Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-04-18

fear him! Yet SHE clung close to Femme
as they went down stairs to the guests who
were already assembling,
Throughout the dinner the dismal shad-
ow haunted Pennies mind. Mirth, laugh
ter, turkey, plum-pudding, were all thrown
away upon her. Uncle Christopher rallied
her in vain. Was she in love? Was she in
debt, or any other difiiculty9 She had not
a single retort left in her quiyer, and Milli-
cent was in the same silent case. 1t was
easier in the hall afterwards. There there
were so many, the children were so tumul-
tuous, that seceder or two from the uni
versal din was not missed. When the first
couptry-dance was set with thirty couples
they were left ont, and ensconced themselves
in one of the deep window reoesses. II was
an old custom at Brackenfield, when any
merrymaking was going on, to leave the
curtains undrawn, that the village folks
may look in at the dancing. They had
availed themselves of the chilly privilege on
this occasion, and when the two girls enter
ed the recess several rustic yisages drew
back, and retreated to another window,
where there were no sitters- out to intercept
their ylew
For eyer so long Millicelt and pennic,
watched the brisk evolutions Of the maze;
admiring how the Squire went down the
figure, us actively as II he were twenty,
with sweet little granddaughter Lois, and
how his dear dame threaded the needle with
frisky Phil. her eldest sons eldest hope
| This was the children's dance--rare fun, too;
and when it was done they all kissed their
partners under the mistletoe, and were then
hustled off to supper of custard and cake,
and SO to bed while the ancients, having
gallantly accomplished an annual duty, were
permitted to retire to whist; and the multi
tude, who were children grown up, kept the
night alive with reels, oolillions, and more
formal quadrlles. a,
What pretty, happy picture in was! The
panelled walls blazing with light, the solemn
ancestry looking down from their garlanded
frames, dignifed, demure, and prim-as if
there were no country dances in their day,
no Hunt the Slipper, or Ladies' Toilet, or
Kiss -in-the-ring, or cakes and ale at Christ
mas time when they were lads and lasses.--
All! the old generation shows wonderfully
wise when it lives only in efiigy! Those airy
figures that fitted in gossamer to and fro in
the shining hall are sober enough now, and
their agile partners arc considerably heavier
, on the wing. But they were merry undel
| the mistletoe that Christmas night, and il
they have given way to another generation
j turn about is but fair play--us to-day, yor
tomorrow, all of us very soon yesterday!
Miliccnt and Penelope bore their part il
I, the dance again and again; but just befor
d supper they found themselves once more il
! the window recess They talked a little, ant
I then looked out into the night, toSsee il
+ had kept its promise of snow, when asai
9 that spectral visage met them, eyes to eyes
u For an instant only--they saw it, and it wa
eone They both started away to the hearth
u which Pennie left no more until she went i
g to supper. Her escort was Tom Martineau
e who said, inquisitively, "There is somethin
IS up between you and Nily-what is it 2.
II Pcnnie answered, "Nothing."
Z! "Grieving over split milk-just like VIC
e men, 'rejoined he.
. Millicent sat opposite to them, her face a
: white as her white dress, but talking nerv
It ously fast, and laughing far more than wa
her wont, under the surprised observation
n others besides Tom Martineau.
n II seemed as if the great Christmas pastr
!; and the boars head never would be cut u
i and eaten; as if the toasts and speeche
l. never would be done. But, there is an en-
$, 10 everything under the moon as well as III
Sc der the sun, and that famous supper came
c. n close at last, and with il the nights che
quered festivities.
Millicent and Pennie were amongst tn
lg earliest to beat retreat to their room. Fc
Up an hour they sat talking by the fire, but q
IN soon as they got into bed Pennie fell into I'll
is sleep healthful weariness. She had not slel
IS long, however, before she was reawakenc
IN by the sound of voices on the terrace und'
the window, and then the Silly darkness
n the Christmas morning was broken by a lou
g sung carol Both she and Millicent rose
pe peep out at the waits, who stood in I'll
eh ON the lawn. Snow was falling, and Il
nc lantern they carried gave light SO dim tn
as to Pennie not face was discernible. b
or when they had watched about minute, Nj
~ lcent dropped the curtain, with shudde
ny ing CRY that Michael Forester was among
~ the singers.
=, The night got over somehow-Pennie ey
ny u slept-but when they made their appearan
~ at breakfast, and everybody else hap
ny Christmas, Millicent's pale cheek and mel
os' Gus eye could not escape anxious rema
~ ~ from the dame but as she presisted Il
-" nothing allied her, save the drowsy con
io' ouences of a disturbed night, she was
.n,' alone. Only Uncle Christopher quizzed
~ little, and prophesied that Bracken
7u' ., would hear of something to astonisl it
a. and-by-a new lover perhaps-who COZ
tell? During the prayers in church he
garded her too with mischievous into
A"e gence. Pennie walked home with him al
- :, service, in stern, silent displeasure, and '
tell II. .''.,:..,,aa H., H., i,odo hor emo
| uOl WHICH boNS hSi SifiN
'ihc down her prickles for a little fretful pro
pine. She would have liked to consult
ms about the ghost, but there was no encoura
'he ment in his rallying tone to enter on so
iiao Gus a theme
ugn Round the blazing Yule-logs after din
'lr' somebody proposed stories and nerve-tl
He ling legends, new and old, were recour
ricd until Pennies turn came, and found
the dumb. Tom Martineau asked if she had
OBJ spiritual "reminiscences to narrate, W
now Uncle Christopher answered for her: g
his she, the little infidel, she believes in II
held ing!" on which she looked guilty, and
field vered out, No, she did not-expecting
,ubt- phantom-face to confront her with the W
way ed equivocation on her lips. She wi
Hut bedtime were twenty years off, yet whc
came to goodnight, Uncle Christophe
bell, if he uncannily OWNED her thoughts, V
make pered: ''Don't be afraid, Pennie; the l
rs to is shut up in the kitchen-clock, and v
"