The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-01-03
THE TRIUMPH OF LOVE OVER
DEATH.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

A CHRISTMAS STORY.
"Christmas comes but once a year,"
and once year the old hall is filled from
basement to garrett. Once year old
scores are wiped out, old wounds heal
cd, brothers become boys again, and the
battle of life, with all its inevitable
shortcomings, is forgotten. The hearth
round which we clustered at a mothers
knee is an altar upon which every world
ly mistake is sacrificed; aud if we miss
some dear face from the gathering, we
feel that even on earth we have fore
taste of the eternal home to which we
are fastening. So it is year by year the
old house stretches its sides, and the
church round which our forefathcrs
sleep, finds us kneeing even to the third
and fourth generations. But, though we
miss face sometimes, we also often
welcome new one. And at the Christ
mas time of which am going to write,
a brother, after twenty years of exile,
had come back to us, bringing with him
his only child. Ina was half Spaniard,
and the prettiest girl 1 ever saw; her
uncommon beauty, for she was utterly
unlike any of our girls, and her quaint
ways took our hearts by storm at once,
and completely subdued that of Mark
Amberly. Now, though Mark was not,
strictly speaking, relation, he was a
sisters step-son, and admitted, first for
her sake. was speedily loved for his
own. A soldier, and the son of SOL
der, Mark had won honors, which in
our out-of-the world county, established
him hero at once, and verify believe
the dear lad was half ashamed of his
V. c., 80 deep and earnest was the wor-
ship with which we favored it.
Mark was always at Ina's side; so
we all saw how it would be, and the
love-making gave new charm to the
gathering. Christmas-eve came; the
shurch had been decorated, the "guis-
ers" feasted, the Christmas-tree disman-
tied, and, tired of dancing "Sir Roger"
we were all grouped about in the din
mg-room waiting for midnight, when,
according to custom, the "devil's knell'
was tolled at the church, and the Squire
dispensed cakes and mulled ale to all
those who came to wish him and his a
merry Christmas. My brother stood
upon the hearth, watch in hand pre-
sently the time-keeper was thrust into
his pocket, and he crossed the ROOM
There was general hush. Laughing
faces grew grave. Lips quivered and
eyes filled, for in the silence memory
woke up; and the ghosts of the past
came trooping by, some laughing, some
weeping, until it was hard to know
whether old Christmas was time for
Mirth or sadness.
"Clangl clangl clang!" came the
bells, and hundred voices smote the
frosty air, singing the old CAROL
"God rest you merry, gentlemen, let nothing
you dismay;
nemernber Christ, our Saviour, was born on
Christmas day."
The children crowded to the bay WIN
dow, and turning to another found il
already occupied. Mark and Ina stood
there; he was whispering in her ear.
and half hid by shawl, saw his arm
Dound her.
AS sat by my bedroom fire an hour
after, a light tap at the door woke mt
from my dreaming. Ina came in, hel
long light hair floating in golden rip
pies over fine dressing-gown.
MAY ! come and warm myself
Aunty!" she said; " the fire has gone
cut in my room, and am so cold" Sh,
gavea pretty little shiver as if to veri
fy the assertion, though the warm fact
she pressed to mine rather contradicteC
her words. Then nesting down upor
the hearth rug, she clasped her hands
around her knees. Presently she said
but without turning round, "You lik,
Mark Amberly, Aunty!" acquiesced
and she went n-"And so do l, ant
isn't it funny, he says he likes me
and -"
Then suddenly she was kneeling b,
ne, and under cloud of hair, ant
amidst shower of kisses, was listen
ing to her secret, how Mark had aske,
her to be his wife, but how he had frs
settled it all with his father and hers
that he was to go to India until he 60
his promotion, when he might leave tn
army and marry her.
Next day the party broke up. Som
30 their own homes to receive guests
some to join other parties. Mark wen
10 India in February; and during tn
year, although l heard constantly of o
from Ina, did not meet her. So tina
when Christmas came again, and l say
her at the Hall, was struck with an al
teration; what could hardly tell. Sh
had grown handsOmer. Every one say
and said that, and yet no one limited a
other change. Yet from the momen
she came up to me, and looked at IN
with her great, gray, wistful eyes, m
heart chilled, and fear could not dc
Sne came over me.
Nor was my anxiety lessened when