The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1867-01-04
JOB GOlding's Christmas.

Ii was very strange, thought old job
Goldin~. that he couldn't be master of hi,
own mind He had lived great many
wears. and neither rcmorsc nor memory
had been in the habit of disturbing him :
but now it seemed 10 him l> if the very
foundations OF his life were breaking up
| !e WIS uriu;,-'. "i.'. Iii ,!n,'- "vih-;rc
had dincd romtortabIy-h sat in an easy
chair in Il luxurious room. whose crimson
hangin"> shut out the still cold of the De
cemher attcrnoon-for the 9th of Deem
Der it was. He was Ill lcadv TO ENJOY
hims,lf How singular that this state Of
things should remind him of a coming
time when his life work would be all done
even as his DAYS work was I'LL done
now-whcn he would be ready to sit down
! in the afternoon and look over the balance
sheet OF his deeds. How cuiouSlv the old
days came troopng iii slow procession be-
fore him.
His dead wife he had not loved her
much when she was with him. but how
vivid was his memory Ct Ter now He
could see her moving around the house.
noi>ccS> aS Il shadow. never intruding on
him after he had once or twice answered
her gruttlv, but CONG on her meek. still
ways. with her face CROWN" whittier every
day He began to understand Il, he look
cd back. why her strength had tai!c!. and
she had been ready, when her baby came.
to float ont on the tide and LET ii drift hcl
INTO Gods haven. She had had enough
to eat ana to driun, but he saw now that
he had LETT her heart to Starvc. lie sccm-
cd to see her white. still face. aS he locke,
at it the last time Ecforc they screwed
down tie coffin lid, with the dumb re
proach frozen on ii. the eyes that would
never plead vainly any more closed tor
ever.
. He recalled how passiolA:cly the three
4 davS-od-haby cried i'll another room, jus
at that moment, moving al tie pcopl
{ gathered at the funeral with Il thrill o
pity for tie poor little motherlc>s morscl
She 'raS a passionate, willtul baby, al
through her baby hood, lie remembered
She wanted - missed without KNOWING
o What the lack waS-the love which Inc
e mother would have given her. and protest
d, ed against fate with all the might of he
: lungs But a> soon as she grew old cnoun
! to understand how useless it was. She ha
ii @rown quiet, too :; just like her mothel
T. He recalled her, all through her girhooc
= Il shy. still olrl, always obedcnt and sui
mis>iyc, but never drawing very near hin
Did She have tastes, he wondered-want
. longing> She never told him.
T. But suddenly, when she was eghtecl
b. the old passionate spirit that had maC
e her cry 50 when size was il baby must ha,
n awakened a"ain, he thought ; for she #
in love then, and married in defiance
lis wishes. He remembered her Stsmdii
proudly before him, and asking,
J. ''Father, do you know anything again
., Harry Church
II YES" he had answered wrathfullv
q = Il know that he Is as poor as Job w
s. ss when he sat among the ashes he car
al. keep a wife
II. II. "Anything else, father ?" looking hi
lb, steadily III the eye.
NO, that's enough" he had thundere
nS ns land Ill tell you, besides, that if you IN;
i h ry him you must lie i'll the bed you W
in- m make. My doors will never open to y
again, never"
the lie met with a will as strong as
P. own, that time. She did marry him, a
dar went away with him from her fathe
sh- house. She had written home more til
ties once, afterwards, but he had sent the
tiers all back unopened. He wished,