The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1891-04-09

81 remember, f1eRTc, tne ~ uf1e u
showed here. Il has bssu eighs yesrs
ago. for the little Ons had not cpms 20
us then. I rernembsr 70 looked sun and
gray like this before the snow zen. " sid
Felice.
"Yes, remember, said Bebette, '1and
I would not cover my tahs. thinking 10
catch the rain thought was coming,
and the next morning were they not
beautiful"
"Ah, IL 10 30 beautiful. the nowr
ASKED the child. lifting up her little hand
that had grown 30 white and thin. ''asd
shall ever see it,
Surely, surely answered Pierre;
God IL good"
"win you not take your violin, sieur
Antoine, and tell me how thu snow
ooksT said Snow-white.
And Sieur Antoine played. Those
who knew felt the insudibis falling Of
the fakes, thicker and thicker, but gent
ly ~ the drawing Of . shroud- Sieur
Antoine kept his eyes upon the little
face. and he saw her waiting, listening.
Suddenly twang Of the strings and the
twist Of his bow sent oct q on the crisp
air the jingle Of sleigh bells, the sound
Of merry voices, and the child's face Wa
glad. But Sieur Antoine had forgotten;
with the sounds Of gladness there came
always for him the after note Of sorrow,
and he played ON and On In the minor
chords till the tears stood In the little
ones eyes, and Felice put out her hand
10 stay him.
All during the night that followed
there sounded in SnOw-white's dreams
the merry "snow music" and then the
sorrUw that came after H. win Il be
like that-and that she asked herself
While II was yet dark she heard below
In the street the muffied rumble Of cart,
AMI the cartman was singing. What
WIS it he said: As he came nearer she
heard in the mans deep voice, Wash
Ne and Shall Be Whittier Than Snow
She knew not what the words meant
how could she9 But over and over again
she kept saying the words TO herself till
morning broke and dsylight sh0ne be-
tween the curtains, pale and strange.
Something, she knew not what, sent O
thrill through the little weak frame and
eagerly she peered across the room 10
the streak Of light that showed.
'Maman," she called by and by very
softly. But Felice was by her side in .
moment. She said nothing. but pointed
with one hand toward the window.
"Ach, Pierra, Pierr-. the snow, the
snowT' shouted Felice. in her excitement
forgetting the little sufferer ON the
couch, who leant upon her elbow trying
TO see the street below.
did not say:" said Pierre. springing
to his feet. ''!Sar.ly God Is god"
Together they lifted the little ones bed
to the window that she might see, and
she, with full heart. could net speak for
joy; only her lips parted and her eyes
overran with tears.
Marta and Babette were not long in
Coming to see the little ones joy. and
Sieur Antoine tpn. only he did not tarry,
Int looked into the child's eyes and went
away to Pere Martin. They came to-
gether by AMI 10y. shaking the white
fakes from their coats and treadIng very
softly in the hall
.'S,e, the snow I1s come, father" said
Pierre, ''and she knew. the little one.
without seeing il, that il was come"
The little eyes Wen, lent only on the
window, where withCut the snow lay
white and soft DER str~t and housetop
far as the vision went, but the priest.
knecling down beside the led. took one
little cold hanl in his. saying:
''She Is very near to HOd now; he told
her."
"Thr snow has come" said the child's |
voice. Il knew it would, God told me-
Aye. Gud g. ID her. and drew her
nearer aud n":.rer to him, for with her
last hrraih ilr pale lips faltered out the
words she hal not understood Wash |
me and sh1ll be whittier than snow
The SNOW was soon gone and with II |
the little one, but TO the white vault that |
hears her name come often Pierre and
Fclice, burdened with the grief of their |
empty hearts Marie still sells her candy |
ON the street. but in her tray Is found no !
longer the dainty bits for the little one
Alone i'm the court Babette still scrubs |
and scrubs, but now, rs never Of yore.
the tears run down her round cheeks and |
ilrup into her snowy suds. The roses
blOoin and wither in Pere Martins little |
garden. and the orange blossoms fade.
AMI tie fruit falls upon the ground. Up
stairs in his garnet Sieur Antoine plays
EYER # the little snowfakes that glist-
mel in his yyay of the shirt that Ia
whittier than snow."-Patience Oriel in
Times.