Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-24
THE SNOWSTORM.

wind; then another kind of snow begun,
coming in large, starry flakes, floating
downward, like feathers, and alighting
upon the groUpd with all the easy grace
of something alive and conscious. The
snow did not content itself with covering
the beaten paths: having begun by melt
ing on the scar turf and the spring
hedges, it tnally chung there and heaped
itself up without respite or pause, until
the whole landscape disappeared under a
uniform mantle.
Toward evening of the preceding day.
the sky had Redeemed for little while,
and the banks where the drifted snow
made blue shadows became still bluer;
then the shllen gray shut down again
over the evening star; light fell gray
over the white earth also, blank and
gloomy day succeeded, and the little
namlets, not daring to stir from their
frozen torpor, wondered if the world
were coming to an end in the snow which
still continued to fall.
In the last house in the village street
the door was shut with a wooden bar; q
thread of blue smoke rising from the
chimney mounted straight upward in the
still air; the only light in the building
came from the garden side, where win
dow opened upon the court yard. Under
the great projecting hood of the dark
chimney two young people were talking
together, but their shoulders did not
touch, though they were alone, their
hands did not meet, their hearts did not
beat In unison.
"The old man has gone to town ?' asked
the young fellow. His sullen air was
probably not enough to express all his
bad humor, for he added to it morose
tone of voice.
"He has gone after medicine for the
sick cow" answered the young girl, "but
/ don't believe she will wait for it; she
may be dead by this time. How he will
scOld when he comes back"
"Why don't you go and see herr"
grumbled she young man.
She shrugged her shoulders. at is
not worth while can't do her any good,
and besides, it makes me feel badly TO
see an animal suffer. ] would rather not
look at her"
She bent her head sadly toward the
hearth, where a little fire of roots vas
burning, feeble and eager enough TO
satisfy the most parsimonious master.
They were silent for moment. A few
flakes of snow fell down the chimney,
shining in their fall with all the colors of
the prism, then extinguished in the ashes.
"When will be come back?" asked the
young man.
"At three o'clock. The stage leaves in
an hour, he cannot be later" said the girl.
"He will be here in half an hour" he
replied looking at the clock. "Listen to
me Melia, to tell the truth, I have some
thing TO say to YOU"
81 know what it is" said the young
girl, with look of pein,-you don't
love me any lOneer."
The young man, embarrassed, made a
movement of hesitation, then, returning
to his original idea he resumed with cruel
frankne7s: ooh, yes, l love you still; we
have been great friends, there Is feel
ing left"
"Oh, understand; you don't love me
az you did last st. Johns day; yoa don't
want me for sweetheart any longer."3
He got up from the honely bench and
took few steps back aud forth in the
room. "Well; no! it is true,'' he said at
last; eft is not my fault, love cannot be
forced
"That is not what you said when you
asked me to love you; you said that your
love for me deserved a reward, and that
ought to love you, 1 obeyed you, and now
you tell me SOUnSInlDE elS6.
Eyes, it is something else," said John,
growing more and more sulien. Zone
wants q sweetheart for a little while to
pass away the time-then, when the time
comes, we must do as others DO, and
marry"
Amelia arose from her seat with white
face, her eyes fixed upon the face of the
man who was thro wing her on, and who
lowered own hand urebIa IN hapr bar
gaze.
"Are you going to be married." she
asked Ia q harsh voice.
"Yes-my parents wish it, and I cannot
oppose them"
'And I?n
"Wbat? Your 1 didn't promise to
marry you in the end!" said the village
Don Juan, brutally.
"OG! no! You promised me nothing
she said.
"Then you admit it?"
81 admit It'll" repeated the young CIR!
sitting down again. Her slender little
frame was shaking even more with the
shame of desertion than with the grief OF
love scorned. 81 admit that you are
right not to marry me, since | am only
a foundling, brought up by charity, 6
servant today in the house of the old mar
who picked me up. Oh, no; folks do not
marry such a girl as l You are right
John. Your intended is rich?"
'sH'm, pretty well off," answered John
caressing his moostache with a satisfied
manner. Amelia was taking it we'll; thai
put him in a good humOr.
AID pretty"
Gas for that. only ro-so!" answered the
lover, scratching his ear. But we have
not had the wedding yet; that will not be
until Easter; il takes them so long TO ge
Toady. Meanwhile, little 'Melia-if yor
wiI-we can have good time few
weeks longer. You are pretty,-prettieI
than my intended. Indeed you are!'
He tried TO take the young girl By the
waist TO kiss her stained cheeks. STE
sprang back and leaning back agains
the chimney piece and looking at the mar
whom she had loved, she spat in hi:
face.
$50 away!" she cried, while the astound
ed John mechanically tried to wipe of
the insult with his sleeve, looking at he!
with protruding eyes full of rage.
"Get out" she repeated, cor I will Kill
you" She had picked up the fire shovel
and brandished it so near Johns facs
that he prudently recoiled toward the
door that opened into the garden.
"As you like" he muttered, ''as yo1
like. I didn't mean to make you angry
there's nothing to get III rage about
$50 away" exclaimed the girl ono,
more, but this time without any menace