The herald., 1897-01-24


was very weak and languid. He kept
his eyes shut. coughing hollow and low
in pitiful way. but the lady was fuli
of talk and sense.
She made sure that Ellen and the boy
had reached their destination long before
the blizzard broke. She talked me dump
with her facts and fancies, though she
never eased the pain had in my breast.
She came out, as I begged her, to the
front door, but when she saw the snow
driving down in fierce sheets, and when
she felt the wind. which beat her against
the wall, she changed her tone and grew
less aggravating and cheerful In her
talk.
She never said me may" when I was
for going down to the coast guard sta
tion near by to let the men there know
how that a girl and a boy were out upon
the downs on night like this. /.
The houses broke the wind bit, but
'twasn't easy walking;. the railings
helped me along, but / ,bas as blind as
Samson with the snow. and twas half
an hour before 1 got along the 500 yards
to the coast guard station. One or two
of the men, like the lady herself. were for
making sure that all was well, but 9TH
ers, mostly such as had lads or their
own, thought otherwise, and these last
outweighed the rest.
In their souwesters, with lanterns.
out; they didn't say overmuch to each
other, but they told me they'd sure be
back afore long with news to ease the
poor ladys mind.
But it was late before they came, and
then 1t was not ease Of mind they
brought us.
They had been to the big house. They
had seen the master, but neither Ellen
nor the boy had been near the place. A
terrible hard walk the men had of 1t.
for the snow blew sharp and fine. like
splintered icicles, binding them; and the
gale was like "a mad thing believing
across the downs; twas no manner of
good to scour to the right or left, or to
shout in such a storm; you could neither
see nor hear. There was nothing Tor IT
but to wait. and waiting seems the hard
est way of meeting trouble.
The next day dawned at last, to see
the light come gradual in the east was
wonderful comfort to me, even tho the
wind kept high, and the snow still fell
thick, for the light would come to Ellen
IL the life was still in her. and by 1t no
doubt she would find her way home.
At the big house they had had an anx-
ious time of it, and the old master never
went to bed, but wandered from WIN
dow to window, in every one of which he
would set light; no manner of good,
but sort of satisfaction to him.
The servants went to and fro at the
back door and the front, fancying they
heard the ringing of bell, and fancydng
awful things that frightened them
But with the light came sense. and they
sat down much as usual to their break
fast, for, come veal come woe, meals
must have their way. The storm had
quieted down, and in the hush they heard
a tinkle, the tinkle of the bell for which
they had been listening off and on the
whole night thro'.
Before they reached the door to answer
it-and they went their best pace too
their master had 1t opened, and was
standing in the snow beside a scarecrow
sort of figure, with an odd, BLUSH, ,crazed
face. She was past speaking, but her
arms weren't past work; she held great
bundle in them. They took 1t from her,
for she tottered up against the lintels of
the porch; they took her by the hand
and tried to lead her in but she was past
moving too; she sank down at their feet.
The snow was thick on her bare head,
and drlfted on her shoulders and on the
folds of her dress.
The bundle was heavy enough for she
had stripped my cloak of her back and
wrapped 1t round the child. We never
knew nor ever shall know, how she kept
him warm and well thro the night;
however she did 1t. twas hard work,
even for her. Two hundred yards off
in the quarry. they found bit of her
frock caught on bush. and track,
where the snow hadn't drifted, of foot
steps that had done a deal of pacing
thro' the night
With the dread of sleep upon her, and
the heavy child in her poor arms, it must
have seemed long night to her; 1t was a
bit too long; the life hadn't much grip
of her underfed, overworked body; the
storm beat it out of her; she must have
died leaning againg the lintels of the
door They tried all they knew with
blankets and doctors and what-not TO
bring back the best Of her. but twas all
of no good.
She was buried today; twas beauti-
full funeral. Scores and scores in the
churchyard. Flowers, too, and crying
all round. Master Basil was there, and
his grandfather. They came in a carri-
age.
The old gentleman has took to the
child, and the times have changed for the
lodgers.-Newark Sunday Call. Copy
right, 1894, by Beatrice Whitby.)