Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-12-21

had been last worn by her cnlld, re-
ceived such dreadful admonition that
she did not get over trembling for a
week
Mrs. Haines was one Of those gentle
clinging creatures who Ought to be
/ loved and cherished by some true ten
der heart, but who usually fall to the
mercies Of Just such iron-natured men as
/ Deacon Haines. It is law of nature,
/ I suppose, and who shall gainsay it 2
/ She submitted to him in everything,
and, would no more have thought OF
disputing his authority than she would
have thought of disputing the right OF
1 the wind to blow in northeast snow
4 storm.
But nights, very often, when the
deacon was fast asleep, she wonld steal
/ softly up tie the chamber which had
been Emmas, and there upon the cold
pillows last pressed by the head OF her
darling would weep away the soreness
of her heart.
She hoped always that some letter
or message might come to her; she
would risk the deacon's anger, and
write just one word of love to her
daughter; but she hoped in vain. No
tidings ever came.
Days, and weeks, and months passed
by, as Ooh, Heaven, be pitiful , they
will drag by, whether we soar by
nights of ecstasy or sink into depths
of despair-as they have dragged on
ever since creation, as they will go ON
forever,
This beautiful Christmas morning
Mrs Haines went about her plum pud-
ding, and her chicken pie, and her
sponge cake, and other dainties, with a
heavy heart. She never dreamed of
emitting a single item in the Christmas
bill of fare, for the deacon was meth
odical man, and if there had been SO
much as dish of preserves missing,
he would have demanded the reason
Of it. He wonld have looked upon it
as a crying sin against the faith of his
forefathers if Christmas had not been
kept in the way he had kept it from his
youth up.
SO, though the mothers heart was
full of sorrow and heavineas, she re-
membered the exact quantity of spice
to be put in the mince meat for the
pies, she kept in mind just how much
shortening must go into the crust for
tho chicken pie, and she trussed the
fat turkey, and filed him full with
stufling, and watched INN while he was
roasting just as solicitously as if she
were not ready to sink down and weep
her life away Tor her lost child.
By four O'Clock in the afternoon
everything was ready. Dinner smoked
on the table, and filed the great kitch-
en-, when the table was set out, with
savory smell.
The weather had changed suddenly,
and heavy storm clouds drifted across
the sky, driven by the fierce wind and
the distant hilltops were wrapped in
mists of snow. Lanbomton was near
the sea, and the low beat of the waves
on the broken beach came ever and
anon to the ear in wall of despair.
Mrs. Haines lighted the candles in
the tall silver candlesticks and set them
on the table The voice III which
called her husband to dinner trcmbled.
She was wondering If Emma had q
Christmas dinner that day, or II indeed
she was still alive, and a dweller in Il
The deacon sat down at the table,
put his steelrimmed spectacles on his
nose, and opened the large Bible which
lay beside his plate. 1t was always his
custom To read the first passage upon
which his eyes rested, and on this occa.
sion he read aloud
For if We forgive men their tres
passes your Heavenly Father Will also
forgive you; but if ye forgive not men
their trespasses, neither will your
Father forgive your trespasses.
There was no softening OF the stern
voice as he read the beautiful words !,
no tenderness of feeling crept over his
face at thought OF the loving Christ
who uttered them. But Mrs. Haines'
eyes ran over, and she bowed her head
upon her hands.
"Oh, John. she cried, "think of
/ Emmal-hve years ago to-day since she
went forth blighted by fathers curse
and Heaven only knows If she is still
among the living, Oh, my child my
child !"
The deacon rose slewly from his
seat. his face pale rs death, his long
right arm extending solemnly to heaven.
\ Martha, said he, deliberately, "if
! you were not my wife | would turn you
from my door. Such passages of Scrip
ture as these have no reference TO
wicked and disobedient children who
persist IN going to ruin in spite of coun-
sci and admonition from their legal
guardians -
There was u faint moaning sound ut
the door. and the quick ear of Mrs.
Haines caught it at once. So did the
old house dog, for he leaped from his
warm corner by the fire and sprang to