie's hand
still grasped her arm, and she too lis
tened breathlessly for the expected
sound.
A picture for an artists eve was the
group in that doorway. Glorious i'm
perial Addy, with the soft light in her
eyes, her purple dress sweeping round
her and touching the snow at her feet:
fair little Margie, with her golden
bronze hair falling and glittering over
her shoulders, and a scarlet shawl half
trailing on the floor, halfclinging round
her slender figure. Behind these two
a flood of warm ligh; from the Christ
mas fire, glowing and sparkling, and
half revealing other young and grace
full figures in the background: in front
of them the cold glittering moonlight,
the wide expause of snow, and the little
pale, wistful child.
John Winston, standing outside in
the shadow of great tree, was smil-
ing TO see how fair it was, and was al
ready in fancy transferring it TO can
vas, when little July threw up her
head with the look of startled fawn.
1t IS father, she whispered hoarsely.
He is calling me With her tinv
hand held up for silence, she listened
again, and once, only once, from the
ravine, hundred feet below them,
came q low, wavering, wordlsss crv,
almost borne down by the light wind
that shook the feathsry snow from the
pines.
Dan Cross started up at the sound,
and with al! the strength of his power.
full lungs, sent forth shout that echo
ed far and wide over the mountains
and then paused for the answer. None
came, and little July wruns her hands
and sobbed in wild terror. .Itis faith
er, she cried. He 10 down there in
the deep snow. Oh please, Mr.. Cross,