The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-12-09


reserve; he slipped away carly and went
tC his study, where his brother soon fol-
lowed hin.
81 hope that have not offended you,
Reginald I" ho said, drawing chair to the
opposite side Of the tire.
"No,' replied Mr.. Pomrrct; shut any
one else would have done so. | have cx
pressed a wish that the boys name should
never be mentioned in my presence"
"Come, Comp, Reginald, be reasonable;
after all, poor Tom has done nothing dis.
hmOrahlc. lie has been wild, thought.
less, foolish, 1t is truei undutiiN even.
But his last action has been dictated by
remorse and shame, and that shows how
much good remains in him. Besides, |
own that admire his enthusiasm; educate
cd as he was SO lUngin France, and having
French friends, It was natural that be
should embrace their cause when theirs
appeared to be the losing side"
"T giant that, and II ho had been a
commissioned officer; should not have
minded so much, though / can never ap-
prove OF any man engaging in war except
at the call Of bis own county. But that
a son Of mine should servo in the ranks!
It Is oLlya tlt conclusion for career
which ought to have been impossible for
gentleman, Why, when he was in Aus.
tralia, he kept shop, Henry, think OF
that-ktpt a dopp
Well, having brought hiusCli to want
by thuughtlcss Cxtravagaacc-which | do
not seek to oezcuse-surcly he was right to
earn his bread by lawful means, rather
than Loaf and beg, or worse."
"Not another word, l beg Of You.
That which may be lawful, or even COM
mendable In the lower orders, should be
impossible for q Pomfret.h
"Come, come, Reginald, | appeal to
your own good sense, whether your pride
does not 90 beyond what is lawful for
man. Think Of this season, and what it
means. Realize to your mind who 1t was
that accepted the position OF a carpenters
son, and worked III carpenters shop,
Let oil yonr prejudices about your pcdi-
gree be granted, what Is the son of
Pomfret to the Son Of God Z But / beg
your pardon; you know all this as well
as do, and have no right TO preach, |
ain lawyer, not clergyman"
After n few minutes silence, Mr..
Pomfret said, ~ believe you are right,
Henry. Pride has always been the be.
setting sin Of our race, and have Inherit
edit. Perhaps poor TOMS conduct Is n
punishment, ifone knew all.n
-
Turn from this llolne-hrcside scene to a
foreign one, In the open air. Sec they
Nrc celebrating Christmas Eve by q lia.
play of fireworks. A bitter cold night
for sucll an entertainment tliough GER
tainly the spectacle Is q grand one. What
enormous rocketsl how high they
soar, some Of them What q mass of
flames and eccentric sparks they vomit
forth when they explode But surely
they burst very lowG
The most striking part fthis pyrotech.
MIC display, however, Is its extent. The
whole length Of the Crystal Palace Is con-
Eidcred considerable area for such fttes,
but here the air Is filled with rushing and
exploding globes Of hro from right to left,
as far as tile eye can reach, while here
and there huge bOnfreS, stain the aky
crimson fantastic bonfres, which take
the shape of houses; you feel certain that
you can trace walls and windows through
the lambent, flames. All surely that
must 10 the bouquet; the earth appeared
to open ms that broad, towering Jet OF
flame belched upwarls and outwarls.
IIrayo-brayol u grand finale See the
strangely.shaped objects carried up In the
mass Of fire listen lot the explosion. 1t
Is not au explosion, but a dull lingering
roar. Whatl tie ordinary display is con
tinued still Then that was not the bou-
Iuet, only a set piece. One Of the Ere
works had fallen and exploded somewhat
near us. Was not that a shrek Z Surely
there cannot have been ON accident
Accident, indeed Do not deprive tic
Imam who laid the gun of his need Of
praise. Youmay regret, II youlike, that
there are so few SIMILAR accidents" for
tile waste of powder aud sliell-that Is,
the comparatively small amount of death
aud torture inflicted per ton-is matter
Of general regret on both sides, and you
I will be in the fashion. We are witness.
Ing o bombardment.
They who cruCifed the Saviour fought
with catapults and battering rams we
who call him Lord and Master, aud pro-
!. Tess to guide our actions by his precepts,
fight with shells and mitrailleuses. Well,
the leaven of Christianity 10 in tile words,
"rhy kingdom come" 30 de not do much
! to further the rising
! Some distance In Rdyance Of the DO.
leaguertd city, but within the tolls drawn
, round II by tho besieging forces, stood q
village. It was out Of the immediate line
! Of fire, and could only be distinguished
J when some distsnt confagration ilarel
. up to nm unusual extent. Then for ail
Instant you might trace the single long
, street, the cabaret, the two or three villas
! on the outskirts, and all was swallowed
! up In blackness again. But though left
quiet now, many q Jagged iron shower
: lad passed over the place the roofs of
the houses were nominal; the walls, torn
and totterlng, threatening in many places
! to collapse into heaps Of rubbish; aud
here and there wide gap showed where
the flames had fed their full. For the
place ha1 been attacked and defended,
taken and retaken, over ard over again
! Not that 1t was an important position.
| but that 1t happened to be square upon
D the chCssbOard to which pawns were
y moved and withdrawn pretty frequently.
II the whole detachment were annihilated
: 1t was simply the loss of a pawn. "A
mere aifair Of outpotts," was the only re.
" mark drawn forth by contests which
Is might lave supplied Homer with an CpiC