, 1871-05-11
THE WEEKLY ARGUS
TnuRapAY. MAY. ll le7l
erConl innsd from first page.l

aTConi inxed from first page
al sizes, garments of innumsrabls de-
~;ees. an intoneeivable variety Of German
tovs and an alarming selection of fire.
works.
The young have their rights at Christ
mas-their happy, glorious, undisputed
rights. We hare our heads and bow the
knee TO child-life. o Christmas Come
ve Young ones, come childhood, come
youth. Learn to love, to obey, to suffer,
10 endure; learn humility, patience, viz
tue: and we've 10 whom childhood and
youth are memories-Will strive to make
yOur Joys innocent and your cares and
troubles few.
A pure and holy atmosphere rose about
Clavering Castle at Christmas. Every
BODY worked with one heart, for one pur-
pose: everybody felt that the smallest
were parts of the one great whole; and it
waS not fhe'mere caronse, the joliity, the
idIeness, the temporary gone-maddishness
which il is in some places, but time when
Che body and brain are to rsjoice with the
soul, Which at this great Christmas has so
sublime cause for happiness,
Once a year all round Clavering Castle
the peopls rose, and as it were, in their
hearts embraced each other with a great
affection in honor of this great day and
many and rich were the gifts that passed
from hand to hand, and best of all from
heart to heart. Injuries forgiven, restitu-
tions made, anger subdued, i'll wishes
changed TO good, and jealousies laid aside
forever : these we're gifts and offerings fit
to be placed by the side of the gold and
frankincense-thess were things not ILL
done, nor unlikely to be resolved upon, in,
the midst of merriment, to the sound of
music and the jubilant patter of dancing
feet. And some such gifts Lady Claver-
ing had determined shonld pass this COM
ing day among themselves in this grand
old English ancestral home.
The morning came when they thought
they ahonld have heard from Richard
Hurtly; but there was no letter. 1t dis
turbed them. LOrd Clavering had over
come proud spirit, and on one point.
though he disguised the fact from himself
-an angry heart. But the evening
brought them a note from Lady Mary.
"How odd," she wrote, ''that you should
know 50 little of our movements p She
had 50 identified herself with the two boys
when they were children, that she still
wrote as if Richard belonged to her:
"Dick is at Dresden. Of course l am
here. Kate is 80 seldom equal TO exer-
tion, that don't know what Mary would
do without me. Ny dear Herbert, your
wife's was a very sensible letter, and
yours not a bad postscript Of course
your compliments meant those Of the sea-
son. As such accept them. The same
OyOu. -
900 "Your affectionate
AUNT MARY.
"P. S. open his letters when be is
away"
On the arrival Of Mrs Beaumont it had
been sight to see how Muriel and Anna
were received By their father. Muriel at
ten years of age was a wonder of ladylike
gentleness of mind and propriety of de-
meauor. She was sweet-voiced, fair,
timid, small, with great soft brown eyes,
dark eyelashes and eyebrows and almost
golden hair. A beauty to marvel at was
Lady Muriel. And Anna also was beau=
tys even at nine years old, to study and
admire. Painters liked to try their colors
on the gypsy looking girl, who was as tall
As hersister, and full of a courage which
was seen in action, attitude, quick eye
-. and steady speech. In their different
Gways they wOyskipped Lord Claveriug ;
( and hegaye them all his attention first to
the one and then to the other, till, seated
between them at five o'clock tea, it was
seen that be had no life or thought for
any one else. So Lady Clavering left
them, and, walked upstairs with her
mother.
To be contiaued.