Iron County register., 1904-06-09

| was Tor her good and Wnere ner 1u-
ture happiness lay. They were poor,
owning only the tiny house in which
they lived and a patch Of garden, to
which was added what they could
make doing modest dressmaking for
their neighbors.
Elder Samuel Burrows, 1t was not
incorrectly thought, was on the look
out for a second wife. 1t was sup
posed that the elder would have no
difficulty in finding a woman willing
to live in his handsome house and act
as mother to his boy and girl, aged re-
spectively seven and four years. 1t
was only gossip. as yet. as to whom
the fortunate second Mrs. Burrows
would be- He had called several times,
as the whole neighborhood knew, at
the Widow Turner's, and had taken
particular pains to smile upon Maria
Ellen whenever he met her out. Mrs.
Turner, therefore, had spared no op-
portunity to thrust her daughter upon
him, although the girl herself treated
him with bare civility and rebelled at
her mothers scheming
Thursday morning the ground was
white with snow, though it was not
deep enough to prevent Maria Ellen
starting out early in the forenoon to
walk to the village, a distance of more
than mile. She had an errand at
the store, and she was not one to
= falter at a mild snowstorm. Before
she started for home, however, it was
showing faster and when she reached
the open road that led from the village
out into the open farming country
where her home was situated she fell
strong wind in her face and founf
that the roads were drifting badly
But she trudged bravely along, for she
was strong and healthy, and she likef
the touch of the soft snow flakes OF
her cheeks. Walking soon began to bt
laborious, however, and she was not
third of the way home when sh'
!, paused, painting, and leaned for sew
eral moments against the crooked olt
rail fence that ran alongside the road
The ground had been in that hard
frozen condition that permits the fresl
= snow to pack down and make goo
< sleighing at once, and Maria Ellel
2 had just started on again when sh
: heard the Jingle of sleighbells behin
2 her. She stepped to one side of tn
( road to let the vehicle pass, when sh
2 heard a sudden "Whoa!" and hors
! almost rubbed against her as it stoppe
2 close at her side. She looked aroun
: and saw Elder Burrows sitting in hi
' fine new cutter. His face was rudd
from the snow and wind and beamin
la with satisfaction and good nature. H
le smiled genially down upon the gil
g. standing in the white drift and move
er to one side of the seat, holding up tn
Of buffalo robe with an air of invitation
W "Well, WE'LL" he said, chow lucky
happened to come along! Get right il
Maria Ellen, and I'll give you III
" toward home. I was going right yor
en way"
ne Maria Ellen had a suspicion that /
he hadn't happened along" at all. an
in she resented his familiarity in callin
her maria Ellen" as if he had a pc
so feet right to do so.
"Thank you," she replied, "but I
ad lust as soon walk"
it "Walk? The idea! l guess not,
all this snow" cried the elder, "whe
ne you can Just as we'll ride, all snug al
ly. warm. Come, come, hop in!'
And Maria Ellen stepped in. 81
We felt that she could not refuse witho
open rudeness, and, besides, she w
ia really glad of the chance to ride. B
nd as she sat down on the warmly Gus
he ioned seat and the elder tucked t,
ng robe about her she made firm resol
that she would not give him an oppc
ou tunity to say the words which she fl
to sure he was intending to speak.
at The horse sped along the cutter 81
smoothly over the white surface of t
road and the snow flew into the fac
1t. of the two behind the big fur rol
'as Maria Ellen held up her old-fashion
'de muff, relic of her mothers girlhot
It. to shield her face and eyes. The eld
lr- put his arm around her to draw t
do robe closer about her form. She dr'
~ away from him, almost with gestu
of resentment.
ost "What's the matter?" he said. ".
ow YOU want to freeze to death? I ca
ou allow that, you know. You're too p1
'Ws cious."
in He looked around, smiling down il
hh. her face.
lot. "How do you like my new rig?"
asked.
'rs "It's very nice, Mr.. Burrows
ihe piled Maria Ellen.
"Fine horse, that. How'd you II
ulu to have such rig to ride in wheneV
iei' you wanted tor
ihs "I--I don't know"
Don't know? Pshaw, I'll bet yo
''h' like it. And-er-say, how do J
eA- think you'd like to live at my house
oo He certainly was abrupt enough, q
his words fairly took Maria Ellie
NC breath. She was for an instant
frightened to reply.
at "Well, how would you, little girl?"
'io Then she found words.
ny "It is very kind of you to think
oaN such a thing, Mr.. Burrows" she
i' gan, "and | know you have low
home, and | think the children
W. very nice, and-and apprecitte
s1- but--Oh, I've dropped my muff!'
~ Either in her excitement, or as
,;na ruse to gain time and perhaps ca
rro the elder to change the subject,
10 had let her muff fall from her hal
- ,,' ~ into the road, where it was left SC
distance behind. He stopped the hol
,uo jumped out and restored the lost a
Gle to her.