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

counter fallen trees, which were broken
by the weight Of the snow and Law
stretched across the road, and which
required the united strength Of all
the men in the company TO remove
them.
The ladies meanwhile sat quietly in
the stage. never doubling the ability
Of Mr.. Cross to get throash,' and
answering the merry shouts Of their
escorts with laughter 40 gay. But
when three hours had been passed in
thia way, even Emmie, the merriest o {
them eli, become weary and silent.
and Addy -.oniy spcke 10 complain.
The middle seat, which she had chosen
90 the most comfortable, she now pro.
aouneed cold and hard. and Mareie's
kind offer to change with her was at
once accepted.
So it happened that when, during
one Of the long lalts, Mr.. Winston
came to the door and opened it just
wide enough to permit his voice to
enter, it was Margie who answered his
questions.
Every one is asleep but me, she
said, in low tone.
Very wise, he answered, with a
laugh. Why are you not asleep, too.
Miss Hepburn You are not afraid,'
No. But l cannot sleep. Is it
very cold out there ?
Not very. At least, We manage to
keep warm with hard work, he re-
piled.
i wish We could help you, said
Msrgie. i feel as ii it were SO selfish
in us to sit here warm and safe while
you are out in this terrible storm.
We are quite contented with know
ing that you are warm and safe.
Don't be troubled about u.s. for he
somehow guessed from her tone that
she was troubled.
Are We nearly at our journey
end ? she asked.
'Well-no. To tell the truth, We
are only little more than half way.
But don't be discouraged, he said.
Are the bor.es very tired p asked
Margis.
Rather. But they can pull us
through, l think. This is 9 dreary
Christmas Eve for you, Miss Hep
burn.
4 don't mind it, said Margie, quiet
ly. In fact it was not drearier for
orphan Margis out in the wild stormy
night than it would have been in the
shelter Of her aunt's house. Fire and
lsuPs csuuos make light aud warmth
in the heart, and the kindness of
strangers was better than the cold.
ness of her who should have been
kind.
We are stopping . long time Mr..
Winston said, TO rest the horses. We
have long hill ahead of us now. I'd
advise you to 20 to sleep, too
Then he closed the door, and with
q snort and plunge the six bays breast.
ed the waves of snow on the steep
mountain road. With many stop
pages, much shouting (which walked
the slumbering inside passengers and
. great deal Of prying at the wheels
with rails taken from Q fence, which
was fast disappearing under the snow.
the top of the hill was reached, and
the descent began.
That's over, said Emmie, in a re-
lieved tone, and she sank back amongst
the shawls and cushions for another
nap. The other girls were following
her example, when violent lurch, q
shout from the driver, a crash, and
the stage lay on its side in q gulley,
while the horses struggled like med
to escape from the tangled harness.
But Mr.. Cross, though standing on his
head Q snow drift, still held the reins,
and in q moment the frantic animals
were seized and held by three or four
pairs of strong arms, each busted in
obeying the drivers directions, Cut
the traces Cut everything that holds
them Darn them ! they'll have Us
over the bank in a second il you don't
When the horses were released, and
stood trembling and starting in the
road. the next care was to release the
terrified inside passengers. To do
them justice, the girls had behaved
like bricks. as Tom expressed it.
No one screamed except Alice, who
was thrown into Msrgis's lap, and
uttered shrek after shrek at first, till
Margie silenced her by . quick For
sake, don't scream. You will
only frighten the horses, and make
matters worse.
Leslie dragged open the door with
a breathlsss inquiry. Are all the rest
of you killed I don't hear anybody
but Alice And the peal
Of laughter that greeted this speech
assured him that no one was seriously
injured. But, though no one was
hurt, 1t was apparent that very seri-
Gus mischiefhsd happened to the stage.
When the girls had bsen lifted from
the vehicle, and stood laughing and
in two feet Of snow, Mr..
Gross walked round 1.-THE stage, and
came back to give his yer.
dict.
She's of the handle now, anyhow.
Things amt held together. Ladies,
I'm sorry for it, but We won't get
through tonight In the dismayed
silence that followed, he went on to
say You zee / hadn't counted on
having whole trees flung at the lead
ers heads, a. that one was that lies
across the road there. 1t skeered the
critters, and they slowed round right