The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-12-25
CHAPTER III! I;
FOUR YEARS LATER.

/ 81. 1t was Christmas Eye at the sold Court
once more, but circumstances had sadly
changed during the. four years which had
elapsed, since we saw the happy party as
eembled there, under the auspices Of the
hospitable old lord. VI: .!......
i Since that time; his soul had been sum
moned away from this. earth, and sorely
missed at Christmas time: amongst all that
wide circle Of friends and relations, to whom
he had endeared: himself By the kindness Of
his heart and temper, there was one poor
widowed soul who felt that each recurrence
Of the holy feast was only to be kept I ow
for her, as celebrating the arrival ct another
milestone towards the .-..house not made
With hands, : whither what she most cher
ished in this world. had gone before. her to
his home. Lady Hautain was what. the
world calls broken hearted; .but it was mere
y . figure ofspeech to express, that her az.
fections had been weaned from this world,
and liked on q betterone; but there was still
balm in Glead for the wounded heart even
here: there was no bitterness in her sorrow;
she had only laid up her treasure for q time;
she mourned but she did not repine. One
constant loving companion; had she. in her
sorrow and with her by her side, to read
with. herr pray With her, and hope with her.
Lady Hautain hoped ere, long to pass peace
ably to the fair land Of promise, which she
PoM seemed 70 8 realize 's*.lli even p her day
There was one thorn, however. ,, Yer that she
prayed, fit were Gods win, to see remov-
ed from her breast before she died; and to
be permitted to: stretch her feeble hands in
blessing over the head Of her. beloved
nephew Stephen, was the. one hope Of her
life, s.Heywas now Lord !. .Hauta,in, that Is,
if be we're still alive; but no, word OF ltiding
Of, him had reached the 'sOld Courtt}} since
the Christmas Eve Of 1860, wien be re-
ceived at Angels hands the stroke which
had blasted his life. Y. '+..'5+1 1.
Reginald, his elder; brother, had died
from the effects of an accident in the hunt
ingg-feld one year. after: the old lord depart
ed this life, so that at his rdecease StepheeEc !
had become, Lord ,HauttaaiinnL.'.. But these
events had occurred two long years ago,
and nothing had been. heard Of TIE missing
heir. It was about; four, 10 clock in the af.
ternoon on Christmas Eve, as said before,
when the widowed Lady Hautain and her
nov constant companion, whom win. only
designate fl tie present by her Christian
name 1a'9 Of ssAngeliea ;or q Angel sat to
gether in the draWing-room At the iaOld
Court," both dressed in deep mourning
both musi9g sadly oyer ii their b4>i retrospective
gaze into the past. IN. "a .s:, .s...
Angel" said the elder lady at last,
tperhaps ! ought not 70 say SO to you, but
u; ! begin to give up hope. We must have
heard something: during these two years
f: f he bad been alive" she added, while
sobs choked her further utterance.. .Oh |!
how have prayed 7t9 gee him once again,
she vent on: after. 9 pause; 'tthen I could
saysindeed with truth, Lord, now lettest
then '?l thy servant q depart in peace" 81.
{'.:Oh, spare y NJ mes spare me, dear Lady
:Aautain u, Il said the young gil at her side,
down. whose. colortess. cheek. the tears re-
fused i to Aow, and on ! hose :pallid lips the,
words trembled like leaves at the approach Il
Of tf = g storm; i"there ia sting and reproach
70 me Is every word you say, and i would
giye, 81, that remains of ny wretched, vast
ed lffeh / to . can ssteenie back from hia grave,
xn~ Il yrN