Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-12-26
The Leisure Hour.
TWO CHRISTMAS EVENINGS.
OIden Times In Carolina.

l.
II had been for long time definitely
pre-arranged that the two respectable. aud
somewhat ancient families of Ravanel and
Gourdne should be connected by marriaee.
1t all came about in the following manner.
Tom Raveuel and Jack Gourdine were two
wealthy planters of South Carolini, each
claiming descent from the first French Hui
guenots who had landed at Charleston
about the year 1886, and consequently they
regarded themselves and were generally
admitted TO be at the head of Southern So
ciety. AT the Southern college where they
had received the finishing touch TO lheir
education, (Which, after all, amounted 70
but little,) they had gone band-in-band IN
all madcap scrapes, had qnarrelcd with
each other, would have fought a duel bu'
for the interference on the part of the col.
lege authorities. and wound up 10y becom
ing sworn friends for life.
On getting married and settled as extern
sive cotton planters. their residences were
in the same parish in the neighborhood of
the Sanlee River, and the sober judgment
oftheir maturerage confirmed and strength
ened their youthful VOWS of friendship.
| AS years advanced each one of them had
children growing up around them, who, in
the constant Interchange of visits, seemed
every Say desirous Of perpet ialng the
friendly intercourse which had been begun
by their respective fathers. Nay, more,
love was reported 10 have shot an arrow in
| the camp, but whether ii was a voluntary
drawing of the bow on the part Of Cupid,
we shall ascei itain as We advance in this
veracious history. II there is any kind OF
pride in this world that seems justifiable,
it is that of two wealthy old gentlemen
strongly attached TO each other VINO desire
to see the reat ons etwcen their two re-
spectye families cemenled by marriage.
In the present instance nothing could he
thought Of more appropriate, than that So
beautiful gill as Harriet Gourdine should
he the intended bride Of the high spirited
and Independent Phil Ravenel.
"Ah Pull" his father londly remarked
to him one day, "you are lucky dog, but
you don't seem to appreciate the prize y u
have drawn; why, my little favOrIte Hat
tic is girl, sir, that in the age Of romance,
gallant knights would have shivered a
lance for, willingly incurring the risk ol
biting the dust Tor The possession Of so peer
| less a maiden"
Phil was obliged TO laugh at his fthcr' 8
enthusiasm, as lie replied, "All very well
sir, to talk about biting the dust, but II is
something would not care 10 do for any
| girl / have yet known and The fact is, ia
tbcr, Hattie is good, sensible young lady.
and don't even wish ME TO run the risk OF
my neck on the back of my good lrnsty
| Hector; for although she herself can ride
| almost any horse, she thinks Hector is al
together too fierce and spirited for safety"
81 am glad 10 hear thai l am glad tu
hear that" quickly remarked the iather /;
Ait sounds Il little like love, Phil, "u the
| pa {" Hattie, at least, and must tell Jack
| GUurdine all about ii this evening. To
| spea k the truth, Phil, Jack and l don't
think you ard Hattie are making much
| headway, or are very ardent lovers and
| there are times when we get little appre-
hensive that something may yet turn up
that will entirely blast our long cherished
and fundest hopes. You know how it is,
Phil, my old friend Jack Gvurdne and l
have sci our hearts on you and Hattie be-
| ing married, and as soon as we have seen
| the Two old Huguenot families of Ravenel
and Guurdine thus united, we are content
tu die in peace"
Phil laughed at this more uproariouslv
| than before. Die" he exclaimed, "why,
lather, what do you take Hattie and myself
to be do you think we are two iEhuuian
monsters who would ever think of getting
married if it were to he the signal for our
romantic papas, now in the very prime oil
life, TO step out? All no, dear father, soon
er than that, Hattie and would retire at a
very respectful distance from each Other,
and there remain
~ am afraid II will come to that after all :"
replied Mr. Ravenel, ''lor two such cool
lovers as Hattie aud you are, were MOI
known in my young days. Why, risked
my life several times while was counting
your mother, in riding at nights through
terrible biindin. storms, amid such dark
ness that / couldn't see my h rse's head
and no less than twice, on such occasions,
| was shot at by runaway Negroes"
at will come around all right, father"
remark ed Philip; Harriet and are on
the best of terms; we never quarrel, fnr
we never exact anything oil each other. II
she falls 10 mapping while am relating
some of my great hunting exploits, or if
leave in the midst of some pathetic story
she has commenced reading alound, we
never think of calling each other to account
for it. The consequence is, we never have
any little tifis or jealousies between us
aud are doubtless the happiest pair OF lov.
ers in all South Carolina"
"Too happy, fear, my son." replied the
old gentleman "if you are never jealous
can you possibly love? But be careful
Phil, should you lose Harriet GourdiGe,
there lives not another like her good blood
all the way down, unsulied, and the young
lady herself honorng her pedigree"
"There is no disputiug hat, father.
don't think, though, that you need give
yourself any trouble on our account, for il
the course Of true love ever ran smoothly
with any one in the world. am sure il
does with Hattie and myself
Althou IN the running conversation here
detailed had no witnesses, it nevertheless
had two reporters, for in the evening Mr.
Jack Gouidlne came over TO sip a glass o.
wine with his old friend Tom R,veuel, and
Phil Ravcnel found himself at about the
same lime al the stately plantation house o
MIR. Gourdine. The two middle aged gen,
tlemen having known by experience the
warmth of an ardent passion in their youth
were each dissatisfied with the apparen
composure of the young folk, and greatly
feared miscarriage of their darling plans
"Why, Jack" says Mr.. Tom Ravenel tC
his ancient friend, 1--WE had better hurry NJ