Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-12-24
Arthur Camron's Christmas
Gift.

A cheerful fire was burning in the
pleasant library of "Camron Hall" the
country seat of Arthur Cannon. Ii
was Christmas eve The snow storm
of the previous day had passed away,
and the bright beams of the Decem
Der sun were shining through the lofty
windows of the apartment save where
their light was met and mellowed by
cloud of crimson silk drapery. The
room was lofty, and furnished in a
style that dad justice to the taste and
generosity Of the bachelor owner. =
The walls, from the rich carpeted
floor, on whose downy luxuriance the
hastiest step sank noiselessly, TO the
van ted ceiling, were filled with valu-
able books and rare paintings. Sntt
lounges and easy chairs were abund-
ant, but Arthur Cameron strobe i'm
patiently up and down the room,
seemingly insensible to their attrac
tions.
| / cannot willingly submit to such
an intruder at Cannon Hail. he said
picking up an open letter which had
fallen at his feet. "True, | loved the
fair, false mother in my youth, but she
deserted me for the dark eyed Italian
count, and now, after these long years,
she has presumed upon my forgive
ness, and dying, bequeaths her child
to me. A girl, too. VIVA: am to do
with the little foreigner in this bacheI
or abode of nine? The child will be
here tonight" glancing at the open
letter. "a Christmas gift she comes,
| suppose. Well, kind Heaven save
me from any more such" and Arthur
Cannon, a bachelor OF thirty-two,
walked from the room in search of his
housekeeper, an aged woman who had
received him, wailing infant, from
his mothers arms.
"Pgudence," he said, seating him.
self by her cheerful FIRE, "the peace
of this establishment is about to be
brought to an end. You remember
Grace Clinton, the yellow haired blue
eyed girl, whom you used to hold re-
suonsible for all the misdemeanors of
my youth. "
"Well DO, and good reason have
to remember her, my boy, it was the
ugly trick she served, thu has made
Jou live hers alone so many years. ~
Stead OF marrying like Christian
gentleman. What of her, Arthur? :
Does the decelttul jade want your tor
tuae nOw?"
"No, Prudence. You must not be
so severe in denouncing the poor,
weak woman, for she is dead, aud a
tremor of pi3y shook his manly voice;
land has left her child, little girl OF
twelve years old, to my care. what
am ! to do with herl How am ! to
rear her?"
"Seed her to some asylum" said
the old woman, her wlthered cheek
Int up with indignation at this coming
destruction Of the peace of her boy.
"Pshaw, woman me refuse home
to poor, helpless little creature, who
is cast upon my bounty? No, never.
As much as | DIS ike the idea of hav
ing female. domesticated at Camron
Hall, | cannot refuse to receive the or
phqn child of Grace Clifton, SO you
can arrange the little chamber next To
this for her occupation, and engage
that pretty little niece OF yours, Bette
Carter, to wait on her. That is all we
can do for the present. And now you
can prepare to receive her, for the let
ter informs me she will arrive to-
| night" But even as he spoke. the
hall bell rang, and the servant ushered
into the library q little form enveloped
in shawls, followed by great black
dog. They had been committed to
his care by gentleman at the door,
| who had immediately departed The
| aged hou&ekeeper. although in no
pleasant mood, knew her duty to her
| masters guest, and promptly proceed
ed to unwrap the wee form of the
child, while Arthur stood by-a per
feet picture of despair. Recovering
| himself, he welcomed the child, and
placing chair near the fire, inquired
| if she was cold.
mo, sir, am never very cold
Mamma used to say | had too much
fire in my veins to feel cold, but |
know Carlo is, for that wicked man
made him ride outside all the way
here" and she careleSsingly drew the
wet and snowy head Of the huge black
animal in her lap. AS she did so, she
turned pair of black, glistening orbs
full upon her future protector, who
thought her dark face at once the
most peculiar and attractively beautl-
| ful he had ever seen. The slight,
graceful form was not larger than
child Of seven, but perfect in symnet>
ry. Her complexion was SO unusually
dark that but tor the curve OF the thin
| lips, and the shape of the small, ocqua
line nose, il might have been supposed
| that dark tide flowed in her veins -
Around her swarthy face fell an ablnd
ance of dark, glossy ringlets, that
reached far below her waist; but it was
her large, dark eyes, those glorious
windows of the soul, that gave her
| face its greatest charm.
"What is your G ven name, little
girl?" asked Arthur.
Etna Grac4 The first for the
mountain near which / was born, and
Grace for Mamma; but | have always
been called Elna, because they said
was so mach like a volcano that it suits
me best" Then looking around the
apartment with an air of satisfaction
she inquired, "Can Carlo and | stay in
this pretty room when we llke?"
Arthut moved uneaslly in hls chair
The undlsputed master of the bali from
his infancy, he had never had any one
to interfere with his privacy or com
fort. The library was his favorite re
treat, his usual sitting-room, and ht
was by no means we'll pleased st the
prospect of continual intrusion from
al, mild ,,noa,lt;,, "A l;ttlo Girl NJ