Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-01-21
IN THE SNOW.
How Margaret's Gold Resolve
Was Completely Taawed.

L was hanging clothes on the line. l
detested If, and ] was getting furiously
angry Il was Intensely cold, my fin
gers, bundled up in great white mittens,
Were ike Jumps Of ice. my feet svInpa-
thized strongly. The wind blew and
tapped the frozen clothes into my face,
when my shawl was not flying round nv
head. ! knew by former trials how blue
my nose was. and how purple my cheeks.
If had been man ! should have said
something very strong, and dashed away
al the pins and the clothes in Z manner
thai would have demolished both. But
/ was only woman. ] only thought the
expressive phrases and fumbied careful
~ with Rly mittened icicles-
The porch door opened.
'.Margaretl Margaret
] turned round on the slippery snow,
and holding by the rope to steady my
self. i screamed:
What
Come in, r @ht away
But the clothes aren't half out, = ]
cried, in return.
Come in. Somebody wants to see
you
Aunt Margaret had hardly shut the
door before / was on the step I went
into the kitchen, half dizzy with the
cold and the heat of the room and the
pain of my fingers ] didn't expect to
find any company there, but the fire had
got low in the sittiug-room. and Aunt
Margaret had invited them to the kitchen
fire.
Close by the stove sat two people,
Young lady and gentleman, but at that
moment l saw only the lady-though /
had not seen her before since she was
grown, / knew her instartlv-ny cousin
Charlotte Leigh, from Boston. Ny first
sight of her gave me a confused idea Of
velvet and fur, and Of the handsomest
face ] had ever seen. all mingled with
an exasperating consciousness of the
state of nv own complexion and habili-
ments.
Your Cousin Charlotte, Margaret,
nv aunt said
Having managed to get one mitten
of, i advanced and put my hand in
hers
You viii excuse the GOODNESS of nv
greeting" ! said. abiding rather more
to nv fingers than my manner, for she
could not restrain a slight shudder as
our hands met But / ana not at pres
ent in nv natural condition. I'm more
than half frozen"
took off nv ungainly hood and
shawl. while Charlotte laughed gayly,
with certain childish manner that
quite enchanted me-
During the process of thawing, Char
lotte watched me with some interest. In
a moment she bent forward and took nv
hand. saving:
Now that the purple is fading from
your face. you begin to look ike the
Margaret ! remember. Let me present
nv cousin, Reede Staniels.'
& almost anv other person had spoken
like that. / should have been annoyed,
but in her voice / was not Reede
Staniels bowed gracefully to me, and i
looked al him for the first time.
He was slender. naughty looking
Young man. but when he smiled or
wished to please his face softened and
plowed. / had heard Charlotte speak Of
Reede when we were children together.
and a wear or two ago she had written
that he was in Europe / had always
had an idea that Charlotte would marry
her Cousin Reede, though she had never
said so. and her flirting proclIyItles were
alarmingly developed: but Reede en-
loved the privilege of first flirter-
As | became warmer / talked faster,
slightly annoyed all the time by the
presence of the young man, who had
risen and sauntered to the window. he
suddenly surned and asked:
lis this the village hotel opposite"
Charlotte laughed
..Do you intend to engage suite
there" she asked.
That depends" he replied, assuming
his indolent air.
lis 1t call or 8 visit?'' asked Char