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

wind howled through the deep cuts,
and the winter nights came stealing
on.
Margie could scarcely help thinking
it part of her dreams, when a voice
reused her with the words, we are
near -- station. l think you d
better put on your bonnet 1t was
her friend Emmie who spoke, and
Margie attempted to smile back into
the girls bright face, but she was too
bewidered and startled to speak or to
do anything but rub her eyes. Then,
with fingers that seemed fairly numb
with sleepiness, she tied on her bon
net, picked up her bag, and followed
Emmio and her friends from the cars.
She shivered with the plunge into the
snowy air which roughly and efFectu-
ally Weakened her. Some one put out
a hand to help her to the platform;
some one else called out, Come on,
John; we are waiting and she saw
that Mr.. Winston was again her help
er. He walked on up the platform,
and she looked around eagerly for the
carriage which was to meet her. The
cars whistled, and moved off up the
snowy track, and Margie was left
standing, lonely dark little figure on
the white platform. Snow everywhere
met her eyes. Snow on the distant
mountains that rose like white domes
into the sky, feathery plumes of snow
browning every dark pine tree in the
dim forests all around the little station,
great drifts of snow heaped in the mar
row road that plunged into the forest
and was lost to view; snow on the wood
piled along the railroad, snow on the
garing red stage that stood near the
house, and on the backs of the six bay
horses that were harnessed to it, and
that stamped and smoked as the flakes
gathered on them; snow under Margie's
little feet, and on her cloak, and in
her eyes, and in the air she breathed
And there was no carriage waiting
for her The stage.driver, who was
standing by his horses, shook his head
as she questioned him, and said he
didn't believe it would be possible for
a carriage to come from --ville in
a week.
She looked around the wide waste
of snow, and saw no house but the
little frame building which served the
purposes Of depot, store, and post Office
at once. A week in this dreary place
That was simply impossible. She must
get on by some means. Was there no
cart to be hired? No horse she could
ride to--villeH
The driver looked curiously at the
troubled, childish face Of the question
er, and shook his head again, No,
ma am there amt nothin' TO be got
about here, and 'twouldnt be possible
to 90 in, or on it, if there was; not
such weather as Mis ! am going
through if things hold together. That
is am going to take load of folks to
Col. Ben EIliott's, a mile this side of
--ville. don't see nothin to
hinder your going that far with them.
thought you were one of that crowd.
No, Margie WASH tone Of that crowd.
She was stranger to all Of them. She
had no right to seat in vehicle char
tered by them, and she could not ask
it as a favor. Besides, she could not
90 to Col Elliotts, of course. Was
there no place here that she could
stay in till her aunt sent for her.
Yes, the driver 's'posed' she could
stay at Mrs. Simmons. She was the
storekeeper's wife and lived in the
rooms over the store.
While Margie was making up her
mind to ask shelter of Mrs. Simmons,
quick step came over the snowy
platform, and Mr.. Winston's voice
sounded beside her
Excuse me. I did not mean to
leave you standing in the snow, but
went to insure your trunks being
taken off. There is very comfort
able room above the store. Will you
join the ladies Of my party thsre2
He spoke in such quiet, matter
4 Cfact voice, exactly as if he had
been appointed by the railroad com
panv To- look after unprotected ladies,
and war ,'pologizing for neglect of
dutv, and wa 30 perfectly gentle
manly and unobtI 'usive in his manner,
that even Margie's eA 'GesSive Pride ana
shyness could not take l,right AZ Deihg
thus dependent upon the care Oh :
stranger. She gave him another Of
those pretty grateful thank yo''S Of
here, and went into the little pass aSe
and up the narrow stairs he Pointe('
out.
A confusion of gay laughing voices
guided her to the neat sitting-room
where Mrs. Simmons was busting
about, very proud and glad to enter
tain Col. Elliott's daughters and their
friends. She made Margie welcome,
too, for she was kind, hospitable
soul, and something in the girls fair
face and blue eyes went straight to
her heart, she said.
She took her into tho company
room, the pride of her heart, which
adioined the sitting-room, and, giving
her water to battle her face, went
bacl, to the parlor again. Somehow,
the sound Of happy voices in the next
room made Margie more lonely and
wretched than she had ever felt IN
her life. Great tears FLASHED into
the basin of water all at once, and,
though she tried with all her might,
she could not stop crying. Three