The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-09-03

or, pure anu heaItny teuulAl brown,
With no tlnge whatever OF black; d
mighty different hue from any you can
find In Wardour street. Plaster ceiling
there was none, and never had been,
The original joIsts, and beams, and
boards were still there, only not quite
80 Fudely fashioned ~ OF old; for Mr.,
Raby's grand father had caused them 10
be planned and vanished, and gIlded a
little In serpentIne lines. This wood
work above gave nobility 10 the room,
and Its gliding, though worn, relieved
the eye Rgreeably.
The farther end was used as study,
and one side Of It graced with books All
handsomely bound: the other side, with
a very beautiful organ that had an oval
mirror In the midst OF its gilt dummy
pipes. All this made q cosy nook Ia
the grand room.
What might be called the dining room
part, though rich, was rather sombre,
on ordinary occasions; but this night il
was decorated glorIously. The mate.
rails were slmple--Wax candles and
holly; the effect was produced bY a
magnificent use OF these mRterlalR.
There were eighty candles, OF the larp.
est size sold In shops, and twelve wax
pillars, five feet high, and the size Of A
mans calf; Of these, four only were
lighted at present. The holly was NOT
In Sprigs, but In enormous branches,
that filled the eye with gllstening green
and red 4: and, In the embrasure OF the
front window stood q young holly tres.
entire, eighteen feet high, aud Gorgeous
with five hundred branches OF red her,
ries. The treO had been dug up, and
planted here in IN enormous bucket,
used for the purpose, and filled with
mould,
Close behind this tree were placed
two OF the wax pillars, lighted, and
their flame shons through the leaves
and berries magIcally.4. -.
As Miss Garden entered, on MFR.
Raby's arm, her eye swept the room
with complacency, and settled on the
holly tree. AT sight OF that, she pinch
cd Mr.. RAbyB arm, and cried 'OhV
three times. Then, ignoring the din
ner'tsble altogether, she pulled her host
away 10 the tree, and stood before II,
with clasped hands. '0h, how beautliull
Mr.. Raby was gratlhed. so then our
toretathers were not quite such fools as
some people say
They were angels, they were ducks.
It ls beautiful, It Is dlvine.'
Mr.. RAby looked at the glowing
cheek, and deep, sparkling, sapphire
eye. Come, said he; after all there's
nothing here 30 beautiful az the young
lady who now honors the place with
her presence
With this he handed her ceremo.
to place at his right hand;
said short grace, and sat down be.
tween his two guests.
But, Mr.. Raby, said Grace, ruefully.
I'm with my back to the holly tree
Places
Mr.. Coventry rose and the change
was effected.
Well, It is your doing, Coventry.
Now she'll overlook you.
'All the better for me. mariana. I'm
contents Miss Garden will look at the
holly, and l shall look at Miss Garden
'FdtEte de miettr.'
'CcSt mechdnt,'
And shall fine you both bumper
OF champagne, for going out OF the Eng.
lbp language
I shall take my punishment like a
man,
Then take mine as we'll. Champagne
with me means frenzy,'
But, In the midst OF the easy banter
and jocose airy nothlngs OF the modern
dining room, an object attracted
Grace's eye. 1t was a picture with Its
face turned to the wall, and some large
letters on the back OF the canvas.
This excited Grace's curiosity direct
", and whenever she could without be-
Ing observed, she peeped and tried to
read the inscription; but, what with Mr.,
Raby's head, anda monster candle that
stood before 1t, she could not decIpher
u unobserved. She was inclined 10 ask
Mr.. Kaby; but she was very quick, and
observing that the other portraits were
Of his family, shesuspected at once that
The original OF this picture had offended
her host, and that It would be In bad
taste, and might be offensive to cues.
ton MIN. Still the subject took posses
sion OF her.
At about eight o'clock a servant an
nounced candles In the drawing room,
Upon this Mr.. Raby rose, and with
out giving her any option on the mat
ter, handed her to the door with obso-
lete Difference.
In the draWing-room she found a
a splnet, and piano, ali
tuned expressly for her. This amused
her, as she had meyer seen either OF the
two older instruments In her life. She
played on them all three.
Mr.. Raby had the doors thrown open
10 hear her.
She played some pretty little things
from Mendelssohn. Spohr, and Scha-
bert.
The gentlemen smoked and praised.
Then she found an old music. book,
and played Handel'a overture to Ohio
and the minuet.
The gentlemen left of praislng d.
reetly, and came silently lnto the room
TO hear the immortal melodIst, But
this IL the rule in Music; the lips praise
The delicate GelaLinous, the heart beats
IN silence at the mighty melodIous.
Iea and coffee came directly AFTER
ward, and ere they were disposed Of,
= servant announced The WassaIlers,'
Raby.
The school children and young peo-
pie OF the village trooped In, and made
their obeisance, and sang the Christmas
Carol,
God rest you, merry gentlemen,
LetnothInS you dlsmay,
Then one OF the party produced IN
Image of the Virgin and Child, and
another offered comfts In box: third
presented the wassaIl cup, into which
RHby Immediately poured some silver,
and Coventry followed his example.
Grace iumbled for her purse, and, when
she had found It, began 10 tumble In II
for her silver.
But Raby lost all patience, and said,
There. give this for the lady, and
she'll pay me neat Christmas
The wassailers departed, and the
Squire went TO say a kind word to his
humber guests.
Miss Garden took that opportunity 10
ask Mr.. Coventry II he had noticed the
picture with its face 10 the wall. He
said he had.
DO you know who II isH'
No ldea,' lE,
did you read the inscription
No. But, II you are curious, I'll 20
back to the dlning.room, and read it,
I'm afraid he might be angry. There
Is no excuse for going there now
Send me for your pocket handker-
ohlef.' ~
please see whether I have left my
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