Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1892-12-24
"Why," he answered slowly. =
heard taFpin, sor,er.'
She was worried and troubled.


II saw face, woman's | think,
against the window" she answered.
"And she tapped at the glass l, did
frighten me little, but II must be some
poo. creature, cold and faint, maybe,
We must go out anG look for her
But John, who hated to leave the
warm comfort indoors, for the cold dis
comfort without, suggested that who
ever it was, would probably be glad TO
come in. But though be opened the
door and peere1 out and around, he
saw no one.
'.There'r n one there, Jane" he said
Then he added, curiously, "Did you say
you hung the lantern Oh the porchi
Well, it amt there.''
''Now, we must co. said Jane, de-
cidedly. "Some poor soul is out there,
and must be brought In. Set the lamp
in the kitchen window, SO we can tell
where to come back to, and we'll get the
/ other lantern from the barn Wrap up
warm, John. Ready? All right"
1t had taken them several minutes for
| preparation, and as Jane glanced toward
| the clock, 1t was with slight thrill that
she saw it was few minutes before
| twelve.
Like the lovers they had been fifteen
| years before, they stood upon the front
porch, hand in hand, and peered ahead
| Of them.
| Down the road, few lights from the
village glowed faint as a glowworm's
torch, but Ia the opposite direction none
| could be seen. Slight marks, partially
| covered, showed here and there. but the
white space seemed endless, looking like
white capped waves. The damp in the
| window threw its beams far out on the
road, and the snow, now falling softly,
| formed golden haze in the light.
The lantern was not where Mrs. Blake
had placed it, certainly, and they passed
to the side of the house. There, hang
| ing on the latch of the barn door, was
| the lantern.
|, Slowly, for the snow had drifted here.
they pressed toward the glmmering
| light, keeping their eyes fixed on it as
| If 1t were beacon. The snow around
and about it, the soft fakes falling over
| It, gave 1t weird, uncanny look, like
halo spreading indefinitely until loss in
| the whlteness around.
John shivered and wished he had
stayed in. but Mrs. Blake drew him for
ward. Some one had been here. Some
one had moved the lantern. In her
mind were the words, "And they fol-
lowed the star"
They reached the barn. unlocked the
lantern and John then discovered that
the door was not locked.
''That little scamp" he muttered.
"But as we are here we mays we'll see
if the critters are all right" And they
went in. Old Molly had been led from
| her stall, and was standing on the other
side. This so startled John that he
raised his lantern, swinging it from side
| to side.
"There there! john" said Mrs.
Blake. catching at his arm. ''In
Molly's manger. What is that7"
They drew nearer, till the light
flashed down on the fragrant hav beaped
| in the nanger. on which woman was
crouching, while pressed closely to her
breast was a little baby, fast asleep.
The mothers dark eyes CLEAN ID at
them questioningly; fear and JOY at
once showing in her face.
1.-The baby, John. A little baby IN
the manger," SAID Jane, in trembling
voice. "Oh, you poor girl Oh, Anna,
Anna, why did you not come to me at
irst7'
| treated wife, had tainted. John carried
the slight form in his strong arms ''into
the light out of the night" while Jane
held the baby-the baby glrl-pressed
closely to her heart.
4 short journey, but to the young
mother the change seemed like that
from death to heaven. To Jane Blake
| it seemed like realization OF the ever
new Christmas story. They, too, had
followed the light where it led; they,
too, had seen the babe lying IN
manger.
When Anna had told how she had
| tried to reach the house before dark
| how, when she did reach IT, her near.
had failed her, aud knowing how Mrs.
Blake had pleaded with her not %
| marry John Granger, she had feared he
entered the barn and laid the baby ID
the warm hsy-how she had passed from
one window TO another had airnos. en
tered several times-when al this was
| told the rest remained unsad, because 50
well understood by al. Anna, whom
:hey had all loved for many years, had
| come back 10 her home. Tha: was all.
| When in the early morning Mrs
| Blake and Anna arose aud began tae
daily work, Jane suggested that the
| BOYS room. which was nea.ei oy p!pe
| from the kitchen, would be bever
| place for the baby. - the cfad.e n
| which Jane and James mother had been
F. rocked, with It's solid sides ard good.ise
top Of mahogany. was moTe5 into the
| other room
| Jane smiled 70 herself as she heard TIE
BOYS bare fee, on the ahor overhead.
/ She imagined their star. oi surprise 3:
/ sioh. ~ .re cr-il% E..s she did not