A BRAVE CHILD.

Otago Witness, Issue 1935, 26 March 1891, Page 34

A BRAVE CHILD.

Pabt I.

Agnes Green was the daughter of George Green, a small farmer among the mountains of Westmoreland, not far from tbe little town of Graßmere. In the winter of the year 1807 her father and mother had to go from home on business ; and they left Agnes, who waa then only nine yearß old, in charge of the other five children, two of whom were mere babies. They were to return the same evening. Agnes waa a very steady and oarefnl child; and everything went well through the course of tha day. At nightfall tbe children began to look and long for their parents, but they heard no sound and saw no sign of their coming, A snowstorm now came on, and the silent snow fell steadily and thickly in large white flakes npon the roada and the footpaths and upon tbe broad sides of the hills. Agnes put tbe two younger children to bed, where they soon fell asleep, and she herself, with two little brothers and a sister, sat round the fire, waiting patiently for the return of their parents, and watching the dock aa the hands went slowly round from hoar to hoar. When at last, after long and weary waiting, tbe clook struck 12, she beard the children say their prayers and then she went to bed herself, after praying to her Father in heaven that het parents mignt come borne safe. The morning came, but no father or mother came with it — only the Bnow, thicker than ever, bo thick that not a glimpse of the bills could be seen from tbe cottag9 door. Agnes now heped that her father and mother had remained at a farmer's house, or had taken shelter in some sheepfold against the darkness and the storms of the night. She called the little ones, dressed them, heard them aay their morning prayera, and gave them their breakfast. She would have liked to go down to Graßtnere to ask abont her parents. Bqt the Bnow had covered all the paths ; the stream waa too deep and too fall of water to be waded, and the little wooden bridge bad a large hole in tbe middle, which being now covered by the deep snow might prove to be a death-trap to anyone who should try to oross it. The deep silence and lonely stillness terrified her ; but luckily for her feelings she had plenty of work to do, bo she at once set to work to do it. She wound np the clock, scalded the milk to keep it from getting soar, made some porridge for breakfast, and baked a few flouroakea on tbe hearth.

She was afraid that the snow, which went on falling, falling silently, constantly without a break, would block up the way to the peat ataok. So she Bet the little boys to work to pull down as muoh fuel aa would last for & week and to carry it indoors. The little boya were very glad to find they could be of use, and they set to work like men. She next went ont to the cowehed to milk the cow $ but the poor thing had been half starved, ana had very little milk to give. So she and the little boys sorambled np into the bay loft, and, though darkness came on while they were at work, they managed to pull down aa muoh hay to the cow as served her for a good supper. For tbe second time she pnt the two babies to bed ani sang them to sleep. Then the four little children began their draaryjwatoh once more — listening for Bounds, fancying they heard cries, hoping for voices ; bnt there waa nothing bnt the silent, pitiless, ever-falling enow, or the howl of the cold blast upon the lonely hilJa They sat till midnight again, and then went to bed, dull, fearful, and hoping aganist hope, as before. (To J?e continued.')