The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-12-24

out a run GU q be stuck top there, IKE
a mad sentinel or pillar saint. I'm not
going to jump it"
"Eut 7 am! - said he. And, before
could hinder him, if indeed had tried, he
took a run and jumped.
1t was so sudden that | could only stand
aghast when saw him there. He stood,
indeed, but for moment, then he took II
step back, and would have jumped back,
when heard rumbling sound, and half of
the mo Mans Land parted, and the chalk
and earth, and Joe too, fell down with a
crash upon the rocky coast below. --
ran round the little creek to the other
side of the small bay, and throwing myself
down upon the surf, stretched my neck over,
looked out, and cried out
''Joe! Are you hurt, Joe?'
A faint, voice came up, and | could see
the poor fellow struggling under huge piece
of chalk which seemed to hold him down in
agony. He smiled in a CHASTITY way, with
his whitcned face, and said
"Run, Joe run! The tAc's coming inr
Well, did run; and we got ropes from
the tents, and few strong fellows held these
as swung over the cliff, just reaching poor
Joe as the cold sea. water was lap, lap, lap
ing up to his mouth, taking away his breath,
and then running back, crawling over him,
and leaving bubbles of salt foam, as if in
sport got him out, but he could not
stand. Some bones were broken, and he
fb,t I
tie him to rope, and they hauled him up,
and afterwards pulled me up, and we took
him home.
Well, well to make long story short,
poor Joe died, with my praises on his lips,
and the poor Alice bowed her head like a
broken lily. 1t was long time before she
got over it, and the summer had grown into
winter, winter to summer, to autumn and
winter again. The threatened invasion was
all over; our swords were getting rusty, our
uniforms dusty, and when the holidays came
| left the arm in which had Just become
partner. and went to spend fortnight at my
old friends in Kent.
Alice was there, well and cheerful now,
and reconciled to her loss, though we often
talked of poor Joe: and as the days wore
on we grew closer together, and she called
me by my name and seemed to have trans
icrred her brothcr's love to me. She never
told me so, nor let Others see It till one mer-
ry Christmas night, when she rejected all her
cousins and her other friends, and would
only dance with me.
We had the mistetoc, too. AT last, one
mad cap fellow proposed that the ladies
should kiss the gentlemen all round when
and how they could and Alice and |, who
had subsidized into solemn talk and were
speaking of poor Joe, were surrounded, and
it was insisted that Alice should play too
and she, in solemn, quiet way, smiling sad
ly and yet swectly, took me beneath the
Christmas bough and kissed me on my lips.
Ay, it's many years ago, but | feel it now.
My heart beat so fast, that hardly dared
return it; but put my arm around her, and
took her gently to the bay window of the
old hall, saying as pressed her hand
"Aicc; dear Alice, did you mean that
kiss -
Well, need not tell you what she answer
cd, tbs fifty years ago-flty years ago and
am surrounded by Alice's dear grand chill
dren: and there is one, a little thing with
light and golden hair that will deepen into
brown, who plays around my knees and tells
me her little stories, her sorrows and her
joys; so quick, so sudden, so hurried in their
hai hot tlo,, Il.
own, and, as we talk, we grow quite friends
and companions, like my Alice was to me.
Bless you, she understands it all! She is
woman in her pretty ways her poutings
and qnarrelings. She manages her house
hold of one wax doll and two wooden ones,
and tells me, for the wax doll is the lady and
the wooden ones are the servants in mob
caps and stuff gowns, when they are impu-
dent and do not work, and when they Cos
sip with wooden policeman, who belongs
to her brother, little Joe.
So we are fast friends, little Alice and ;
and tonight, on Christmas night, noticed
that she would not dance nor play with the
pink and shiny faced little boys who were
so unnaturally tidy and clean in their new
knickerbockcrs with red stockings; but she
came and sat by me and talked softly in the
freight as Alice did, and made The think of
fifty years ago. And only think how olden
times come back and new times like the old {;
only just think that when her mother told
her she should choose u sweetheart, she GOT
"a little bit of mistletoe, and climbing slowly
on my knee, holding me in talk as if to hide
her purpose-though guessed it soon, I'll
tell you-she put her doll-lke arms around
my neck, and holding the mistletoe above
my head, she kissed me again and said was
her sweetheart.
SO this child sweetheart brought the old
times back-the old times that were so dis.
tant and so near and with sweet kisses
meath the rustling leaves made me think of
my dead Alice in the grave. The first kiss
and the last the last and the first, and of
all days in the world on Christmas day.