Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-11-11

enen in a moment.
Il am glad" said she, ''that You are
not ashamed of me, did not know how
strict opera etiquette was here, till Aunt
Floyd told me. However, 1 suppose the
music will sound just as well with these, u
continued she, holding up her round
white arm, looking whittier than ever,
from the contrast with the black lace.
She reached the opera house in high
spirits, and once there, her annoyances
we're all forgotten! She listened with
sparkling eyes and flushed cheeks, and
her warm breath came pantingly, till
the lastsceHe, where the mother acknowl.
edges herself 10 her son, and at the ter
rible "si son quelta," heightened by
Parodi's inimitable acting, she sprang
from her seat, and would have shrieked
from excitement, had not Mr.. Thornton,
who had been watching her, laid his
hand on her arm TO recall her to herself
Thornton was amused, as well as in.
terested; her mad never seen quite such
a natural young lady, and seldom as
pretty one. In truth, to the fashion
able man, Lilly Floyd was delightfully."-
refreshing and piquant.
And now the day before Christmas
had arrived. The display in the store
windows was so tempting, that The purse
clasps of the veriest miser flew open as
if by magic.
Lillian and her cousin were going home
from walk that afternoon, and Lilly
almost returned to her belief in the re.
ality of the riches of the Arabian Nights;
jeWelry, splendidly finished work boxes,
writing desks, books in all the gorge
business of green and crimson. blue,
purple and gold bindings, fairly bewil-
dered her. The fathers of families were
hurrying home with well filled baskets,
where plump turkeys, and crimson cram
berries, and crisp celery, and rosy
checked apples lay in most tempting con-
fusion. The mothers were bending un-
der huge dolls, prancing horses, whole
menageries of animals, and locomotives
which never went except by gravitation;
laughing half-grown school girls, had
their mufs filed with pretty toys, and
inviting bon hons for younger brothers
and sisters, SO delighted with the pleas
ure they anticipated giving, that they
could scarcely keep their own secret;
and little boys stood gazing into the shop
windows. with their hands in their pock.
cts, aud their chins in their comforters,
debating in their own minds which of
the articles before them they would coax
papa to buy.
1t was perfect carnival of mirth and
happiness. Crowds Ct happy looking
children, and as happy-looking parents
filed the street; the very dogs irisked
and jumped about, and run between your
feet, as if Christmas time was matter of
importance even to them; the middle of
the streets were filed with light sleighs,
which skinned along Ike bright colored
birds; the excited horses dancing and
prancing to the voice of the driver, and
to the silvery music of the tinkling bells.
Twilight had arrived, and the stars
came out, and yet still the crowd did
not diminish. Parlors were beginning
10 be brilliantly illuminated, and through
the undrawn curtains could be seen gay
pictnres in gorgeous frames, and large
mirrors giving back light for light to the
heavy chandelier. In some, festoons of
evergreen, from which cleaned the Grim
son of the holly berry, were gracefully
dropping on the walls, and the happy
faces of dear little children were pressed
against the window panes, peering at
the gay groups in the street.
As Lillian and her cousin were ascend
ing the steps of their own house, Il little
boy about nine years of age acosted them.
There was something so wan and sad
in his pale face and sunken eyes, that
Lillian stopped, though she had been
much laughed at by her uncle's family.
on account of her sympathies for street
beggars.
Harriet entered the door, saying,
"Come, Lillian, he is an imposter, you
may be sure"
But her cousin was listening TO the
child, who said, in an imploring voice,
"Oh! won't you please give me some.
thing, Miss?'
"Do you want some money for Christ
mas?" was Lilian's smiling answer.
''No, Miss, but my mothers very i'll,
and my little sister died to day, and 1
amt used to begging, Hiss" AS he
spoke this, he burst into tears.
"Do you live far from here!" ques-
toned Lillian.
"No, Miss. only little way around
the corner, up Greys court"
"Come, then, III go with you;" and
forgetting the lateness in the impulse of
the moment, off she started.
When Harriet entered the parlor alone
and Mrs. Floyd asked for her cousin, she
replied,
"Oh! che is at the door, talking to
some beggar. Her Quixotism is perfect