Connecticut western news., 1872-12-13
ONE ABSENT.

| Burst into song.
 -
 ONE ABSENT.
 Last Christmas Eve the family of Regi nald Pomfret, Esq. J. F., of Horton Hail Norfolk, were gathered together. Tn eldest daughter, married since last year had arrived Chat morning with her hus band; bachelor uncle, holding high posi- tion at the Bar, coming down by the sam train. The younger members had eithe never left home, or had returned fort night previously for the holidays.
 A glorious fire blazed upon the hearth the crimson damask curtains were closet, drawn; dinner was just over, and desser and wine was placed upon the table; de coratlons of he y and mistletoe added t, the air of English social festivitv Warmth, light and cheerfuiness seemed t, pervade the room; and yet certain de- pression weighed upon those assembled il 1t. Mr. Pomfret talked gravely to hi brother about school boards, the state O. political parties, strikes and similar sub lects, taking somewhat pessimist view C. all he touched upon. His wife, at the other end of the table, wore an anxious look upon her face, and though she con stantIy smiled, it was only from the teetf outwards.
 No aneroid is so sensitive to the yal1a. tlons ot the atmosphere as the 1Rman mint is to exhlaratlng or depressiRe iAauences .and the younger members of the family were quiet, or forced conversation for the sake of keeping up appearances, like tht heads. Even the schoolboys seemed te forget that there were no lessons in i'm. mediate prospect, and that they were go ing to have as good diAuer tomorrow as they had had to-day, and were silent, ol whispered togt ther without the accustom ed giggling. Yet they had been Tn rare high spirits all the afternoon; the ice wa' in first rate condition for skating, snir, had been seen in Pcaty Bottom; tn, Christmas was what Tom Pomfret calico an '' Illustrated Christmas, ," all snow, ant hard roads, and iclcles, and robbins; moi one ot your mid, muddy, drizzling season. which provoking old fogies, who are sub Ject to rheumatism, are wont to delight Tn. The young man who had marrled into the family formed mental resolution tha next year he would spend the season al hls own home, snugly tete-a-tete with hi vile and come to no more gloomy gather Ings. Henry Pomfret, the bachelor uncle was the only one, however, whose manner resented this state of things. He was eyi dently impatient, and after making severa useless efforts to animate the conversation took to playing with h1s knife and fork tWlddling his glass, and answering hi. brother in monosyllable.
 There was one guest present who hac no connection whatever with the Pomfre1 family-Mary Williams beauty of nine teen, governess to the younger girls, ant bosom friend of Rose, the second girl, (th. eldest being the married one,) who wa. only year younger. But the cloud whicl Eung over the party seemed to gather mos thickly around her. Her large eyes W or, an anxious expression, and the lines of car had thus early begun to mark her resula features. Quiet was such relief for her and even gloom was preferable to noisv gaiety. ...., .-. When the servants had finally left tn room, and the door was closed upon them MT. Henry Pomfret filled his glass an, stood up.
 |" can stand this no longer" he said there is one face and feIm in all ou hearts, ,one name on our lips at this momen n and we suppress it. No, Reginald, torgiv me-" for his brother frowned, and mo toned him to silence,) whatever ma, have been the poor boy's errors this pushing the matter too far. At this sea son eighteen hundred and seventy year ago, angels voices proclaimed 'pcace ol earth and good will unto men, and shal we not have peace and good will amongs the members of one family God ha been very good to us; we have met to gejber happily year after year, and this i the fist time there has been any gap; hoy many families can say as: much |? Las Christmas, Tom was here with his hand some face and cherry laugh; and the yea before, and the year before that, till m memory goes back to the time when h was brought in first in bis nurses arms and for one am not going to banish hir from my memory. Here is Toms healt may God watch over him and keep hir from harm wherever he may be, and brin him safely back to us before next Christ mas."
 Mir. Reginald Pomfret placed his elbo1 on tke table and buried lis face in hi Land while his brother was speaking; whe be was done, he murmured the name ( his absent child, slipped his glass and re sumed his former attitude. Mrs. Pom fret sobbed aloud, and most of the other were in tears.
 Mary Williams became as pale as deatl ana clGtched her hand to her breast whcr a locket lay concealed; but her emotio was only noticed by Rose, who sat besid her, and quietly taking the hand waic lay in her lap, she pressed and held it little sign of sympathy which saved he friend from paroxysm, and enabled her t resume her composure. 4i
 And yet anybody who called the ol bachelor kill joy would have been yer much mistaken; the cloud was disperse in rain indeed, but still it was disperset the absent member ot tue family was no freely spoken of; the weight of suppressio was removed, and cbeerfulucss regaine tho day. Only Mir. Pomfret retained b reserve; he slipped away early and wer to his study, where his brother soon fo lowed him.
 "I hope that have not offended yo
 Reginald 2" he said, drawing chair to tf