The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-01-30
.-SNOw DovND."
BY c. r. CI.INGAN.
PART III,

by c. +. CLINGAN.
PART II.
For moment my heart failed me.
The rumble of the stage wheels had al
ready died away: and there we wander
ers stood, miles, for aught | knew, from
human habtation, out in the bitter
winters cold, and without the slightest
knowledge as to when my aunt might
return. As | stood in mental debate. a
snowflake fell on my hand, and, looking
UP, saw that the air was fast becoming
filled with the little white messengers
from the clouds.
81 don't like this auntie" came in a
dolefu wall from Robbie at this mo
ment. i want to go home
"Poor child. He had eaten only few
cakes since breakfast.
"'Never MIND, Sister will try and get
in some of the windows, and get her
darling something to eat. SAID, making
an effort to peak cheertully, and try ing
as | spoke, 20 raise one of the windows
To my relief. it yielded; and, as it was
low, | had 10 difficulty in climbing in
myself, and lifting in r. bbie.
l went through the lower part OF the
house, and found everything painfully
neat, orderly aid desolate. In the
kitchen was one of those by-gone works
of art, Bay State stove. Besides this,
this room contained chair, a table, a
chintz covered lounge and an old fash
toned clock, the latter of which set 60
ing for company, then kindled fire in
the stove. When we were warm, | eA-
p ored the pantry fol something to eat.
Alas. for my auticipations of apple pies,
lttermilk cookies and long rows of milk
pans with creamy yellow ulface! Every
t ling was bare and empty. There were
piles Of picturesque blue crockery, en-
bellIshed with the most astonishing de-
signs, and all the other paraphernalia
suitable to the place, clean, orderly and
empty. had few cakes in my bag
which had bought for Robbie lunch
on the way, aid these gave him for his
supper, making up my mind that, in the
morning would trj and find the nearest
uei, hhor.
"Meantine, the slolt wiutry twilight
had CLOSED into car ness, aud the fields
Were alrt ad, white with snow. found
a piece Of a c,ndlr, but did not light it,
lest we should need it more at some fu-
tuIe time. s. | lay down on the old
chiutz sofa with r 'bbie clasped close in
my arms, and we both soon fell ;seer.
"Wlen awoke the room lay in a gray
twilight, while the storm still ragged
uriou>iy without. CIR, ping my way to
d window for a glance at the weather,
discovered tn. t tie window was bl ,cked
up with an embankmert of snow, and
that the other two were in similar pre-
dicament. small aperture at the top of
one of them letting in few rays of
light. Tnen, aud only then, did the real
horror of our situation present itself to
me. We we've in danger of starvation.
The house stood in hollow, and the
snow had drifted down from the neigh
boring hills, making escape impossible.
In my agony | had no hope that my
fife DIS would find us out; | had covered
our tracks too cleveIly. No earthly help
seemed likely to reach us, and there, in
the gray light of tie New Year morn
ing, fell upon my knees and sobbed out
a prayer 10 Him who sees us wherever
we are for help and forgiveness.
My Gears, | can never forget that
New Years da,. How Robbie be ged
tor food, ard |, half starved, had before
me the vision Ct the we.l-set table, with
all the dehcacies which always graced
our board AT home to vi ct my appetite;
how, when the wood was gone | broke
up the chairs and burned them; and how
the candle, Which / had l'ghted to please
K bible. burned low in its socket, and
finally left us in that semi-darkness
which never Frightened into noon.
IAN day long the Storm ragged .uri-
ously could hear the hollow moal of
the wind, and the sweep of the snow as
it drifted still higher IL; ainst the house.
| had little time for reflection, however,
for it tool all my ingenuity to amuse
Robbie, who, hungry and frightened,
begged constantly to be taken home.
All that long, wretched day told sto-
ries, sang songs, and played games with
him. while | comforted him and my self
ever and anon with the oft-repeatrd
fable: Aunt Dellah will come tomor-
row.
just before nightfall he fell asleep,
and walked restIessly up and down the
room, planning ways of escape from my
self sought prison But all my schemes,
on second thought, appeared impracti-
cable. To burrow through those drifts.
with Robbie i'll my arms, was impossible;
we should both perish. Had the house
oCoh WI GhCiC "ouiu udSo
been chance that soon Or late we might
hail some pas ing traveller. But alas! l
that only the roof was WISH
BILE from that standpoint.
"Long pondered over the embers OF
the last chair, racking my tortured brain
for a suggestion which might solve the
nro hlam of our daliyerenoa. lint in win
At last the GOODNESS of the atmosphere
drove me into the next room in search of
more chairs, or other conclusive mater
ial. This apartment contained, among
other articles of furniture, and oldfash-
toned bureau. Its trass trimmi 1.
cleaned I'll rough the darkness, and ar
rested my attention, and, obeying an i'm
pulse never could account for, opened
T.