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

saying, Just as she used to say when
she was a tiny child, and wanted her
sweet mother to pity and kiss her
That thought brought the tears thickly
again, and Margie was just about to
put her head down on the little toilet.
table and give way to a burst of pas
sionate, despairing sobs, when a sound
in the next room attracted her atten-
ton, and made her stop crying to
listen.
Emmie's voice exclaimed. Girls,
please be quiet Leslie and Mr.. Win
ston are calling us.
Emmie apparently went to the door
to hear what they said, and a muir.
INJURED conversation between her and
the gentlemen followed. Then Margis
heard again, Yes, we will be ready
in fifteen minutes, or five, if you say
so. What did you say, Mr.. Winston ?
Oh, certainly there will be room
enough | am SO glad you mentioned
it. But you know the stage isn't
going to vile. However, that
doesn't make any difference. We
will make her stay with us till Mrs
Delaney sends for her.
So they were talking about her,
and planning a way out Of all her diff
ficulties for her. How kind it was,
and yet how their kindness panied
her. To be obliged to accept favors
from people she had never seen till
to-day, was so CALLING to proud Margie,
that she felt like running desperately
out into the snow, and going on, and
on, and on, till she should sink down in
some soft white drift and let the fakes
covered her up, and end her troubles
and her lite together. Then she was
shocked at her own wickedness, and,
with the sweet trustfulness of child,
she bent her head to pray for pardon
and for help in her Loneliness.
In the next room they seemed un-
conscious that every word could be
heard through the thin partition, for
Emmie was saying, Mr.. Winston and
Leslie want to know if we could give
Miss Hepburn seat in the stage. OF
course we can.
'Oh' sighed Addy, plaintively.
| suppose we must, but our nice party
will be spoiled. Won't it do, Emmie,
if we take a note to her aunt from
herP It's Mrs. Delanoey's business to
get hor to willie
Gracious, Addyl exclaimed EN-
mic, schoolgirl like. Leave the poor
child here, with no way Of getting to
willie for week perhaps What
are you talking about ? Mamma would
give us a good scolding if we did it,
wouldn't she Alice2'
Alice agreed that she would, though
she evidently hesitated to disagree
with the imperious, magnificent Addy.
How Margie's cheeks burned during
this conversation. Her drops Of
tears were turned to sparks Of fire,
and it was hard TO keep from con-
fronting Addy like a little insulted
queen, and assuring her that she need
not be at all uneasy, the nice party
should never be spoiled by her pres
encs.'
In the midst of her struggles against
pride and temper, bright, warm-heart-
ed Emmis came in to hurry her, and
to entreat, in her carsssing way, that
Mis-. Hepburn would take seat in
their stage and go home with them to
Clifton, from whence che could easily
reach her aunt's.
Margie yielded, secretly hoping that
the stage driver could be induced to
carry her on that night to willie,
and in few moments she found her
self comfortably placed with Emmie
and large basket containing lunch,
which Mrs. Simmons had struggled in,
on the back seat Of the stage. There
was any quantity Of room. for Leslie,
and Tom, and George Hardy pre-
ferred climbing to the roof, whore they
chanted college songs, and frightened
timid Alice by pretending to fall off
every five minutes, and Mr.. Winston,
after the first half mile Of the road,
took the seat beside the driver, Mr..
Gross (than whom there never was a
Jollier fellow by the way.)
1t was after sundown when the
stage left the station, but it was not
dark, nor did the night promise to be
a dark one, for, as Mr.. Gross said, 1T
would be full moon if it want for
them drafted clouds, and besides, the
snow made it light enough for any
man with head to drive, and he re;
peatOd his favorite expression, he
would get through if things held to.
,gsther.' So they rolled on, the stage
swinging easily from side to side, the
whee 10 crushing noiselessIy into the
soft snow, and the noble horses spring
ing forward az if they enjoyed the
performance, while from the singers
on the roof jolly chorus made the
forest echo for miles around. A very
pleasant state of affairs lift could only
have lasted. But the level stretch Of
road through the pines was soon passed.
and then came series OF hills, up and
down, up and down, each bill sleeper
and longer than the last. The stage
alternately plunged and rolled, and
its progress grew slower and halts
more frequent. And all the time
the snow came down in one vast blind |
ing cloud, which was whirled hither
and thither by the wind, so that it
seemed to come from all points Of the
compass, and actually, as Tom said, to
be showing up, at times.
III. ,,o,,tio,aar ~-ara no,g ohlioed In |