Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-01-23

them up WIN Wuitc SiouuS, ""N
1t became yellow, and caused the peo-
ple who breathed it to cough ana
choke. and then 1t became suddenly
black with the blackness of midnight
katharine, let stay quite still.
Let us sit here and not move for rear
of losing him. This will not last long,.
1t was terrible fog; 1t was the well
known and historical fog when the peo-
pie could not attend the morning SER
vice, or, If they found their way
thither, they found that the fog had
filled the church so that nothing could
be seen except the nearest lamps, ana
If any were in the streets they either
stayed where they happened to be. or
they rambled miserably about losing
themselves.
1t was not until 3 o'clock next morn
ing that it cleared away. and people
were able to look about again. and to
see the clear sky set with stars. and
the ghosts all flying away, and once
more to hope.
BY that time, as you will see, 1t was
too late for Katharine and for Lily.
They sat on their bench for an hour,
hoping that Dittmer would grope his
way back to them, with news from the
baker.
He was on his way back to them.
with the best Of news. But the fog fell
Jpn him, as upon all the rest of the
town, and caused him to stop and con.
sider He who in a black fog stops to
consider is lost, for he turns round and
instantly eorgets the direction in which
he was walking. Dittmer Book dia
this, and instead of marching straight
toward st. James Park, which was
not far from the bakers, and In a
southwesterly direction. he turned
north and walked off resolutely in the
direction of Edinburgh. So that when
the fog cleared he was already well
on his way to York.
The girls waited in the Park while
the hours crept on slowly.
"If we do not move" said Katharine,
"the fog will lift and he will come back
to us. Let us wait"
II am hungry" said Lilly. who had
the day before been so brave to face
starvation. 81 must eat, whatever hap
pens. Katharine, will you sit here
while I go and buy something? I am
certain that can find NY way back.
We will spend all our money, and then
trust to Dittmer.'
"Oh, Lily, you must not leave me
alone"
"Then come with me, Katharine; we
shall not be gone five minutes. can
find my way bllndfold. 40 be sure. 1t
is blindfold. We keep quite straight
along the ratings, and we get to Buck
ingham Palace Road, where there are
coffee houses"
They kept along the ratings without
much difficulty, then they came to the
corner and had to cross the open place
before the palace. And now the trouble
began; after what seemed to Kath-
arine half an hour they found them
selves not in Buckingham Palace Road
at all, but in front Of more railings.
The thick brown fog grew darker and
thicker; then a terrible bewilderment
fell upon them: they knew not which
was north. south, east or west; they
knew not from what quarter they had
come or where these ratings might be;
and there was nobody to ask. They
were lost in the fog. like Dittmer him
self, and like every human creature
out OH that terrible Sunday morning
when the wayfarers wandered in the
fog like those poor lost creatures who
wandered in the desert, round and
round, only to come upon their own
footsteps again, or those who are lost
in Canadian forest, and turn In
circle round and round while they
think they are marching in straight
line.
what shall we do, Lily?'
"Let us walk along the railings; we
shall find something"
They stood beside the railings, not
somewhere; it must be into the park;
but what part of the park?'
1--WE are lost, Katharine" said Lily;
we must wait till the fog lifts"
They waited, but 1t did not lift.
"Where does Dittmer live, Kathar-
inew
II do not know"
"Where is the office in the city?'
81 do not know"
"Then we are lost indeed, If we cam
not find him."
They stood beside the railings, moot
daring to move. Nobody passed by;
they were we'll eg the pathway. The
fog deadened sound as well as sight.
1t was cold and damp; the fog was in
their throats and in their lungs.
Presently the fog got into their
brains as well. Then one Of them, the
stronger, began to have visions. and
to sec spirits which marched past,
procession of devils who Knocked, and
Of women who wrung their hands and
wcpt, then more devils and more weep
ing women. She, KEPT none Of these
visions to herself, but kindly commune
Gated them to her companion, who had
slipped down and was crouched. cling
ing to the rail, on the cold ground.
"They are the women who seek for
work and find none, Katharine. Look
ut them; there is ore as old as Miss
Stidolph, and here are two like Miss
Augusta and Miss Beatrice, but they
haven't got their annuity, and there
are two like ourselves. The devils
mock them and drive them with whips.
Oh! it is dreadful to see them. Do you
hear what they are saying? This is
what you were born for; nobody wants
YOU; there is nothing that you can do;
you will have to go on like this all
your lives; you will live an immense
time; every day you shall feel hunger
and privation and disappointment.
There is no love for you; there is not