The weekly Butte record., 1863-01-03
q Mother 5 Revenge.

y
no snow as vel. but the honest Indian summer
having been uiggariIy il the month Of Ne
vember. seemed TO pay up its debts 10 Dacenl-
Der. The atmosphere was clear and sparkling,
with light frost; the dry, clean pavemeats
sent back the echo Of the many footsteps that
passed along. Above, the sky was intensely
/ blue. aud each individual star seemed to shine.
+ forth with individual spleodor, as though al
/ this special season telling the glory Of God "
Il was { season Of jav and charity with all
the world on earth even those whose creadsI
forbade a religious celebration Of the day,
looked or Christmas day as an epoch Of family
meetings, q cessation Of family teuds, and an
occasion for displaying affections and generosi-
/ ~. As years pass on, aud families scatter from
the hearthstone on which they once gathered
all together, domestic anniversaries aud festi-
walls are unheeded aud forgotten; but this one
great festival, celebrated by all the world,
brings back to every heart the memory Of the
other Christmas days that have preceded It.
Then fit for an instant before the long s.
lent memory, the lost the absent, the once
loved, forgotten in life's ordinary fever. Bitter
as the world may have been. scared as may be
the heart, some tender feeling. remembrance
of distant happiness recalls home with all its
sanctity, affection. with all its pure, condding
hopes and ASPIRATIONS
Plunged in thoughts and memories Ike these
one Christmas Eve. Edward Stevens, a young
lawyer, was threading his way through the
crowd of women and children assembled in
Eighth street around the confectionery stores
ard the emporiums Of toys. whose contents. too
large for their receptacle, had disgorged them
selves on the pavement, where drums, carts,
and wheelbarrows increased the hopeless con
fusion. The crowd took all good naturedy as
though the confusion aud difficulty in choice
and purchase was part Of the pleasure of
giving. Many laugh and joke, and many
tender consultation did Edward Stevens over
hear, and never before had he felt so lonely or
so sad, as now that in that crowd Of happy.
loving faces, none turned to him, none associ-
ated his name with the festivities Of the NOR
row.
Sadly now, and with slower step he pursued
his way. crossing the noisy thoroughfares Of
Market and Chestnut, and reaching at length
the comparative quiet Of Spruce street. He
was going home, but home where none awaited
him; where on the morrow none would greet
him none would wish him a merry Christ
mas Or a happy new year. and pensively, with
many a paug Edward Stevens recalled the
days and hopes of his earlier years, looking
/ forward to those to come with almost hopeless
dscouragement.
Not that Edward Stevens was a sentimental
dreamer, or of a morbid temperament that had
! chosen the part of victim rather than of soldier
+ in the battle of life. Ga the contrary. he was
a man of extraordinary activity, endowed with
abilities of the highest order, and full Of ambi
/ tion and noble aspirations. As long as there
had been difficulties to struggle with, he had
struggled mantully and alone. too. for be was
early left an orphan, and had so eked out his
Scanty heritage as to achieve himself college
education, and finally placed himself in the posi-
ton of lawyer on the rolls Of the Philadelphia
bar. uuaided and without patronage. When
Edward Stevens had reached this position. the
position from which most OF the great men Of
his country had risen to power and place, not
beyond the aspirations of his ambition, a feel
ing Of selfreliance and confidence IN the future
had taken possession of him. But since that
had come the ordeal that had tried bis soul
the patient waiting for the results Of all the
toll and struggle through which he had passed.
Nearly. two years now had elapsed, and
neither fame nor fortune had come near bis
door His scanty means were vanishing fast
he had neither relations or friends no one in
the world was In the secret of his poverty.
His Office, the two lower rooms of one of the
old mansions in Fourth street. was furnished
with all legal elegance his own appearance
and dress was strictly in accordance with So
cial exactness. Handsome, well bred and a
lawyer. Edward Stevens was admitted VII
Ingiy everywhere, and many Of Phil4delphia's
bellies were proud OF being seen On Chestnut
street with Edward Stevens beside them.-
Edward, however, had formed 20 intimate ac
quaintances, and been strictly reserved in bis
attentions He saw the heedlessness. the
,houghilessness of the young ladies around him
to whose favor expensive bouquets. opera tick
els, and richly bound volumes of poetry (they
never read were passports, aud he preferred
having the reputation of being serious and re-
served to involving himself in debt, or what
was worse, involving himself in some reckless
attachment that could but lead to misery and
Disappointment
He kept, too, aloof from the intimate society
of men. eschewiug al the Clubs and suppers. 50
that he was set down as book-worm and an
,-,b;4;o-- mon r7a-1ar7- in fr-a vaars tho ,77I