, 1869-12-25
HURSTOH HALL.
A christmas stoFys
Ska rnSEnFfS Wo%fd

Rmoug the shadows OF ths mas&lve OAKS, na.aeu
i59se asrsa oSa; ae1e a3sa na
70 the eowers. The parting aIss a. o. aSed ony
outlines OF the ancient hail. and threw ovsf ~ -
gloomy eEandcur golden mist that seemed I"
But mole onsh,,y and lovingly tnan elsewhere
youL8 Lord Hurston, -, reclining on biz couch
WITH ta bo,isn delight ,ne beausS o. the scene.
Close the book, Aunt Caddy, )" be sa,d, tasmog
70 pale, graceful lady, who, seated on AZ os9mna
ths mcst beautiful Of ths grest posts layn.:
"Close tie book 1or yon are tired n1d waht YOU
oef a. ne snpset sna sk 20 20 % qS, snd Of ie
wonder II thst lItie squirrel has his neat among
long ago, before waa syck! wonder II I Will
ever be well enough to hunt squirrels again l"
Ard ,he LII speaker hghed as he turned restless
III hope 10, dsrltpe,' Aunt caddy replied,
fopd!y. But We muat pe patient, yottanow."
5s, kn9T Pus ha5d sass Sonsnmssqns e.,
grls; Ing nigh, lie stili and not care 70 much.
But wien Lady RaJborn and Percy and George
and ride and Jump; and when had FIoy brought
out from The stable for them and heard her call
me j. st as ahe used when could nde-! Wonldnt
when wai ali By myself-cried like great baoy
Aunt caddyA eyes we're bright with tears Of
Hy poor pet. was It 50 hard for you. Then
Nandmamna will not ask them hero again"
am not not .uc6 nc q coward u 70 mlud reeling badly:
ind ther, I would bear Il better next time. No,
70: Hursto1 Hall must be open to every one. ~
had il. ed tven though ia lord ia only sics boy
Who can bus LIE On hs cushions aud let nis guests
anu1e themselves a. The! p'es.e; on1, T,sa
place. You are lust lie Elaine. II you Eere
eIieved or sor1o 1ul, no one would ever tnow II
unsi1 soHe @ 9oinns ky yoa R would oa: away from u
over The dark waters With the story OF your sor-
row folded over yonr still heart"
Aunt cadoy's cheek a. abe bent TO ktss the pale,
"You are poet Jourfe'f, Arthur. Who knows
We have had 60 many boid BaroDs OF norston that
sit , Arthur may well a ado1u to win sen'lef fame
The boy vas client for moment; then replied
with touchibg ter1ousl esst
"Auntte. denr, you are all kind and loving 10
Woodleys III lace when H BE- sounded ny vi lungs % tae
other day, and kn0w what It MEANT Poor papa
id not i've to be 81; and IL was reading
Born % 70 de- IS t sefe re- xfi sra
ten io5 nehorn 10 die not to live and w.a laurels
my daIil,np, you must not talk 80, rnluk.of
poor grardmamma, think OF us all u we should
lose you. lou are only Il, and youth can hope
1or ETef1G0tURs"
But esen Is she spoke aocd Of memories
Welled up frtm her heart; 9weet yet monrnIui
xo:ces o. ne past, whispering sadly OF hsT youth
rs vanished noper, its faded dreams. Tho sunset
rsolaLce had paled now and din shadowa were
gathering over the rosy, western horizon as Aunt
vaaay thought q her ll1e, with It's emily sunset,
did ios lie starry sean ot oshe1 - worlds 1 soms.
But AIthur's voice aroused her from her rev.
al don't think II seems no dreadful now IN t,Ie
Aunt Caody. When l vas well and strong, il
seemed 90; and used almost to sniver when
i,e side b! Eide, beneath me painted window IN
the chsucel. 1t seemed 30 hard that be should not
i've long enough to beas the title. But now
strange It Hiu look to see beside grandpapaa 3
4 nonpEens that tells how very, very old he was,
that I'D 'i he Athar kS
Ba,s" a., a. In'ston ayed IL or 1s-nut any more
,'.a ny darling; H. my darling, ttese morbid fance.
~ aonr vent to e.ieve yon, Aunt caddy: bat
why should We fear to talk Of what must 6e3 1
mamma. You viii te Tie lady Il the - nalf. 1l and
fc]p The poor people around. and keep the old
place from getting ruined and desolate; and make
down; erandI apa's oaks must not be touched. o
Aunt caaay, YOU WI asWays stay at nu1ston,
the owner or uu1Bton, my dariiQg," was the los
1en'y; "1le would i've here, Of send some ore 10
he1s ro lo1 ger. So 5ou muss get well ana strone,
II yen Nant 10 Keep rs al H1rbton, she added,
With La an 4ne,n attempt g. Pla, t15ess,
anazeu oil. mWhs muat be come here7 Where
L. ns noW: Why should he be owner Of aura,
'ue Is next her-yous father . younger brother
be has been With hts regiment In Canada Tor q
great m q many m {ears," she replied, hnnied,y. "Bu,
WILL ride FloJ "a 9syly az ever
"Dut wan. TO hear about my Uncle Charles, =
SAG Ih IAhrshor, eagerly. "pid ever see him ~
been 10 America ten years.
