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

So Margis thought to- and with a
feeling Of envy she could not quito
control, she contrasted the dreary
prospect before hsrself-khs cold vel
come to a strange home. and her life
of Loneliness and toil-wfth Emmie' q
glowing description of the home love.
and luxury. and gsysty swaiting her.
But in o moment she pat away the
feeling and answered chssrfully the
questions Emmie asked about herself
Her little history was soon told and
Emmie ran on again With her over
flow of happy confdencss Mean.
while the party Emmis.aa deserted
wondered greatly over AsE ANlGf ,srolsagsd
absence and were very curious about
the little party with blue eyes Emmis
had scared up. as Tom expressedit.
The two girls were fast becoming
friends, for neither of them were
troubled with reticence, and before
ten o'clock Emmie had found half q
dozen little kindnsssss to do for Mar
gle. She had entreated her ss perso-
nal favor to eat some of the nice bis.
cult and cold chicken her own pretty
travelling bag contained, had produc-
ed bottle Of cologne, and assured
Margie it was better than water to
wash the car dust from your face.
Just put some on your handkerchief
and try it, and had watched with
much interest the color coming bright.
ly into Margie's cheeks during this
novel ablution. Then she brought
over the lovely Afghan Margie had
admired and proudly exhibited it as
her own work. In the midst of the
animated conversation that followed
concerning all manner of fancy work,
the train stopped at station, and
Leslie and George came in from anoth-
er car to announce in an excited way
that it was showing fast and the down
train had brought news that quite
heavy snow-storm had set in nearer
the mountains. The news seemed TO
create some uneasiness among Emmie's
party, and she returned to her seat to
discuss the subject, leaving Margie to
watch the snowdrops that went hurry
ing past the window, and to notice
how the brown earth was gradually
disappearing under q mantle OF white.
The train seemed suddenly to have
plunged into snow cloud. which
grew more dense as they advanced.
until earth and sky were hid from
view by the driving snow and the
sound of the car wheels seemed to
grow dull and mufae3. -
AS station after station was passed,
the reports of the storm ahead of them
grew more and mere terrible. Men
who stood on the platforms, resemb-
ling moving snow drifts, shouted cheer
full predictions to the passengers of
of You'll be all night on the road.
There's drift in Harris Cut as high
as your smoke stack, and you'll stick
there certain, and other things to the
same effect. The day wore away, and
the train orept heavily on, its speed
constantly decreasing and the stops
at the stations growing longer Mar
gies heart grew heavier than ever,
but fortunately her eyelids grew heav-
isr, too, and she began to fall into lit
tie uneasy dozes, with her face pillow
ed on her satchel. She was so tired
that even the prospect of being snow
ed up all night in deep cut could
not keep her eyes open. She fell
asleep even while thinking with dis
may that the town where her aunt
lived was twelve miles from the rail-
road station, and the mountain roads
would probably be rendered impassa-
ble for the carriage which was to meet
her. Emmie had said that q stage,
which ran from the station to -
vile regularly during the summer,
Had been chartered for the use Of her
party, although it had long ceased its
daily trips.
Margis wondered if they would go
off merrily and safely and leave her
to her fate She dozed off, dreamed
her aunt's carriage had overturned in
Q snow drift, and she was buried in
the snow, and started MP to find her
satchel fallen on the floor, q little
snow drift stealing in through the
window, and melting on her neck
and Mr.. Winston's eyes fixed on her
with a grave, curious expression.
1t was so embarrassing and ridicu-
lous situation that Margie blushed
crimson as she caught the gentleman's
eye, and then with sudden dignity she
sat up, united her brown veil (her
bonnet had all this time been suspen-
ded above her head) and brushed the
snow from her hair and neck. What
wealth of lovely red-gold hair rolled
down on her shoulder as she unfasten-
ed the ugly veil And what pret-
ty white hands they We're that
caught it, and wound il hurriedly into
a great knot at the back of her head !
Then she attempted to- close the
window more tightly, but with all
the strength Of both hands she could
not move it. She looked up in great
surprise as another hand was quietly
placed upon the window and the pro-
yoking thing slid easily into its place.
Mr.Wins,on had come TO her aid and
she gave him a shyly grateful look
from her dark-fringed eyes and a
murmured thank you. which ought
to have rewarded him well for his
trouble.
Again Margie dropped into an un-
easy slumber, and this time shs was
rnnsad from troubled dreams bY the