The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-06-19
THE ROANOKE TIMES. SUNDAY. JUNE 10. 1892.

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ag'in!' And with mind Mt rest and
conscience satisfied, Mrs. Barten re-
turned to her compounds of fragrant
odors.
Slowly the afternoon wore away; tho
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 encrcling them; with plat
tiers OF juicy meats, Drowned to tho
critical point of perfection, and fanlled
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 welt on with her mixing
and tasting and baking.
The low, sullen line of clouds became
moro mcnacing and crept on until they
had masked the entire sky. The wind
grew strong and was soon filled with
line particles OF swirling snow, but
Mrs. Barten needed not; time was too
precious
Its growing dark" she grumblcd,
as she slid more pans into tho oven;
days are peslly short this time O. year"
1t was only when a fierce gust of
wind hurled n cloud Of snow against
the window that she looked up.
For the lands sakcl" she exclaimed.
'lt's showing N I'll lay dollar them
drafted childrcn's out in it,
Hurrying to the door she called shril-
ly:
Bob! Lizal 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 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 knife. Already white drifts
were forming in the fence corners and
sheltered places. Objects n dozen yards
away were becoming indistinct.
~ 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.
Bartcn had all the mothers horror of
wet feet and colds.
n 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 n 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 n 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 dragglcd siirts
She was aroused from her reflections
by the entrance of her husband.
more wet feet, eh?" he said, as he
drew n chair to the stove.
"Allers wet feet when there's any
thing to wet 'e1n in," She returned
Then, after n moment, she added:
You go tell the old woman she can
come in to the fire. Bcggars and young
'uns arc enough to make folks lose their
wits"
Il passed an old woman outside the
gate" he said, rs he took his pine from
the shelf and began to fill it. IF it's
heryo mean, she's half down the street
before this
Then I'm shct o tibet trial" she
said, in Il relieved tone. "Somc of the
neighbors will be sure N take her in.
All night long and the next day and
night the snow whirlcd and driftcd
about the village. Then the sun came
out and the men and boys took their
teams and shovcls and beran to dio
communications between the houses.
AS the paths became clear one neigh
Dor afteranother sailed forth to rossin
over the events of the storm.
ut length some one mentioned the
Old bcggar woman, and then it was
learned that no one knew of her where
abouts; nearly all had seen her, and
most of them confessed that they had
sent her away with Il flea in her bon
not"
One man thought she went toward
the freeman house. This was n de-
serted building just out of the village.
Without hesitation the men took their
shovels and began to dig vigorously in
that direction. And Mrs. Barten worked