The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1874-05-27
Weli. | did rnn. and We 1Ol


lap, lap: tapping mp to his mouth,
taking away his rleath, ard then
running back crawling over him,
and leaving bubbles Of salt foam,
us If in sport. got him out, but
lie could not stanI. Some bones
were broken, and he WAS badly
bruised, so that | WAS forced TO Tie
him to i rope, "nL they hauled
him up, and afterwards pulled me
up. and We took him home.
Well, well. TO make u long story
short, poor Joe died, with my
praise on his lips and Alice bowed
her head like Il broken lily. 1t
was Il long time before she got
over it, and summer had grown
into winter, ,and winter to summer,
10 autumn, and to winter again.
The threatening invasion WAS all
over, our swords were getting
rusty, our uniforms dirty, and
when the holidays came left the
firm in which WAS partner, and
went to spend L fortnight 1T my
old friends in Kent.
Alice WAS there, we'll and cheer
tul now, and rcconcilcd to her loss,
though we often talked Of poor
Joe, and as the days wore on we
grew closer together, and she call
cl me by name: and seemed to
have transferred her brothers love
10 me. She never told me so, nor
let others sec it, till one merry
Christmas night, when she reject
Ell all her cousins and her other
friends, and would only dance with
tie.
We had the mistlctoe. 1T last,
one mad-cap fellow proposed that
the ladies should kiss Tie gentle
men all around when and how they
could and Alice should too; and
she, in solemn, quiet way,
smiling sadly, aud yet weetly too,
took me beneath the Christmas
bough and kissed me on the lips.
Aye, it's many years ago, but |
! feel it now. Ny heart beat SO fast
that | hardly dared return it; but
put my arm around her and took
her gently by the bay-winlow Of
The old hall, saying as l pressed
! her hand: "Alice, dear Alice. did
You mean that kiss?"
We'll, | need not tell you what
she answered. Ills fifty years ago,
titly years ago; and | all sur
rounded by Alice's dear yrahdchil.
dren ; and there is one, little
thing with light and golden hair,
that will deepen into brown, who
! plays around my knees and tells
me her little stories, her sorrows
and her joys SO quick. so hurried
in their coming and their going,
that they arc like my own, and as
VIC talk we grow quite friends and
companions. as my Alice was to
me.
Bless you, she understands it all.
she is . woman in her pretty
ways; her poutings, pettings and
| 4uarrelings. She manages her
: household Of one wax doll and two
! wooden ones, and tells me the wax
doll is the lady and the wooden
ones are the servants in the mob
caps and stuff gowns, when they
gossip with i wooden policeman
who belongs to her little brother
! Joe.
SO we are fast friends, little
, Nice and /, and tonight, Oh
Christmas EisIi. ! NOTICED she
could not dance Or play with tbs
piak and shiny faced little boys
who were unnatarally tidy and
clean in their new knickerbockers,
with red stockings; but she cume
and sat by me, and talked softly
us Alice did. aa4 made me think
Of fifty years uso. And Gnly
think how old times come back,
aud new times like the old; only
just think t!i&t when her mother
told me she could choose a sweet
heart, and She got Il little bit Of
mistletoe, and climbing slyly on
NY knee, and holding ne in talk,
as II to hide cn PURPOSE; though