The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-19

that January storm for years afterward.
Young people dated back to it, old in
habitants compared it with the memoir
able storm of their youthful days. The
snow lay for weeks full six feet deep.
Wild creatures, like foxes, wolves and
weasels, crept out of the woods, and
turning traitor to their instincts, sought
food and shelter near human dwellings.
Roads were impossible for weeks, rail-
roads blocked up for days. And not un-
til the spring sun unlocked the icy chain
of Plimmits' Creek Zone of the deepest
and most dangerous streams in the
neighborhood), did they discover the
scarcely recognizable remains of human
body wedged among the roots of sub
merged tree. Had it not been for the
red shawl that Rosamond Foster wore
when she left the farmhouse, her re-
mains could hardly have been identified.
But they brought her to the old Fos-
ter home, and Uncle Phineas gave her a
decent burial. From that moment, how
ever, be never held his head up.
"Iknow they couldn't convict me in a
court of law" SAID he. "But it's muir.
der all the same---it's murder. And I
didn't never know afcre how fond I got
to be of Rosamond. There amt no
hired help I've had sence as ever done as
she done. Poor Rosamond-poor little
girl! And it was me killed her!
They sent for the doctor but the doc.
tor shook his head.
sit is not case ofmedic:: e." said he,
"The man is not sick. He has some
thing on his mind"
"You don't keep medicine to make
a man forget, do We, squirrel" said lncle
Phineas, with aghastly sort of a smile.
"If we did, our fortunes would be
made" said the doctor. "No, my
friend, there is nothing in Pharma.
copaia to meet your case, worse iuck!"
So the solitary old man peaked and
pincd as the days went by, hanging
moodily over the handful Of fire, and re.
fusing to speak to the sympathetic
nelghbors that came and went.
But one day when The chestnut
trees were all in blossom, carriage
drove up to the door, through weeds that
had grown knee deep.
Company" said Uncle Phineas, with
side-glance at the window. "Iell 'em
to 60 away; won't see nobody"
"But you will see me, Uncle Phineas,
cried a CHEEKY voice. "You will see
Rosamondi"
Rosamond was alive and blooming.
with checks like her name. flower, and
blue eyes. Uncle Phineas looked at hel
with a troubled face.
"Rosamond was drowned" said he.
GLOW is this2 Are there two Rosa.
monds"
clear Uncle, I an so sorry" ex.
planned the girl. but never heard
unit, yesterday of the girl who was bur-
led in my name. met the poor thing
shivering on the road; she seemed to
have lost her way, and directed her as
we'll as l could, and gave her my little
red shawl to tie around her neck. Itook
the train to Scranton, and went to Jared.
I didn't know what else to do. And oh,
uncle, my hundred dollars has more than
quadrupled itself, and Jared's patent
steam-ssw is success. He is rich
man. and We can pay you now for all
your kindness to US when we we chill.
dren."
u reckon it won't take much to do
that" said Uncle Phineas, with grim
sarcasm "But Rosamond, ye've lifted
a thousand-pound weight off my heart to-
day. You'll come back to me, i,osamord,
won't you, desr9"
"For little while, if you want me-"
the girl said, blushing beautifully.
"But / saw George Hand at the depot
when ] got OF the Scranton train. He
was so rejoiced that was not dead-and
I don't quite know how it happened,
but have promised to marry him in
August"
So Uncle Phineas did not keep his
niece Rosamond very long after all But
the fact that she was alive and near him
was enough to give him new lease of
life. And on her wedding day the old
man actually relented so far as to give her
another hundred dollar bill out of the old
green chest that lie kept back Of the
cherry-wood bedstead.
"George Hand is a smart, forehanded
lad" sad he. "And Rosamond is
good girl-a very good girl" Yankee
BLade.