The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-01-13

lie, tOO- lDtIc was tu0 O1u AouSS 1
cat, which Emma instantly apprO- |
priated-why, you could almost
hear her drowsy purr-and there
was Deans "mooses," ;" with their del !
icate branching horns, and pair OF
rabbits eating clover. and cunning |
creeping baby, and there was old
dolly herself, standing with dropping |
head and Topped ears-lazy dolly.
I'D know her anywhere" laugh
ed Joe. /
Charly laughed too, and fingered
her treasures lovingly. Her cheeks
glowed and her eyes were starry.
do you think they are nice?"
she asked "as nice as some they
have at the stores at Christmas time,
Joey?"
Nicer" returned Joe, in tone
expressive of great wisdom and ex-
perience; "a whole heap nicer"
"Well," pursued Charly, Il am
going to make all | can, and when |
get enough I'll send them to sell.
Mr.. Ringgold said they ought to be
worth half dollar apiece"
20, oh !" cried Joe, quite taken
aoack by this prospect of anbounded
wealth. "Whatll you do with SO
much?"
II know" put in Dean. you'll
get cured, won't you, Charly ?"
The quick tears sprang to Charlys
dark eyes.
"If can" said she, and she pull
ed Emma TO her, and hid her face in
the baby's yellow curls. Maybe l
can't"
"Mr. Peck said you could if you
could go to see DR.. Lester. He can
cure anything"
But it will cost great deal OF
money-maybe hundred dollars,
said Charly." "I'll have to make
two hundred of these, joey"
"Well, you amt going to wait that
long," declared Joe, stoutly. "Father
says Just as soon as this iarm pays
anything, he's going to take you to
Fredericton, to see DR.. Lester. May
be twill pay next summer; we are
going 10 have cow, then. And we
haven't been here long enough yet,
you know"
"Tnatll be real nice," said she.
"Now, after dinner. I'll cut some
more"
Il think its real fun," said Joe.
But Charly only shook her head
and smiled again.
Well, that dav passed and the
next, and all the time the sun did
not once show its face. The clouds
hung heavy, and dark came early,
and weather-wise Joe, with his nose
against the window panes, prophe-
sled q storm.
Il hope 'twon't come, though, till
father and mother are home" he
said.
1t did, however. When the chill
dren awoke next morning the snow
was falling steadily aud in large
flakes. 1t had grown very much
colder, too, in the night. Poor little
Joe's teeth chartered spitefully even
after he had raked open the bed OF
Goals in the fireplace, and built a
roasting fire. The wind came up
with the sun: it whistled and raved
along the bleak river shore in a way
that set the timbers of the old house
to creaking dolefully.
II don't believe they'll come to-
night" said Joe, when dark began
to fall.
won't they, Charly?
"Oh, Charly, won't 'em?"
"Do you s'pose wolf chased faith
er and mother ?" asked Joe, with a
dismal quiver, breaking in upon the
narrative of the Tiny Pig"
"A wolf couldn't catch our Dolly"
said Dean. quickly "she's toosmart
and big"
Charly laughed. For the world
she would not acknowledge that
such possibility had occurred to
her own mind.
Its the storm that keeps them, !"
she SAID, cheerily. 'It's dreadful
storm, you know. They'll be here
Tomorrow know they WILL"
But tomorrow came and went-a
long, dreary, freezing day, and the
fifth morning dawned. How bitterly
cold it was, and how the Wind whis-
tied through and through the house.
The storm had ceased. but of this
the children could not be sure, since
the windows were banked high
with snow, and when Joe tried to
open the outer door a white wall re-
PEELED him. Their store of provis-
ions, too, was nearly exhausted, and
that seemed worse than all the rest,
until Joe came in from the entry
with his arms full of wood and his
eyes full of tears.
That's every bit there is," be
quayered. "Oh, Charly, why don't
father Gomez"
"He will" said Charly, with a
brave. bright smile, though her heart
was like lead. Now, we'll be real
saving of this wood. and only put on
one stick at time"
Oh, how cold the room grew !
colder and colder while time dragged
on, and those last sticks were burn
ing slowly away. They ate their last
bit of bread then, and because Char
" said she could not eat. there was
very little more for Emma, Dean
and Joe.
But ice, though he looked visit
fully at the frozen morsels, was
strucE with sudden recollection.
"You didn't eat any breakfast,
Charly, nor any last night because
your head ached. Amt you hum
CRY ?"
Never mind" said Charly, cheer
fully. "I'll eat enough when they
come home"
The bread disappeared then to the
last crumb.
"I'm awfully hungry yet" said
Joe.
"So'me l." echoed Dean, with a
pitiful pucker. ''and l am most awful