Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-04
SORCERY,
A NEW YEARS STORY.


tails of day, having great respect for age, sc-
cept with due submission the venerable Asssr-
ton. But then (let me whisper in your earl We
don't believe IL one biti We let dear Antiquity
silently protesting, have our way.
Really, love has microscopic eyes. IL sees al
the beauty and every blemish- 1t reaches out
TO correct the faults; and when this may not
be, il tenderly covers them from view-just as
moss covers the ugly rock, and vines creep over
and drape with beauty the rotten log in the
woods.
"No, no, Molly, don't tease me When make
pleasure business, do not get il; but when 1
go earnestly about duty, pleasure drops right
into 1t. It's such queer thing. this pleasure.
II eludes you If you seekit; if You turn from it,
"But just this once. for the sake of happy
New Years, forego your theories and come"
so, Molly holidays are such hollow days.
They are the most homesck days in the wear to
me. I'm afraid OF them; so you See, in self-de-
fence, till them just Is full of action as tn sy
viii hold. refrain from giving where gifts are
expected, and give where II will te q surprise.
Don't you love to see q sad face light up with an
unexpected pleasure? L do not care to seek my
own pleasure on these days"
That's the very thing. You are the one OF
all others to put the fun and soul into my party.
Do something for me-come ~
The two girls stood in the bay-window of .
warm, bright library. Shadows gathered about
the room, but genial light from the CRATE
the street-lamps were lighted revealing the snow
flakes silently falling So the two girls stood by
the window looking out upon the street. They
were friends. cannot conjecture why, unless
by the affinity of contrast. They were unlike
in nature, and even fortune had served them
adversely. One lived beautiful, luxurious life;
the other depended upon her own hands and
brain for her maintenance.
.'Ah !" replied the other, chats q different
view of the case" and the still face filled with
perform. You make me a cog in the wheel,
and /! will help grind out the grist with pleas
ure."
bie.,
"And why, pray"
"well, I'm not morose bit-not even cross
| I've only bitten my own nose of; and do want
the privilege OF moping behind the scenes lit
breathess, "You are queer being. I'm glad
you have bitten off your nose since it leaves You
so respectable q profile !"
"But, Molly, it hurts to do such things 1t is
far easier to say, Il will cut il of and cast it
| from mo- than to do it."
"Never mind your solemn enigmas. believe
have POa You x come and
be invisible to my friends"
"Yes"
"Very good"
Holiday glee reigned from attic to cellar.
Halls. kitchen, library, dining-room and par
lors resounded with footsteps and merry voices
In the pariors was blaze OF light which illum
ined happy faces, and then streamed out the
easement into the shadowy street, as if yearning
toward the desolate. Ii was q wild night with
out. There was reckless clamorng or the ele-
Notwithstanding and bemoaning for L know
not what. Within was old fashioned merrime emit.
born of the holiday spirit. There were music.
dance and jest, and spirited games. Presently,
the guests resolved themselves into a semi cir
Gle. The gas was turned low, then the doors
rolled aside and revealed tableau. It
"AbdicatiOn." The white-haired Old year, in
royal robes, was placing a crown upon the head
OF the fair haired child, New Year. About the
old mans feet we're trophies of his coBluests-
mechanical instrum ents, a crucible, a statue, a
sword, half ID nsh ed picture, harp, cb AIRED
stick, broken vase, q wedding garment, heaps
OF fruits and flowers and trailing vines. The
people were silent moment-the tableau had
told too solemn a story.
So the doors closed, and when they rolled
aside once more, comic charaie was given.
Then heads were put together in merry consul
tatiOn tor the explaining word. This wa, fol-
lowed by other and other ones.
young man sat behind them all. He looked
absorbed-not In the scene, but in some mental
problem. During the tableau he looked little
bitterly at the broken vase. When the charaies
were enacted he never smiled at all. At length
some one touched his arm. He started from his
abstraction. The doors had been throw n wide
open; all was Cleared away; the gas was turned
on, conversation resumed. The person who
aroused him said:
"win you have your fortune told nsxt?D
He politely arose and assented, and proceeded
to the next room. An old old woman stood oy
the fire.. She had a gray, wrinkled face. The
W,
like trees on quiet winters night Merry eyes
peeped like mouse out of the massive face.
When he entered, she started. shrank back for
an instant, and then approa ched and took his
hand in hers. He looked upon her half curious
ly half indifferently. She bent low over his hand
in silence. At last she spoke:
"YOu are not happy"
He was interested.
"NO; can YOU tell me Why?"
sit is an affair of the heart"
of the heart,o
at is your own fault that you are hurt
He was wide awake now, and looked sharply
down on the hands that held his own.
"Not 50, you are wrong; il Is the fault of 9TH
ers, who like to make cruel decisions"
"NOt cruel" earnestly, 'Only consdsrate.
Inc person who hurts you strives to obey reason
"Ths person has neither reason nor impulse
she is simply perverse.'
"YOu are unjust"
"why unjust? She shows no impulse, gives
no reasons, makes hard decisions."'
ono, L worship her even now"
There was q moments silence.
$50 on, Sibyl."
The woman faltered.
''She loves you in return"
"No, she casts me from her."
"She loves you, but she fears your faults"
"Pray, what may those faults be?"
eyes Locked up the palm on which
under the shaggy brows into the mans face.
mo, Us NOT ali. w nat are the faults!'
"Why-why-she thinks"
"What?"
''She thinks you are generous before you are
just. She thinks you are splendidly selfish"
Indeed" What next? This Is interest
ing''
"She thinks you selfish. partly through self
love, partly through Observation-Disclosures
ness"
ITO her?"
"Oh, no, no. You wouldn't put q diamond
upon her finger, and-for instance-neglect to
pay your laundress."
Sand them"
"YOu remember your business and pleasure.
You make large subscriptions aud fine
speeches. You forget to give 'the cup of cold
water""
"Go on"
"YOu have no deep tenderness for humanity
no great love, like the love OF Christ" These
words came slowly and with desperate effort.
"And that's my sentence! Has she not one
redeeming thought for me?"
"She thinks you have q great, slumbering
soul, that has never been awakened"
The man had fine face. Now it crimsoned
over, and was full of emotion. He stood silent.
Suddenly he took the old woman's hands (Which
were small and white) reverently between his
own, and put them to his lips, saying:
"N0w, do not wonder she despises me-she,
lEnI.r I'LL