The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-02-18

thousand eyes could see me in my little
spot Of light amid the darkness. "If
1t must have been little past eleven
o'clock when Matthew Heighway,--a
fsrmer, with a good dairy farm of
twenty fnich cows, living at the far
end Of the yillage-droye up in his gig
Such voice he hadi you would not
hear its like if. ten thousand men spoke
to you ip the dark; 50 pleasant, and
clear, and hearty 1t made my heart
leap when / beard him say, "GOod
nightp' '1a' s's at7a sfg tsal
"Is il you, Mr. Heigbway7" said ]. /.
as he refined in his brown mare, though
he had no toll to pay, for he was re-
turning homewards.
Gay, Hannah" he replied, "but it IS
late for you to come out. Where 's
fatherp 'saW gt5l asai 4 81 II
aHe,s gone home to watch the New
Year in" | said.
"You've not left all alone by your
self7'' he asked. 'a a..s'a a'7 =
a"Yes," l answered. SHELLY has gone
home, you see." rs tal.a .lraa i
He stopped a moment or two, whist
ling softly to himself. The clouds had
gathered, and drops of rain were be-
ginning to fall but | could have stood
there for an hour. y.
"Hannah,' he said, "you might as
we'll lock the gate; it's getting late on
in the night, and listen chances to one
that anybody else will be coming along
tonight, You are not afraid are yOulH
''What should a grown woman Of
seven-and-t#enty6 afraid off," | cried,
but l did not laugh. The words choked
me a little, for perhaps Matthew Heigh-
way had thought me younger than
that.
t'T'here's nothing to be afraid Of"
he said cheerily, "but should be more
comfortable if knew the gate was
locked, and saw you safe into the
house before drive on. And, Hannah,
if anybody should go by, it might be
best not to speak to him."
He waited until | had locked the
gate, and gone into the house, after
wishing one another a happy New
Year. Somehow my spirits had risen
up to the mark again, and | did not
feel the lonesome and forlorn creature |
had done before Matthew Heighway
passed by. snuffed the long wick Of
the candle, and stirred up the fire, and
put the copper kettle, which shone like
gold, upon the top bar, and listened to
its singing, and to the purring Of the
old cat till my heart grew quite'hght-
some, Who could.teH what good for
tune was going to happen to us in this
New Year, which was coming nearer
and nearer every minute, as the clock
ticked7 Perhaps Nelly might be mar
ried !; she was so pretty, was NeIlyand
like a lady born. | had two patchwork
quilts finished, and if Nelly did not care
to have them both for her house, there
might be another use for them. 1t was
not impossible for John to meet with
wife in twelve months. Where should
we all be next New Years Eve? Then
l fell to fancying them all round the
fire at home father in his three-cor-
nered armchair, and Nelly on the
cricket at his feet, and mother in the
chimney.nook, and John by the round
table, reading maybe, or all talking
together, and looking up to tho clock
to see how the hour hand was creeping
on to twelve, just as | was doing all by
myself. o, if there could be only some
great, deep-sounding bell, like a catho-
dral bell, rung somewhere up in the
solemn midnight sky amongst the
clouds, when the Old year was dead;
sound never to be heard except when
year was tolled out as gone from US
forever! How we should all be listen
ing for it, with our hearts beating and
our knees trembling,-the folks at
home, and me in the lonely house,
Anyhow, they would every one think
of me at midnight. ,-s ra.. -,.t-.I
That caused me to look up at the
clock; and, to my amazement, it was
on the stroke Of giving warning for
twelve, and in three more minutes the
Old Year would be gone As IwaS quite
alone, what was the. good of looking
gay, and of making ready to welcome
in the new year merrily? That would
have been all very well if I had had
company. But being alone, aud hear
ing the clock ticking out the Old Year,
all of sudden fell down on my knees,
and covered my face with my hands,
and so waited for it to pass away, as if
lit was some dear friend who was dying,
1t was SO still that the warning stroke
Of the clock rung loudly through the
house, and before the sound was quite
gone, heard the beat of horses
boofs, and the rolling Of wheels upon
the Ludford road, coming on fast and
steadily, but with a peculiar tread, as
if the horse limped on one foot, l
jumped up from my knees, and took
the key down from the nail behind the
door; but before | could get outside the
conveyance had drawn up, and mans
impatient voice was shouting, "Gate
gate" Itwas darker than when Matthew
Heighway passed by, and could make
nothing Of the traveller in the gloom,
excepting that he was well cloaked up
from the rain, and that both he and his
horse were chatting to get through.
Rnt was not nsed To locking and