The Argosy — page 294: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

280 bye, and God-speed. The Key of the Church. Later we dared not stay ; it was past nine now. I bade Fred good- ‘‘ Between half past twelve and one, mind, will be your time ; you'll hear the clock strike,” was Tod's parting injunction, given in a whisper. ‘Good luck to you, old fellow! I hope and trust you'll dodge the enemy. And as soon as you areclear of the churchyard, make off as if the dickens were behind you.” We walked home in the moonlight, silent enough, Tod handing me the bundles to carry. The Squire attacked us, demanding whether we had stayed out to look at the moon. | And I tossed and turned on my restless bed till the morning hours, thinking of poor Fred Westerbrook, and of whether he would get away. When sleep at last came, it brought a very vivid dream. I thought he did zof get away. He wasunable to unlock the church- door. Whether Tod and I had double-locked it im leaving, I knew not ; but Fred could not get it open. When Clerk Bumford entered the church in the morning, and the early comers of the congregation with him, there stood Fred, hopelessly waiting to be taken. I saw him as plainly in my dream as I had ever seen him in reality: with the dirty smock-frock, the patched boots, and the clipped hair. Shep- herd, who seemed to follow mein, darted forward and seized him ; and in the confusion I awoke. Just for a minute I thought it was true—a scene actually enacted. Would it prove so? You will hear next month. The end and all. JOHNNY LUDLOW. —riep Re kER gO t~ SUNRISE ON THE SNOW. A SILENT world, a shrouded earth, A landscape fair and white, O’er which the Fairy Frost had danced In wayward mood all night. She decked the land with sparkling gems, She breathed upon the air ; Then laughed with joy the fairy sprite, To see the world so fair. The stars shone dim, the crescent moon Seemed wishing to be gone ; Aurora ope’d the morning gates, Pale goddess of the dawn. Hark, hark! the chariot wheels of Sol Are moving through the sky! And Earth awoke and gazed around, With sparkling, curious eye. Sol rose with smiles, then stooped agai The silent Earth to greet oP ee me His ruby lips touched hers, and then She blushed like roses sweet. Half shy, half pleased, she bent her head, And pouted, “‘ All will know.” **Not they,” said Sol; ‘‘ they'll only think *T was sunrise on the snow.” Then mounting to his seat in haste, As though he were full late ; He smiled on Earth, who rosy stood Beneath the morning gate. She felt his power, but tried in vain To hide her cheeks’ hot glow ; While folks deceived, the tale believed, ‘Twas sunrise on the snow.” A. E. G. EOMRniilElooe _ (GO)