The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-12-20
NUMBER As.

was six months Distant long dream Of
horrible approximations and settled despair.
So we drifted into December, and the
Christmas candles glimmered nearer and
nearer. Eternally recuperative nature scat.
tered her SHOWS and evergreens before the
coming season. There were holly and ivy,
and winter roses for the gathering, as In
better days; there were yule-logs for the
digging; and carols for the singing. But
the festal foliage and flowers were Loft nm
garnered: the strong arms mat bore the
y4le-logs home i II. brighter days were crush
ed ana helpless ; and the carollers were 81
lent, for their hearts were low, and the
voices that once reveled in song only asked
for bread. With Christmas week, the heart
OF the old town beat with a oyfuller pulse !;
the streets threw off their mourning weeds,
and laugled-if bricks and mortar, and
states s ties and glass can lapgh-at the coming
of the festival. The shops displayed their
finest wares; the stalls trimmed their gay-
est lamps; the peasantry donned their neat
est costumes, and the citizens ceased to look
serious. had been long looking forward
to the day which should release me from
business Tor whole week, and send me ca
rolling to country Indigenous, and parks,
and rivers with snOwwreaths floating on
their bOsoms, and millions of stiffened rush
es on their banks. With the delights
promised myself, was mingled the dream of
a Little woman-a loving, clear eyed, low
voiced sweetheart, brilliant with, tender
conceits and exquisite side-lights, which let
out the glow of her, gentle nature with q
sort of cathedral tinting. Under the hos
pitable roof of her father / knew 1 would
meet with many friends, especially dear old
Fid, who was then rising clerk in a pro-
vinclal bank, and was, he had written to
me, engaged " to one Of the most fascina-
ting creatures, Dick, you ever laid eyes on.
She will be there" he wrote, with flourish
to the tail of the final vowel ; Z" she is Lucy's
great friend; and oh, dear Dick, like he-
for my sake, at least. l have much of the
old child-like nature, rs you used to call it,
in me and it would so hurt me if any one
thought ill of her." OF course l determined
at all hazards to like Fid's sweetheart. AS
for my own, loved her SO well that it was
q matter of indifference tome what people
thought of her. She was not what you
would call exceedingly pretty don't care
for exceedingly pretty women; her beauty
was of quiet, domestic cast, with a GER
tain indescribable repose to which all
=" toasts" are absolute strangers. Neither
was she very clever-only two of every
fifty clever women are amiablc but her in
telligence was of clear and lucid quality,
which did not seek to display itself in small
sarcasms, OF in the questionable personals
ties that pass unreproved at the tea table,
III loved her for any special quality, it was
for the peace of soul and goodness OF heart
which radiated through her daily life. She
might not astcnish ballroom, but she
could make whom she loved intensely hap
py. 1t is a noble grace to enjoy the love OK
q good woman; it is one of Gods richest
gifts. Let US strive to earn and apprecl-
ate it.
Thirty miles lay between me and Lucy.
The railway had not then penetrated to the
town in which was stationed we had still
to depend on the numbering old mail coach,
red panneled, bright wheeled, white steed-
ed, which accomplished the journey in
something better than four hours. The
weather was bitterly cold, and as walked
down from my lodgings to the mail-yard,
the keen sleet blew in my face with pinch
ing vgor. The mail=yard of those days was
n place of some Importance. 1t consisted
of II long rectangle enclosed by two storied
stables, with hay cropping out of the upper
windows, and hot-smelling stalls for the
horses below. In the middle of thesrectan-
gle stood the coach, the royal arms embla-s
zoned dinghy on its panels, and the pigeons
of the neighboring houses pcrched in little
groups on the roof. At the first bell the
horses were led out and barnessed, with
good deal of unnecessary hustle and clamor;
at the second the coach rolled into the
street; and the third bell was the signal for
starting. Entering the yard, L gave my
leather trunk to the guard, and sauntered
about AS l was dreamily imb.bing the
fumes of cigar, heard voice exclaim
/" Two insides-luggage weighed" Turn
ing round, L found that the speaker was a
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