The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-06-03


turned to her compounds of fragrant
odors.
Slowly the afternoon wore away; the
pies and cakes and cookies disappeared
from the table and were replaced by
pans of crisp doughnuts and heavy
spherical loaves of brown bread. with
raised lines encircling them; with plat
ters of juicy meats, Drowned to the
critical point of perfection, and thanked
with dishes of yellow pumpkin and
white turnip and scarlet cranberry. As
the table became crowded these in turn
were taken to the storeroom to wait
the coming of the great day." And
still the tired and flushed mistress OF
the kitchen went on with her mixing
and tasting and baking.
The low, sullen line of clouds became
more menacing and crept on until they
had masked the entire sky. The wind
grew strong and was soon filed with
fine particles of swirling snow, but
Mrs. Barten needed not; time was toe
precious.
Its growing dark" she grumbled,
rs she slid more pans into the oven;
days are pesky short this time o. year"
1t was only when fierce gust of
wind hurled n cloud of snow against
the window that she looked up.
For the lands sake" she exclaimed
"Its showing m I'll lay dollar them
drafted children's out in it."
Hurrying to the door she called shril
ly:
Bob! Liza! March your boots in
here quicker'n lightning!"
Receiving no reply she muttered
angrily:
upstairs rumagin', most likely.
Seems with all my work they might
quit their didoes for awhile"
But when sharp call up the stairs
failed to elicit response she began to
look anxious Throwing a shawl over
her head she went out into the yard.
The snow was now whirling past in
binding sheets, and the keen wind cut
one like a knife. Already white drifts
were forming in the fence corners and
sheltered places. Objects dozen yards
away were becoming indistinct.
A thorough search of the yard failed to
show any trace of the children and she
returned to the house to decide on her
next move. She could not determine
the direction the childish feet had taken
and once out of sight of the house she
knew there was little probability OF
their finding their way back by them.
selves. There was no danger of their
being lost unless they wandered away
from the village, but Liza had scarcely
recovered from the measles and Mrs.
Barten had all the mothers horror of
wet feet and colds.
A smell of burning bread drew her
attention to the stove. When she re-
turned to the door she saw bent figure
coming up the path. A moment later
and the old woman stood before her
but now the ragged shawl was closely
wrapped around one child, while
another chung to her skirts, sobbing
bitterly The strangers face was full
of a wistful tenderness, but Mrs Bar.
ten did not see it. Assured of the
children's safety, her feelings under.
went quick change. Her child in the
arms of dreaded "furriner" In a
moment she had hurried the little ones
to the fire and was removing their outer
garments. What contamination and
disease might not Turk in the ragged
shawl and draggled skirts!
She was aroused from her reflections
by the entrance of her husband
'Nlorc wet feet eh?" he said, as he
drew chair to the stove.
"Aller's wet feet when there's any.
thing to wet 'em in" she returned
Then, after n moment, she added
"Hou go tell the old woman she car
come in to the FIRE. Beggars and young
'uns are enough to make folks lose then
wits"
Il passed an old woman outside the
gate" he said. as he took his pipe from
the shelf and began to fill it. If it's
her you mean, she's half down the street,
before this"
Then I'm shet o tibet trial." she
said, in relieved tone. "Some of the
neighbors will be sure n take her in >
All night long and the next day anc
night the snow whirled and drifteC
about the village. Then the sun came
out and the men and boys took THEN
teams and shovels and began to dig
communications between the houses.
As the paths became clear one neigh.
Dor after another sailed forth to GOSSIP
over the events of the storm.
At length some one mentioned the
old beggar woman, and then it was
learned that no one knew of her where.
abouts; nearly all had seen her, anc
most of them confessed that they ha6
sent her away with flea in her bon.
not"
One man thought she went toward
the Freeman house. This was de.
serted building just out of the village.
Without hesitation the men took thei,
shovels and began to dig vigorously in
that direction. And Mrs. Barten worked
with the foremost.
Lucky there's good fireplace anG
plenty of fuel in the old house." sale
one. The old lady can keep warm, but
guess she'll be mighty hungry"
When they reached the house there
was no sign of its being occuoied.
"She amt here" said the man who
had spoken before, as he threw oper
the door.
But he was mistaken; they found hel
inside. She was dead.-Kansas City