Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-08-27
JOSEPH G0LDIKa's CHRISTMAS.
BY LOUISA CHANDLER MoULroN.

1t was very strange, thought old Joseph
Golding, that he couldn't be master of his
own mind He had lived a great many
years, and neither retnorse nor memory
had ever been in the habit of disturbing
him; but now it seemed to him as if the
very foundations of his life we're breaking
up. He was we'll through with his days
work-he had diued comfortably-he sat
in an easy chair in a luxurious drawing
room, whose crimson hangings shut out
the still cold Of the December afternoon
he had nothing to do but enjoy himself.
MIR. Golding liked to enjoy himself at
this season as much as others did, for it
was Christmas Eve. What though he
was in the habit of spending it solitarily !?
He liked solitude. Perhaps because moth.
ing more lively came in his way, and
he was too shy aud proud to look out for
it,
For many year on Christmas Eve he
had sat balancing in his mind the great
accounts presented in his ledgcrs, the &C.
cumnlating Golfers at the bankers, the
strokes of business he would make in fu.
ture. Not so now. The year was draw.
ing to close; some intrudiug voice kept
whispering that in like manner so was his
career. lie could not put it from him, try as
he would. The voice reminded him of
coming time when his lifc's work would be
all donc-even as his days work was all
done now-when he would be ready to
sit down in the evening and look over the
baance-shcc,s of his deeds, good and evil.
Curiously the old days came trooping in
slow procession before him. And he
had been able to forget them for so very
long!
His dead wife. He had not loved her
mucl, when she was with him, but how
vivid was his memory Of her now! He
could see her moving round the house,
noiscleSs as a shadow, never intruding on
him after he had once or twice repulsed
her gruiily, but going on her own meek,
still ways, with her face growing whittier
every day. He began to understand, as
he looked back, why her strength had
failed; aud she had been ready, when her
baby came, to float out on the tide and let
it drift her into Gods haven. She had
had enough to drink, but he saw now that
he had left her hear. to starve. Haven.
what hard man he had been. lie seemed
to see her white, still face, as he looked at
it the last time before they screwed down
the coffin lid, with the dumb reproach
frozen ON it; the eyes that would never
plead vainly any more closed for ever.
He recalled how passionately the three
days-old baby had cried iu another room
just as that moment, moving all the people
gathered together for the funeral with
thrill Of pity for the poor little mo,herless
WotSt'. '"e ""s Pa'''"""'N' "e'
baby, although her baby hood; he remem-
bcred that She wanted-missed without
knowing what the lack was-the love and
sussenance which her mother would have
given her. aud protested against fate With
all the might of her infant lungs. Blu, As
soon as she grew old enough to understand
how useless il was, she had grown quiet.
too Just like her mother. He recalled
her. all through her girldhocd, . shy, still
girl. always obedient aud submissive, but
never drawing very near him. Why!
Because he would have repulsed her as
he rcpulsed her mother. He could see i,
nov. 1t was very strange these facts should
come back to him to-day, and their naked
truth with them. He had been q cold,
hard, ungenial man. without sympathy
for any one human being; absorbed utterly
in the pursuit Of money making. And 30
the child. Amy, had grown up in shadow
without him.
but suddenly, when she was eighteen,
the old. passionate spirit that had made her
cry so when baby must have awakened
again, he thought; for she fell in love
then, aud wished to marry. To marry in
defiance Of his wishes He remembered
her standing proudly before him after one
Of their quarrels. where he had been harsh
and bitter, aud sbusive of the man she
wanted TO call husband. She had borne
in silence reproaeh Of herself; bat no. Of
him Who had become to her ss her best
existence. Her words came back TO the
old man now.
Father, do you know anything against
Harry Church,