Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1858-03-04

/ .Hc stood as if petrifed, and she turne
/ away, and entered through another door
But did her pride and folly continue to sup
port her when having gained her own cham
j ber, and dismissed her waiting -maid-sh
endeavored to collect her thoughts befor
saying her nightly prayers? Alas, no! fo
now she fully saw and began to realize he
conduct and its probable consequences Sh
kneeled by her bedside, and began to repea
the prayer, "Almighty God, give US grac'
that we may cast away the works of dark
ness, and put upon us the armor of light
now in this mortal life, in which thy'sor
Jesus Christ came to visit US in great hu
mility-''' I'm great humility" these
words reached her heart, and she burst into
a food of tears, and went sobbing to bed
TO bed, but not to sleep, for now not only
her conduct, but its consequences, absolute.
ly appalled, her; and she passed sleepless
miserable night The peaceful Christmas
season had come, but for her there was nc
peace. The Prince of Peace had been for:
gotten; and the demon of perverseness
vanity, cruelty, and pride, had, for season,
usurped his place. 's' ''.3 :
By the earliest morning dawn, the whole
plantation was in motion. The negroes,
old and young, were fastening to the house,
that they might be the first to 'sscatch" its
inmates, and thus secure from each Of them
a Christmas gift. =.'-~i rt1 =. '@ s7T
''Merry Christmas, massa! Merry Christ.
mas, missis - resounded through the house,
and many were the hearty prayers and be-
nedietions poured out from faithful hearts,
and many eggs and chickens were brought
las humble offerings, and more gratefully
received than costly presents often are. L
was beautiful to see the old negroes hobbl,
ling about, with their warm wrappers, and
stockings, and gloves; the young women
with, their gay cotton handkerchiefs, and
the little darkies with their simple toys
And such din of drums, tin trumpets, bark
ling dogs, and squealing cats! Oh, it was
,enough to turn ones. brain; but, happily,
the uproar was soon transferred from the
house to the kitchen, negro quarters, or any
part Of the plantation which the young min
fstrels chose to favor with their music.
Alice rose with pale face, heavy heart,
and eyes red with weeping She really
loved her cousin but she had thought him
top fastidious, and had determined to show
him that she had will of her own, and now
she feared that he was lost to her forever.
She knew, too, that she had displeased her
uncle and her cousin Carrie, and, what was
worse, her own conscience cried out against
her in a manner not to be mistaken
Slowly and sadly she went forth from her
chamber, and knocked at her cousins door.
s'Come in p said Carrie; and, as she en-
tered, the peaceful, cheerful aspect of all
around her, sent food of tears to her eyes,
which she in vain endeavored to hide. Car
RE knew not what to say, for she knew her
brother too we'll to think that he would easi-
ly overlook what had occurred. -s
So she went to the window and stood
looking out while she was considering what
she could do to heal the breach. just then,
to her surprise, she saw riding into the yard
the very stranger with whom Alice had
danced and waltzed the previous night. Il
was still early in the morning, and she could
not help fearing that something terrible
might be the result of meeting between
the two young men. For the stranger look,
ed like determined man, and her brother
was in no mood to be trifed with.
But his errand, though an honorable
one, was not SO in the strictly technical
sense of that much abused word. He come
to conciliate and to explain. Having re.
quested private interview with Edward
he told him that he was not aware, until &
late hour of the previous night, that an en-.
gagement or even an attachment, existed
between Miss Grove and himself: that she
had completely fascinated him, but that no.
thing would have induced him to monopo.
lie her society so completely if he had
known there were any one present who had
a peculiar claim upon her.
'.And about that unfortunate waltz. y he
continued, .'it was undertaken at a mo-
ment; the music struck up, and we with
others, whirled away. Forgive me, SIR"
he added, ''accept my sincere apologies, for
[ feel that I injured you" -,
AS he said these words he stretched forth
his hand in frank and earnest way that
went straight to Edwards honest heart.
He shook the strangers hand and said,
9'Sir, [ honor your candor and moral cour-
age; for it requires true nobleness of soul
to confess fault: and I, too have some
thing to confess. We at the South, sir, do
not usually see the best specimen of North
ern men; and such has been my prejudice
against them that have not been able to
do them justice 4
They shook hands again, and then the
stranger said: ,,a ..,z.....-
perhaps it is is not my province, sir; i;
but forgive me if I inquire if all is right
now between you and your lovely cousin !"
Edward shook his head, but did not re-
ply. -
AT the risk of being thought. officious,
Mr. Walton" said the stranger, ''allow me