The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-01-30

SIN moment brilliant idea came to (,
my mind, and, selecting piece of
linen, CROPPED about in search of ink.
Failing to find this, | took dish of stove
polish as substitute, and with the aid
of a stick, traced upon the white cloth, in
mammoth letters, the word HELP
This fastened to the broom handle in
the form of a flag, and then, with fast
beating heart, stumbled up the sholt,
steep stairs leading to the attic, where
fortune favored my design by a gap in
the roof.
Through this opening pushed my
signal, the brushy part being large
enough to form it's own fastening. I'll Ell
| retraced my steps in a hurry; for tie
rats were scampcring about, and the
temperate was below zero. | paused ,ne
moment at the window at the bead OF tt e
stairs to look out on the universe of sky
and snow, then turned away heartsick.
| Oh. where was Aunt Delilah?
Il was destined to obtain the desired
information sooner than bad antici
pated On reaching the room below,
was engaged in replacing pieces of the
| linen which had scattered about. when
| was attracted by the glitter of some
thing metallic. 1t proved to be "a small
silver plate bearing an inscription. TAX
ing it close to the window, managed to
decipher the words:
DGLILAH SOMERSET
Died December Goth, 1870,
| Aged 50 years.
The date was about two weeks before.
The poor old lady's absence was at once
and forever explained for in my nerve
less hand | held he coffin plate, which
had been removed according to the Gus
tom of those days
| stood for moment petritied by my
discovery. Strange, shadowy shapes
seemed to rise from the corners of the
room and mock ME, while the mournfnl
walls Of the wind, as it swept around Il e
house, sounded like wild, inhuman
laughter. tried to move, but for time
was incapable Of doing so. At last the
plate fell from my hand with a silvery
clash, and fled from the room. Even
Robbie was comfort, and crouchng
down beside him, cried until fell
| asleep from exhaustion.
"Well. sometime-it seemed like years
afterward-I was awakened by the hoai Sc
barking of dog, together with the sound
of some one battling with the snow then
'nalloo.' was shouted in a clear, manly
voice.
"In an instant was at the door, tn,
ging at the rusty old bolts until my fiji
gers were torn and bleeding, while
screamed like one in nightmare. FL
nally pulled the door open. remem
Der being buried up to the chin in the
bank of snow which fell in, and that
mans head, clad in fur Cap, was COM
ing toward me from the other side of the
white drift.
We're here. We're here | cried
family; and then everything became in
distinct. | know that some ore rubb. d
my face with snow, and said, poor child
in an unfamiliar voice: but after that
every thing is blank | was delirious for
Sc, eral days, | was told, and came near
having IA fever i'll spite of the excellent
! | y..H I'm fri, dc
My flag, as | afterward learned, caught
the attention of young physician, as he
was returning home at night after visit
| ing a patient. He took Robbie and my
self home with him, where his mother,
dear old lady, took the best possible care
of us, telegraphing our friends as soon as
they could learn their address. The let
ter which had been sent advising us of
Aunt Delilah's death, had been sent to
my grandmother, it proved, which ac
counted for my ignorance of the news
her death. My step mother? Well, girls,
the first dawn of consciousness brougl
the sight of her face, while her te .rs fell
over me. Then and there We were CON
ciled; and she ever was to Robbie and
myself all that mother could be. Under
her careful training. r ,bbie grew up to
be the noble, useful man he now is; and
what We both are, we owe largely to her.
AS for the young doctor and his mother,
We kept up their acqu tintance, and-but
here are your papa and uncle, now. Go
tell Papa you have learned an adventure
of his early history, and ask Uncle Doc
tor if he has ever been sorry that spent
that New Years day at Aunt Delilah S."
M family can have GOOD bread unlasS