"Dtd you ever zee him, Aunt Caddy7"
Very cfteu, dear" was the low reply.
"Bn. why does be not come to England Why
| did not glnndpspa hear from him Z" continued
the eager little questioner. .....
I sell win others troubles Your srandtas6ef and
n!a younger soD parted u anger They MsEe botl
| them, Aunt Caddy said sadly.
die7'' '' = 0''0>''S
| ~ scarcely think SO, dear; he has few pleasant
neHores connected With It,"
"Then Jou wonld stay, dear aunte7"
ceo i, 1as ass sspd M.s s
Jour grandma and to me that ene was dying. ant
we must lake her place to her orphaned boy
when VII JONI g1andfatner' cd old Lord H91s.on, placed
hcmei uut when Colonel Tnornbury Ia sa master
anow Old is my nnee 2, Aunt csdsy."
| "1hiriy one, think, Althnr.''
"Th'Iiy one," waa tne thoughtful reply. "An.
he ELL be Lord HursIon when die. / wish
knew him, Aunt caddy. Do 5on think be @onl'
10 ask Inn not 10 leave uurston to ruin and desoa
lion; want TO ask him TO let you atay and ,ak
proud Of. want 10 ak him not to let Johnso,
cut down the oaks that be wanted to thin oot las
iail. Dear. dear Aunt cadly, won't you write 10
"My darling Arthur, Fhe replied, With deer
entEg blush that 1reshened her pale face wonder
iol!y int Lea esnn9' sg,, 1Mou!d es posslole
vertbg boy. L. he 50 very had, 80 wicked, tha
Cadoy: nas hcr- and tho boys cheeS fushe
ns; WIN re T1ide Of big noble zaee-"has he dtt
my dear A1inur,.' was the. hurried response
"oh; no; thonsaud times no. Your uuce va
| rIoCd, passionate, heA6BtrOnF; but he Was-he Il
am tu1e, all thai Is noble, brave, generous; ant
he osed your father as tondy as brother
-. "Dat Nhy DID d, he go away: Why do We no
my DARING the words came reluctantly
"your sIandpapa-iu short, they mad some dlsa
| Rfeement whtp Jonr uncle cane OF age about
acout marriage that the Old Lord had set hi
1.-THE lady was nch, and he feared he would 5
| thought mercer cetarJ-and-aud-ve must epea
!esereL!ly q tie dead, dear Arthur and al
bent 10 KISS hts pale, pure brow, ''hut your unct
va not to ela1e PIG Let Us s, tak no EoIe about
snd beautiful It IS. Have you no sonnet Tor sue
5eene, my gentle 'Iouoadonr = :.
ceed nas 49sf se OF was tie nes ease!ox Gs sxes
he could see the large tears bllmmiEg Aunt Cad
dy's still beautiful eyes; could bear the tremrr Il
sog iee eoy as be r.
| eacdeptpg memories.
The by Baron almost idolized the fair, gent
never SHOWN, ana It was with i re1norseful % II syn IN
patby That be nnn3 his arms around her neck
hlssed her flushed cheek, aud whispered fopdl5
"foIr tigesoEe little troubadour knows but Que
and that 1s for !on alone, dear auntle-.Ie ttafms
j. ta'ms; me- }ss, M more = than any one in the world
| lie vas rot pr pared for the long. low sob tba
shook her slight frame, as she replied, In tremh
"s 1seI eeIeVs Jon ny darling, my own Arthur-bu
lever let Ms tax AGAIN % We have tonight
cions wtsdom, he "ponde1ed tnase things In h,
And the result was that a letter, ,ndlteh In
clear, bcynh hano, sped IKE white. winged mea
sa1sss s'Veo coon csa1es
And mentns AFTER that twilight talk, when th
and gold On the broad avenue, when the last rose
brealheo their sweet farewe1]s around Arthur
| lBtf1ced WlnuoW, ana Tue aut0un WHO'S oeRAn
e,eh through the leaaess vines, far away beneat
the clear blue sky OF another hemisphere,
b1onxed, bearded man, read those frank. boyis
| words Of HelcoEc that bore the proud aeal Of hi
ancient race, and, with tear aud o smile, whls
pe1ed blessing on " Arthuf's hor.''
Christmas snow lay white and pure On the 1eld
and groves Of nuraton, aud Christmas noo1lgn
fell Ike benediclton Gn the spo,less earth. Tnt
old hall stood boldly out with every rugged on,
line clearly deoued against the iros'y winter SKY
strange, irregular old pile, With little architec
| tuf3l 81 ninety: for II had grown with the fol-
tures Of the race that had ruled there for genera
/ duf{r Hhf nAafto fcr k>oN tn WA Vy,$c