The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-12-21
Selett StOrp.
LOVE IN A SNOW DRIFT.

Scene The departure platform ct
Kings Cross station Time go A. VI.
on a certain dull, cold 9Th of December.
The Scotch express Is getting up steam
great piled up trucks Of luggage are being
whirled madly by, yc, wiihal with method
in their madness, along the platform. \
little crowd IS besicging the books;all.
bawing boys are driving a thriving trade
in the morning papers.
4 maR-seTvaRi Of weather beaten aspect,
evidently an old soldier. Is waiting his
masters coming. with coats aud wraps.
outside first class sarrisge I, Is already
occupied by an ancient ccclcsiasiic, who
has reached the dignity Of alken hose. 4
lady in black, scarcely past her prrmicr,
isanssss and boy Of twelve or thirteen.
who treats the absent travellers impeli.
ments TO a close scrutiny, aud has time To
read the name, Colonel Pomeroy. IVES
sex regiment, boldly bla1oned in white
upon portmABtesa and hat box, before the
arrival Of their aSnsT.
He camc up at las; wish quick con-
handing tread 4 tall, soldicrly figure
with Close cropped bead, and keen EYES
looking out from under dart straight broEs,
which. ike the heavy noassschios, we're
already Iingcd with gray The man ser
want stepped forward. sslutBg. Every
thing IS IN, sir
His master frewned 'Isut there an
empty compartments, Cough p
No, SIR, the train Is very FUN this mora
nag. bus believs m0st Of them get out st
York, Indicating the occupants Of ,he ear
rage wish jerk Of his eiboS.
Very veil Give me ms ulster; is
bitterly cold
As the bell sounded he stepped into the
carriage, a figure clad from head 30 foot in
ruagh, gray fFssze aud, csehewiug the
neighboThoOd Of the old churchman, seated
himself opposite 10 The lady in black, whose
thick gussaraer travelling veil revealed httIe
Of her features The lad sat close beside
her, and II was pretty TO soe his boyjsh
deTOtion to his frail looking companion
who seemed full young to be his mother
Yea such was the relationship between
them.
Colonel Pomeroy settled himself in bis
corner with the deliberate attention to com-
fort Of an old traveller. exchanged his ha,
for 4 deerstslker cap. wrapped his ulster
coat aud carriage rag well over his le-s
aaiolded his Times, aud gave no more
Thoughts TO bis silent travelling comps mons,
who rarely, very rarely, exchanged a word
iei the boy sat with wistful eyes fixed
upon his mother, aud the mother. putting
oat a tiny hand took her sons within il
aud clasped il closely They were quite
free from observation. The Colonel was
absorbed in Randolph ChurehilFs latest
philippe, the eeclesiastic was occupied in
mentally arranging his moves at the
next Chapter meeting as the express rush
ed on hour after hour through the dreary
winter landscape
The Colonel put down his psper at last,
consulted his watch. aud reioiced that be
had run through already nearly four hours
Of his journey. I'VE are nearing York,
be said, half aloud Mother and son ex-
changed glanees, and drew, if possible, even
closer together. Colonel Pomeroy inter
I cepted the look, aud began 20 feel the
languid, half insOuieant interest in his fell
I low travellers which We take in the com
! i,sE.susEs VI a yary yfscTgzl irfs GssuEyys
The lady declined it with a smile.
Thank you, not at present. My son and
4 ] separate at York
The voice was sweet and low, and
matched well with the fragile form. 1t
/ struck some note in the soldiers memory,
and sent him into a reverie as he leaned
back with folded arms in his corner
/ Presently he took letter from his pocket
aud began to reperuse it. for in the hurry
of departure that morning the first reading
had been very superficial. 1t was in a
woman's hand, aud the pith Of it lay in
this paragraph
Jack and hope you will turn up before
the Christmas season is quite over. We
have not spent it together since those merry
days at Blithedale before poor Alison Kerr
unlueky marriage, when you and she were
the life Of the party. You know her
spendthrift husband is dead. But more
of this anon. When you come John wants
you to look at Ravensden, which is in the
market just now. Why don't you buy the
place aud settle near us? We shall neither
of us rest till you are married and as happy
as we are. know of just the woman to
suit you. She is great friend of mine
and | shall be dreadfully disappointed if
you don't fall in love with each other
directly you meet.
He folded up the letter with sigh,
saying to himself, inwardly: "No, no
Fool that | am Ny idiotic copstancy
stands between me and that sort of thing
Emmie is the kindest hearted little woman
in the world, but she'll never show me any
one to Danish lille Kerr from my memory !!
And he fell amusing again; reverie Sc
retrospective and interesting that it ended
only as the train glided slowly across the