The news soon spread through the neighborhood, and every one who knew Tom Fairfield solemnly testified that he would not desert his children; the irresistible conclusion was that while intoxicated he was frozen, and that he lay dead under the snow. A council of the settlers, (for all were considered neighbors for ten miles 'round,) was called, over which Brother Demitt presided. Aunt Katy, as the nearest neighbor and first benefactress, claimed the preemption right to the first choice, which was of course granted. Roxie, the eldest, was large enough to perform some service in a family, and Rose would soon be; Suza, the baby, was the trouble. Aunt Katy was called upon to take her choice before other preliminaries could be settled. Suza, the baby, with her bright little eyes, red cheeks and proud efforts, to stand alone, had won Aunt Katy's affections, and she, without any persuasion on the part of old Demitt, emphatically declared that Suza should never leave her house until she left it as a free woman. Mrs. Evaline Estep and Aunt Fillis Foster were the contending candidates for Rose and Roxie. Brother Demitt decided that Aunt Fillis should take Roxie, and Mrs. Estep should be foster mother to Rose, with all the effects left in the Fairfield cabin. These ladies lived four miles from the Demitt house, in different directions. With much persuasion and kind treatment they bundled up the precious little charges and departed. While the Angel of sorrow hovered round the little hearts of the departed sisters. SCENE FOURTH--ROXIE DAYMON AND ROSE SIMON. ```The road of life is light and dark, ```Each journeyman will make his mark; ```The mark is seen by all behind, ```Excepting those who go stark blind. ```Men for women mark out the way, ```In spite of all the rib can say; ```But when the way is rough and hard, ```The woman's eye will come to guard ```The footsteps of her liege and lord, ```With gentle tone and loving word.= |Since the curtain fell upon the closing sentence in the last scene, many long and tedious seasons have passed away. The placid waters of the beautiful Ohio have long since been disturbed by steam navigation; and the music of the steam engine echoing from the river hills have alarmed the bat and the owl, and broke the solitude around the graves of many of the first settlers. Many old associations have lived and died. The infant images of the early settlers are men and women. In the order of time Roxie Fairfield, the heroine of the snow storm, and Aunt Fillis Foster, claim our attention.