Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-07-22
Purged In the Fire.

but dozen voices echoed the request.
1t was Christmas, and we were gathered,
to the time honorcd custom, round a blaz.
ing fire under my grandiather's roof We
were merry party, comprising some tif-
teen cousins, all ages, with their respective
parents, and few married and unmarried
uncles aud aunts. Uncle Herbert, other
wise Mr. Herbert Milward. was our uncle
by marriage only, as the husband Of our
aunt Alice, but though thus only indirectly
related to US, | think he was with the
younger ones at any rate, the best beloved
Of all. Perhaps because he had no chill
drcn of his own, he was always specially
sympathetic in youthful troubles. and es.
pecially lenient to youthful misdoings.
However grave the otfense, we were al
ways sure Of Uncle Herbert's intercession
though he never failed privately to ad-
monish the offcnder-very gently, but so
gravely and seriously, that his quiet words
would bring tears to eyes too proud to
weep under the severest punishment, and
tame the most rebellious spirit to submis-
sion and repentance. lie would be very
merry at times; but there was gravity
mingled even with this merriment, as of
one to whom the more solemn aspects Of
life are always present. His devotion to
his wife was remarkable, even to our
youthful eyes No one could say that his
affection was demonstrative, and yet no
one could be in company of the two to
gether, even for an hour, without feeling
that aunt Alice was more precious to her
husband than anything else in the world.
Wherever his eyes wandered, they always
seemed to come back to her as resting
place, and however deeply, to all appear
ancc, he might be engrossed in convcrsa.
ton with others, he was always able, 10y
some magical process Of intuition, to divine
her wants or wishes, and silently to supply
them. Her furs were the warmcst, her
silks the softest; nothing was too costly,
no trouble too great, that minstered to her
pleasure. There seemed to be no such
thing as forgetting, no possibility of mis-
take, wherever she was concerned. 1t she
had found four.eaved shamrock, and had
good fairies constantly attending her, she
could hardly have been better served.
turning her husbands devotion. He was
many years older than she, but know the
difference in their ages increased, if any
thing, her pride and pleasure in his love.
She never did anything (indced she had
no necd) to test or draw attention to his
devotion, but she quietly abandoned her.
self to his tender care. She seldom thank
ed him in words, a, least in company, but
he was thanked enough by the look of
perfect love and perfect peace which was
the habitual expression Of her gentle gray
eyes.
On the present occasion Uncle Herbert
was seated in a high backed oaken chair,
with aunt Alice on footstool beside him,
and the rest Of the party grouped around
in semicirce before the blazing fire.
The candles were not yet lighted but the
fame shed ruddy light throughout the
room, throwing into bold relief the carved
work of the oaken furniture, and bright.
cnipg with genial glow the red berries
and dark.greeu leaves Of the Christmas
evergrcens. 1t was just the moment for a
iresi le story and as uuclc Herbert was
known to be learned in legend and Ger
man far Italics, which he was wont to mar
rate with much humor, our little cousins
request met with general approval Uncle
Herbert did not Immediately reply, but sat
apparently rejecting; and the Pickering
freight, playing over his face, showed US
that he was in a serious mood Aunt
Alice glanced up at him inquiringly; and
l thought to myself that had never seen
her bright young face (for she was many
years younger than the rest Of our aunts
aud uncles) look more perfectly beautiful
than it did that night; aud caught my.
self wondering, half. alf.unconciously, how it
had come to pass that she should have
married one so much older, and to all ap.
pearance, so unlike herself, as sober gray.
headed uncle Herbert.
"Well my dears," said uncle Herbert at
last, l will tell you story, a true story.
l don't think it is quite what you mean by
a Christmas story; but the events about
which am going to tell you happened at
Christmas. time, on this very night indeed,
twenty-seven years ago"
We all settled down to listen, and, after
a minutes pause, he went on:
at was Christmas.evc, or rather Christ
mas day, for twelve o'clock had struck, and
| tue lew people ieIt I'D the strectS were get.
ting gradually fewer and fewer, till it
seemed as though tho policeman and the
walls would shortly have London to them.
selves. 1t was bitter cold night, and the
snow was beginning to fall. Most of the
houses were dark aud silent, though here
and there lighted windows and stray sounds
of music aud Of happy voices showed
where a household was seeing Christmas
in, and in giving merry welcome to the
happy season. Out of a brilliantly lighted
house in one Of the West.end streets there
came young man, who looked as though
he felt but little share Of the general re.
joicing. He was barely twenty years Of
age; but though so young, his cheeks were
flushed and his gait unsteady with wine,
] and bis Glcewas contracted with q Look Of