Year: 1869




snow into great heaps, Peter Snikes, who
always had rheumatic when there was
storm, was taken the very worst way
Dear me. miss but you ought to have
heard. You never heard any yelling like
that iu your life. AS luck would have it.
there weren't nothing in the house to re-
lieve him and somebody must go to the
store, mile and half away, for Iiniment
which was his standing remedy.


"The keeper (that was what We called
the mastery came into the kitchen and
crosser man hope may never see again.
Now, whenever the shadows fell upon his
face, I tried to keep Lucy in the back
ground for he had disliked her from the
moment he found how helpless and feeble
sne was, and that he could get no good
from her little hands, which grew thinner
and smaller with the hunger and cold. So
when he came in and glared at US, 1 mo-
toned Lucy away. But it was too late.


''Here," he said, finging her a bit of
silver and bottle; go to the store and
bring old Skies some liniment and look
here, you sly mink, see that you don't be
gone long. or I'll lick you within an inch
of your life


"Piease, sir" said I stepping forward,
''I could go in half the tiUe of her, and I
wouldn't mind the drifts, cause I'm used
to 'em.'


"Wait till you are wanted growled the
man. "It's little enough the young one
can do E; and if she gets foot frozen it
may be as well off as on, for aught the
good her feet do me-


81 was of fiery temper in those days,
miss, and Lucy was all had to love in
the world. The mans taunt Etung me
worse than a thousand scorpions and l
flung into his face a shower of epithets
that. for my sisters sake, hao better never
been spoken.


"The man struck me with his huge,
broad palm--perhaps I deserved it, per-
haps l didn't-and I was knocked sense
less to the floor. When opened my eyes
Lucy was standing over me with the little
blue hood had made her, tied under her
chin. and a thin, tattered shall over her
shoulders.


"Don't mind, Margie, dear whispered
the child. ''I'll make haste, and try to be
back before dark. Perhaps I'll get ride,
she said, with wan smile.


"Ah but the drifts, Luoy-you never
can get through the drifts, they are dread
full down there in the hollow. But mind,
ifyOu get cold and sleepy, don't cit down,
but keep walking on until come


81 you was only going said Lucy.
wistfully.


"Make haste. the sun is setting, and you
will lose the road. If you get into the
fields you will be lost and frozen to DEATH


4 went with her to the door and hold
ing her thin cheeks between my hands,
kissed them over an over again. Then
she burst away from me, and went leap
ing through the snow like a fawn.


Remember. Lucy" 1 shouted after
her. il you get lost, keep walking. I'll
come and find you when they get to sleep.


"There was light laugh. and the blue
hood disappeared under the snow. 1t was
only an instant she was up again, and
dingiug kisses at>me, when hand was
laid heavily on my shoulders, and was in
the grasp of the keeper.


"One glance at the leather thongs in his
hand was enough. Older persons than I
had writhed under their torture, and their
hideous shrieks had we'll nigh drove me
frantic. Now my time had come -


Here Margie stopped, and glaed into
my face with ghastly fxedness, frightful
to see. She was living that awful scene
over again and no wonder her lips were
mute.


Didn't you struggle. Margie {? Didn't
you cry out?"


81 suppose so, can't remember, it was
so terrible. But through it all 1 was con-
scious of one comfort-my sister was not
there to see it.


"When it was over, miss, was a sight
to see. had grappled him with all the
ferceuess of whiChI was capable. and he
bad beaten me off as he was best able. Ny
hands were a mass of bruises, and I felt
the blood trickling down into my shoes !;
for didn't wear stockings, miss, even in
winter.


''The beating over, the keeper went out,
and turned the key. leaving me prisoner
in the little room which was used to con-
fine the refractory and insane.


''I was only too familiar with the mans
york of punishment, and understood by


7s.zaino kav that 7 was to remain a