The Arkansas banner., 1850-01-22
4 CHRISTMAS STORY.
BY STELLA.

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 Christmas con leth on apacs And though it be not the Christm.as of "Alerrs ESglaudr with its I"yUles clog' ar,d "miseltoe bouRh,' it's .naoues and reveries, yet even in this ,clne, where the 'dulce" must yield precedence to the utiie we find it linked with the thoughts of many an idle frOlic and laughing jest. To the children. il brings the apPaTtiO1 of St Nicholas aud his sleigh of toys; and silver chming of the tiny bells that grace the nscIs of his feIadeers, while visious of stockings crowded with candy. float before their enraptnred ienagiaations. ETen 10 the negro 1t comes with the promise of . holiday, and his own loud ringing laugh that may be heard Inile.- Amidst this universal jubilee there s one heart that grows but durker from the light around u; one heart to who this season of hstivty s but ffaught with Fecolections of-b I am anticipating; we will cOinmen al the commencement, and as know you, IAessrs Editors. Id be men of Rearrous sympathies. you will doubtesstist ay tale of wo. l am young lady of some nan,bss of summers, | it Is useless to be particular 1 had grown up quietly in my native village, and was not very oId before had a lover. A city belle no doubt would turu away in contempt at the of this word tn the sngulsr, but when lovers not "as pieaty as black berries" one is somewhat of a consideration, ., and to tell you the truth. MT. Editors, sub rosa, lovers in our section very like the phGnx can animal tn at monsirous In that county ]" Yet may have more admirers than one, but this was one spar excellence" very model, "one lu a thousand" as all village beauxs are. His name--I hate anonymous Personages was Rudolp Stohlen . berg truly GerInanic, that half the battle; and then his fair curling hair, and bright blue eyes, but | above all he lessd me, who could Pesist il1 He | loved me, who could doubt tl He had sworn it Ii thousand times, and always speak truth in matters of love; or, if it be otherwise and-"In many a sigh,
 | His lips should breathe you many axe" no matter. IL answers all the purposes of ,ruth l 'fis true inc young Rudolph has knelt at many a shrine, but then hs heart had been kept pure and intact 10 be made an offering 10 Others he had loved. nay, faucied perhaps for sn hour. but his passions for me So exalted. pure. enduring, it wou Id continue to be dream of bliss, when the earth itself had passed away and were reposinp by the br ight streams and under the 'eme rad bo ugs of Paradise.
 Winter had come on with it's rounds of enjoy. meDt. and there was not brighter step in the dance, nor blither heart at the sleigh ride than mine. Secure Of the devotion of one heart, sighed for no more. Wherever we were always felt for l seldom raised my eyeds, that those bright eyes were .hxed upon me, and mans eye as his tongue l alwa ys speaks truth.
 Often had he urged that should become his for ever, before the Christmas holidays but my life was delicious dream and feared not the aw waking, but wished that our courtship should continue a cline Of Ii nked sweetness long drawn Out' until our union should ut length take place amidst the bursting buds, and in the fragrant breath of spring. Alas. how turns the kaleidoscope of life! how litile we anticipate the exact form it will assume
 A few miles from village lived Mr. Ander- son and his wife, who having no children of their ow generously devoted portion of their time to the arrangement of their neighbors affairs. They we re particular friends of Rudolph, and many fair lad in the land had their eyes fslien upon as one whose merit deserved the glory, with which his aff ection would enwreath her brow; but some sad | ac cider had msEEsd their plans, and when they did but suspect thst his eye had fallen upon lovely flower my self their hearts grew faint, bet arousng their energies for a desperate effort they determined "to recover South Carolina or die in the attempt" They were good people, very good people, but they didn't like me. The stars under | Ghich we were born were not in conjunction, and if "the stars in their fought against Sisera, | through them they fought against me.
 | MT. Anderson had niece tO whom they wrote urging her to spend the Christmas with them, aud soon heard she had arrived; still ignorant Of l the dark wool that was about to my warp Of l life, Yet when a few days after, l saw Mir. An | derson in earnest conversation with Rudolph, on | the street, when three days had elapsed and my lover had forgotten the trysting time. when book which he should have brought himself, was sent by a servant, my heart msgave me: vet my laugh l rang merrily and the jest Iell sparkling from my lip, Tor had spirit something like Don Jose's wife, and when at length the Z5Ih of December
 
 out al MT. Anderson's,' determined to go, and like Rebecca the Jewess, look upon the face of my riVa he evening came, aud merry coinpsuy Of us went out. wore dress of silver grey satin, whose soft folds fell, thought. r acetuly around my person, delicate necklace of pearl eacrcrd my neck. aud string of the samo gems shone faithfully out from amidst the jetty masses of my pertumed hair, and as 1 took last look al my Tor, pardon my vanity, Messrs. Editors, but l ! really thought looked "exceedingIy pretty" l arrived and saw "the necc," far, bright girl; Rudolph sat beside her his averted eye sought the ground us entered, and low were the words he 1 bre1thed into her ear. Yet amidst all this morti eaton l bore bravely up, and moved thro the richly furnished rooms oI my enemy with as proud | a step and bright 6 brow many a poor wretch | has worn before me-
 | Al length l began to feel my spirits fail. and sauntering into the library that was dimly lighted. l ! seated myself in a recess shaded by the heavy | damask curtains, and here could have wept, aye, like chd hut resolutely closed my lies and ke ept back the bitter drops. l had been here but few moments. when heard the sounds of footsteps that had once 10 me been music-they approached nearer, and heard responding to his ferveDt tones the low voice of the fair JuliaBna--the niece They took their seats so near me that could not move without being seen, and again listened 10 the vows that had been sworn 10 me. 'Iis true they were none the worst for wear and were 10 her no doubt as good as new. Yoe may imagine my age1y, till at length in answer to some doubt of hers, he bent his knee and replied: May. lady, 1 never loved before: am ihine--thiue forever" A thousand times had 1 lisienen to those words. l could stand no but rising hastily to leave the Toom' at all hazards, in my agitation overturned q stand on winch was placed a large of hot house flowers: the water fell like deluge his head and her dress. the vase shattered into a thousand pieces, and the flowers lay scattered the floor. The lady shrieked; he hastily arose. mutterng be- tween his teeth "eonfusion!n and forgetful of all but the Iudicrous before mt, stood still and burst into peals of iueontrolabe laughter This scene saved me from broken heart. l can never thi"k Of it and preserve my gravity. Miss Ju- anna has been Mrs. Stohlenberg for nearly year, aad yet, rather think shall nsither hang myself nor take poison. But ladies fair. word in yoar earl fear il comes too laie--if you atend 10 ", marry before the Christmas holidays Coium biaa.
 i Rather Fat. 1 western editor lets his admiration Of tatness gush oat in the following unctious strain: 1 We like fat peopie-good, Ioliy, laughing, broad