Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-12-25
0bio Statesman
GIDEON eRRDEh's CHRISTMAS
BY JAMES d. M'cABE, JR.

BY JAMES, D. M'CABE, JR.
The white-faced clock on the City Hall
stared grimly out into the night, and its
truthful hands informed the people in
the neighborhood that it was eleven
o'clock on Christmas eve. nwas gen.
uine old-fashioned Christmas eve, at that.
and the streets of New York were white
with snow, and the wind was whirling
the drifts about fantastically, to the 'evi-
dent discomfort of the old apple and hot
corn women by the Park railing, who
fingered at their posts in spite Of the
latenessI of the hour, hoping to turn
another honest Pepny from some passer-
by before midnight. The old ballad
vender had packed up his stock in trade
and betaken himself homeward long ago,
and most of the New Yorkers had fol
lowed his example, SO that the streets
were almost deserted.
One man, at least, was abroad in the
storm, and as he turned into gate of
the Park to make short cut over to
BroadwAy, where The stages we're still
ruhkssg he old apple woman. thinking
she might find in him another customer,
began pitiful petition to him to buy Of
her wares. when he turned to her sharp
ly. and the lamplight fell full upon his
face. A glance satisfied the woman, and
BIT heeds4 ndf his cold rs6df to cause her
Ito stsinlE back from him.with a fright
ened look. The man passed over to
Broadway, and pausing moment for a
stage to come up. entered the Gathering
vehicle, and settled-himself in his seat
as if totally unconscious of the presence
of the other passengers. His entrance
seemed to cast chilling influence over
them, for soon they grew <silepts and
wrapping their coats and shawls closer
around them, wondered if it was not
growing colder.
At last the stage paused, and the man
descended from. IT, Turning into a, cross
street, and Walking slowly as if careless
of the storm, he reached large brown
stone mansion. where he rang the bell.
The door was opened by fine looking
servant in livery but as:soen as,he saw
the man, the domestic shrank back tim
idly, and made room for him to enter
Throwing off his overcoat and hat, ant
divesting himself of his wet boots, til.
man gave1them to the servant. FizFAzs
"a cup of tea. David, in the library
he said, coldly, as he passed into a lux.
uriously furnished apartment, opening
from the hall.
1t was a beautiful room, and great
taste had BEEN displayed in its adorn.
ment. The book cases and furnitur.
were of the choicest kinds, an open fir,
burned in the handsome CRATE, and even
to the ninutests article, ieverythings was
in its place. Perfect order ireigned
throughout, but there was in everything
that coldness and sternness that marked
the owner of so much comfort.
The man drew large arm chair be-
fore the crate, and adsipking into it, raised
his, FIJI p the fis.s He never Flooked
lily before him. Only once he raised his
eyes to glance at a portrait which hung
over the mantel. 1t was a woman's face
"a face so pure and tender in its love
Ihrtss, that one could but wonder if it.
Ewas really that Of u human being
Only once the man gazed at it, and as
he did so, his eyes filled with tears, and
his cold, hard mouth wore an expression
of intense pain..EThen he sank back in
his chair, and his eyes then fell upon the
fire. The domestic entered and placed
the refreshments his master had ordered,
ona small stand at his side apd. seeing
thel man 90 wrapt in thought, withdrew
ndsel-ssly, WITHOUT disturbing him, and
stfll with that frightensd, tihia look he
had first worn: /. ~ Il D.
He was very lonely man, this Gid
con Grindem, in spite of all his wealth
He was proud, cold man, and his un-
happiness was chiefly of his own max
ing. Years ago he had married wo-
man much younger than himself, but
such woman as ons sJmeets but once.in
a lifetime, and having sesnss can9nsver
forget. Had she lived, he might have
been happier and better, but she had
been dead twelve years. and no other liv-
ing being had filed her placsssin the mer-
chants heart. She had left him one
child, and. despite his coldness, he had
lavished upon this little one love only
less streug than hehad borne her mother
At eighteen this girl had married against
his will, poor clerk that he had taken
into his employ. He had cast her
off forever, and now her name
was J never 9 Smentioned sihs Ills
house. For four years he had not
seen her face save once, when she came
one cold winter,pigbt to beg for aid and
forgiveness. He crushed the yee ming
of his heart for her, and turned her into
the street, as he would have done to a
dog that bad d-strayed into his. house. 1t
was cruel act and since khenahe had
been harder and sterneri than ever. He
had ne friends gHis acquaintanc.s
Eshunned him. zand sougbtShis spresence
only when business made it necessary.
No visitor ever crossed his threshold ;
no happy sounds or lights were ever
heard or seen within the walls of his
dwelling. Even his servants feared and
avoided him. He was alone in the wide
world, and hesknew it. He knew he
must live alone, and that when he came
to die, he must go to the grave with not
lphe oYing or plying heart to cheer his
last moments, or miss him when he was
gone. 1t was sad. sad thought to him,
and somehow it came to him tonight
Observation-Disclosures .This,was why his
eyes. .elouded and his face ,twitched with
pain when he looked at the picture Of
his dead wife. '''' as =,
The refreshments by his side remain
| ad untouohad opd tha roorcbant cot Wi I,