Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-12-24
4 CHRISTMAS GIFT.
By HARRIET PRESCOTT sPoTFoRD.

By HARRIET PRESCOTT sPOTFORD.
| AS rosy cherub as pencil ever painted,
with pair Of such laughing dimples aS
would make c.lerub seem tcO near ia
earth silky yellow locks bl'wings in hail.
curls all about the snowy forehead, that
was sailed with innocence as if with the
| mark Of the cross; great b'ue-brOwn
fringed eyes the very color of The sky and
| and mouth-welI, only Mrs. Srrangman
knew how sweet that dear little mouth
was, the young mother in whose arms, ev
cry night since she came upon the sphere.
this cherub had nestled, sn warm and
sweet and precious, that she seemed tan
gible bit of heaven itself; still SD infantile,
so guileless. that it made her shulder to
TIL that wron. could ever appr zach her
to think that she must live in the world.
and be one day part of it, with all its
sins and stains and trouble, with all
its life and strength and sunshine too
That was one side of this charming little
Genrgina Strangman, VIII, had been but
four years among us, and yet had estab-
shed as compl tie an identity as though
she had existed from eyerlas sting.
On the other side, she was a strange old
fashioned little body. with. the most ex-
quisi.e ways and manners. reminding you
of nothing 80 much as of those ladies Of
the old regime. Vt whom y.,u read, who
Il 4 III re
and had that loveliness vf disposition and
behavior which made one recall the scent
IT violets or of ROSES pressed in book.
She used to sit and ent rtain her mothers
guests, in Mrs. Stranglnan' delay or alb
sence, with the gravity that b-ct sle such
momentous business. her hands folded in
iier lap, her curls flowing over her Shout
ders, advancing suitable Il pics for CONVEX.
sati.,n with the lisp that. while it could
rot yet master English articulati III, made
YOU f.. | as if it were the peri ct mistress
rf the uuknoNn tongue of that unknown
region fir III whence the little Lady had
joined oar unknown caravan. There neY-
er was anything pre- tier than the way III
which sht greeted Clarence after an ab-
), nee. W zen she could but Just walk. The
door being opened by Bridget. she entered
with II revesentlal bow Of the Ii TIE golden
nead, curious drm,re lashfulness Strug-
Cling Oh her face with the Smiles If her
joy IL seeing him; she advanced then a
few steps. ard Eausing for Il low courtesy,
met him ut last with iii outstretched hand
To shake, and suddenly throwing her arms
r. und his neck, she sprang upon him with
kisseS-the dear Clarence who loved her as
if she had Teen his own, and who was al
ways beseeching her mother to make her
his own by bec, ming his own herself!
But Mrs. Strang,nan had never expe-
rienced any other passion in her life than
her love for Georeina, and size did not
know how, at this late day, to let another
rival it. She haG been il arried at sixteen,
by All ambitious and determined mother,
to a man four timts her aye, to Wi ON,
though she did not dislike II m, Size vas at
the time utterly Indifferent; yet after a
shoit season her Indifference became detes
| tatiOn. and her resentment Waru her
mother and sister vihdictiveness. She
conquered the one. though, and rtpressed
| the other; and when Mr.. Stran2ma.. died
at the close Of the year, and left her with
| "a good fortune and baby two months
old, she gave him proper obsequies, and
wore such mourning as would d. him
honor, ard made up her mind that she
would never set foot in her mothers house
| Vrh Inn had 1f.lI har ilxo
merchandise. That did not hinder her
mother aud sisters from coming to her
house almost daily, though, tor the baby
was a peri etual pleasure, and the rich,
| luxurious house all attraction. Perhaps
there was another attraction there in the
rather constant attendance Of Clarence
Strangm All, the young and gracious kins-
man Of the dead husban i, to whom the
wealthy business lad been left. Mean-
while, pretty Mrs Strangm n was ab,
or experience Of res ntment, i'll the d. light
of this child, whose first smile was to her
| u rev elatiun, hose first prattling was mu-
SIC, whose tx istence Was a marvel, whose
every day was new creation, whose. low:
WAS all size wished on earth, Or i'll heaven
either. Not that she often thought OF
Iheayen-it was beaver. to her while little
iGeorgina . AZ here. When she heard Of
other child eli 5 dying, she used to Iun and
fold her III her a ms with Il strange inteIi-
sity that terrified the child, ard she was
seldom out of her sight by day, or ont OF
lie. clasp at night. While Georgina was
alive, growing and thriving, every day
;l,velier, she asked far nothing more, ex'
cept that Clarence would cease to TEASE
h,rs go.
Clarence was Swell, very nice. indeed
delightful society, and with sort Of mag