The Osceola times., 1875-12-18

bitter disappointment, | had so counted
on his love; but | turned to my hus
band for comfort. Now came the
hardest blow of all. My husband
coolly informed me that he was No
cQant, that his name was Dugarde, and
that he had been valet to noblemen all
his life. He had married me in hopes
of sharing my dowry, and'now quietly
refused to support me, For ten years
we lived n life of utter unhappiness.
You were born, and Charley, and
named for my favoritn brother and sis.
ter. earned something by selling
tho jewels | had brought from home,
and by assisting my husband in giving
French lessons. Had he but loved me
| could still have been happy; but he
treated me with coldness, sometimes
with cruelty, and continually reproached
me with my poverty, and failure in
winning pardon from my father. AT
last he died. In all these long years |
had heard no word of love from his
lips; but on his deathbed he spoke to
me tenderly and gently. Anna, have
long since forgiven him all his unkind-
ness do you the same. After he died
! again sought my father. In vain !;
he refused to see me. For three years
more | supported my children then
came this sickness. Two years have
lived in abject poverty, supported by
charity and the little you could earn.
Anna, my child, | will soon cease to be
a burden upon your young hands"
Mother, do not speak so. You
break my heart
Anna, my dear child, who will
care for you when | am gone? God
bless and pity my orphan children. 1t
is Christmas day. This very day, fif-
teen years ago, | left my fathers house.
We were having a gay party, for
Christmas day is also my birthday and
! was on that evening seventeen years
old. | left my home in a rich dress,
glittering with jewels, and my hair
decked with flowers; and now | die in
a garret, on hard mattress, shivering
with cold. Then there were soft furs
to envelop my thinly clad form, and
cover my bare neck and arms; now,
rags cover me, and ] perish with the
cold. Father in heaven, my punish
ment is just, but it is bitter! Anna,
what o'clock is it?'
"lt is after dark, mother. The fire
light is all that makes the room light.
All, here comes Charley"
A lad, a year or two younger than
Anna, came bounding into the room.
Mother! Anna! a merry Christ
masl have new jacket and five
dollars in money; but have better
news than that. There was an old gen
tleman in Mr.. Perkins store; and,
when he heard my mother was sick, he
told me to come to his house, and he
would give me some fruit-fruit, dear
mother, at Christmas and some wine
and jelly. Anna, get your bonnet and
the basket, and come. | know the
house; he led me past it it is not far
from here
"Shall I go, mother?" said Anna.
Yes, dear; but come back soon; |
feel very weak and i'll tonight and
long for jelly or wine; it will give me
new strength. Goodnight my children.
They started on their errand. Anna,
oppressed by the sad story her mother
had related, and filled with dark fore
bodings, could scarcely keep pace with
her merry-hearted brother, who, filed
with joy at his Christmas presents, and
longing to carry the promised dainties
to his mother, bounded along, unheed-
ing the falling snow and the cold wind,
which blew open his poor jacket, and
nipped his fingers and toes. His pre-
cous new jacket and the five dollars
had been left in his mothers hands.
x K X X
"A merry Christmas was shouted
in clear voices by all the children in
Mr.. Leclerc's rich mansion. Toys lay
scattered in careless profusion upon the
velvet carpet; books were on the hand
some table ; every luxury was in the
room. Lola Leclerc sat with her arms
around her eldest child looking at pic
lures and little Nellie and Harry
PLAYED about the room. Aunt Jenny,
Mr.. Leclerc's sister, petted the only
boy, encouraging him in his noisy glee,
while Chloe came from the front door
every few moments, bearing some new
gift now it was doll for Nellie, now
a rich cake, covered with white frost
ing, tor all now a drum for Harry
now book for Miss Lola. There was
iov and gladness, and truly a merry
Christmas, in that house. The day
flew by with joy and feasting; and in
the evening the house stood dark and
deserted. There was large party at
Lola's fathers. The family, children
and all, were to assemble and thither
this happy household had gone.
Now, reader, you and are privi-
legged persons, and we will stepin before
the other guests arrive. We find only
two persons in the parlor one an old
gentleman, the other lady between
thirty and forty years of age, but still
beautiful, with a sweet face and a low,
sweet voice. The gentleman is pacing
UP and down the room, while the lady
arranges some music upon the grand