, 1872-12-25

Il CHRISTMAS ROSE.
From 4rpzctons Journal.
It was Christmas-eye when party OF half 9
dozen Indies and as many more gentlemen were
assembled in the library Of Holly Lodge discuss.
lng the state Of the weather in general and Of
the roads in particular. There WIS no snow on
the g1ound-thero rarc1yis at q Southern Christ
mas-but it had rained steadily for week, and
the result mry be imagined BY any one who has
ever had any acquaintance with red-c1ay soil
after he has been subjected to q prolonged and
soaking inundaticn.
ave are virtual prisoners the young lady
OF The house-Hope BereBford-was saying,
E1a;ut;yclv. "Our friends On this side OF the
river may succeed in ploTing through the
mud and reaching us in time for the ball to-
Eight; but We canrot hope for anybody from the
other eide. Papa says the river is past fer1ying
this morning.
! (Which is certainly dispiriting news when the
pnly person one cares to sec must come from
The other side said Roselind Earle, In her slight
iy-mocking voice. "But take heart, my dear
If he cares to SEQ you as he should care, he Ti1
come, despite the river"
'But how eau he 2" asked Hope, opening her
1arge blue eyes. Che did not deny that it WAS
her .f1nce of whom she was speaking-a young
lawyer living in the town Of x, distant from
Holly Lodge fifteen miles, with q swollen river
between.
Rosalind laughed si1very, unpleasant laugh.
ssMen have done such things before, !" she said.
Then she added q line from poem she had been
lately reading: "Who does not dare the i'm
possible, has never dared to love-"
II an sure don't believe that" said Hope,
tnnocently; "and should be Wretched if 7
thought Archie would be foolish enough to run
tie risk OF drowning himself to prove bis love
fer NO. / should much prefer that he proved it
by taking cure Of himself and staying quietly in
&"
losa1ind's lip curled. "I should never be
won in That fashion, she seid. IA man must
>-~oce something before believe him. He must
b. willing to brave the worst possible danger
we're it even for caprice of mine."
1Yo all gazed at her as she said those auda-
cious words. She was never other than beauti-
iu1 and imposing-this exquisite Rosalind Earle
but Just then she looked superb. I thought I
had never seen her appear to greater advantage
thu as she stood stately and erect BY the fire,
dresE=d in o rich black silk, made with suf-
f;cient p1ainness to show ths sweeping
curves of her figure, and her beautiful
Hell pICA OA LEA EAt+1GAoA A4S%">4* 80 '~~~A
let kaot Ct ribbon at her throat WAS the
only point OF color in her costume, but it seemed
to match the vivid flush on her cheek, and tho
naughty sparkle il her eye. Looking round to
seek cause for these signs Of excitement, l
found TINT sha Ead only 6 fow minutes before
quilted deep bay-window where Stuart Carew
at TINT time her most devoted and apparently
most favored lcyer-sti1l fingered. I bare writ
ten the word glover" adrisedly, instead OF
..suitor" or "aanirer." Rosalnd Earle WAS q
Ill hao oy4I
followed of course, that her wealth had many
su;tors, while tho number Of those who admired
her beauty might h2ve been reckoned by the
number of all who had ever known her. But
fascinating woman for her own sake-and of
these an s1ico tl1at Stuart Carew was one.
He came forward now, looking, thought, a
tride pale and agitated.
Glove Miss GusEen2 " he said, addressing me.
81 fancy that when Cunigunde- wasn't that her
pane ?-tnrew her glove into the arena, she
looked somewhat rs Miss Earle looks now"
''Perhaps she felt somewhat as Miss Earle
also turning to NE: ''Lucy, have yon ever read
Browning's rendition of tbs samo ballad? It is
s7orth reading, assure yon. cunig1ndo tells
her story in it, and, if my memory does not fail
me, makes complete justification Of her SEEM
Ing cruelty. Listen, and see if you do not think
so." Size threw back her head-1 see her
now in herproud beauty, with tie freight glearn-
ing on diamond-cross which che wore ut her
slender th-oat-and repeated the verses with
suirit and ire ghall never forget:
"Too long had heard
gos asy s ioSeMwhat l De Del Loree r. Would not dare!
-. ~ sco.n-what De Lorge could compared
And aSis ~ ss3diess descriptions Of death
ae Tould I've when my lip formed breath, :"
nn,ht mnI' r. tsar brarea, OF, Of course,
For such gifts as no ne5 !,E pgr,o1ce'
Must Offer my loyein rets..a. t.0 1p'lD'
-4.a,7 ,,aoaa u ,,.ta
Sne a., raj whst dnsth for NJ sake,
Really meant, Wills tho power was set mine,
Than to wai. until time snould define
Such phrase not go Eiznp1y as T.
"hotook it to mean just TO dle.'"
II did not need the elance-half nocking. halt
bcro11tv-vhich she rare Stuart Carey at the
iast words. to tell me That hnd listened to q
n;,Tenoa a. we'll "a . justification. The vonnc
49, Sonio3 Tttje hanohty h;mself az he