Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-01-12


long anguish. He had long known
that the ambitious Mrs. Vaughn did
not regard him as a brilliant match fo'
her beautiful daughter; but that Me
lissa should disown her love was in
COMPREHENSIVE.
1t would be sorry Christmas for
him, indeed, but he thought it best to
leave his patients IN the hands of his
assistants, and run down to Haven to
keep it with Jennie. When one has
lost Il sweetheart, a sister is, perhaps,
the next best thing.
But he found Jennie somewhat
changed too she was by no means IN
her usual sprightly vein ; she had
nothing for him but half smiles. He
wondered, secretly, if she had ever eX-
perienced like dissatisfaction with
life, of which he had never dreamed
before.
They were an uncommunlcatlve
family, he knew; and sisters and
brothers much more readily repose
sentimental condolences in strangers
than in each other. To be sure, Jen-
ME had hung the Christmas wrcathes
in the window. There was a goodly
store Of daintles in the pantry, too.
But there was little of Christmas cheer
besides, though the frost was on the
pane, the Old church-hells salutcd the
Christmas eve with cracked but ,jubi.
| liant voices, and the moon was rising
overhead, as it rose over Palestine
when first the song of "Peace on earth,
good will toward men was heard,
whose echo still vibrates across the
dusty centuries.
DR.. Ledyard stood before the blaz-
ing hearth. thinking what different
night it might have been, mad Melissa
continued true wondering what she
was doing if the tire-light still flush
ed her cheek in the low parlor if she
and Lennox March still sung together
sweet Christmas choruses. He was
thinking titus bitterly, when Il sharp
ring at the door started both brother
and sister from their reveries.
choppers ring, said Jennie. She
had never exchanged word with
Ledyard about .he fatal telegram. If
he did not choose to mention 1t and
and explain, why should she? How
could she She had not the courage.
But, sitting there, it had struck her
that he was looking worn and depress-
ed, and it was on her lips to say some
thing comforting, when the little ser
want entered with a yellow envelope.
"a telegram doctor" said she.
Il hope they haven't called me back
to the city-no urgent case, | trust.
Humph poor thing, poor thing !"
and he tossed the telegram upon the
table.
lis any one i'll Il" said Jennie.
Must lou go?"
"Oh no it's the same old story.
Read it, if you wish"
Jennie took it and read
To Dr. Ledyard Johnson
Dearest, My parents consent at
last Come to me before my heart
breaks, il you still love your
EMILE.
Then she looked up at Ledyard,
who seemed to have forgotten all
about it. lie was still standing before
the fire, looking at the picture or the
Sleeping Palace hanging over the
mantel.
That's a capital thing, Jennie do
you know it One would think the
artist had visited the sleep-shops. It's
the genuine blue sheep. See this old
seneschal, who was about to blow his
trumpet when the enchantment seized
him, with his two cheeks distended !
And there comes the fairy prince
across the hills. The many fail, the
one succeeds | say, Jennie, why do
they always paint fairy princes with a
feather in their hats ?"
"But-but the telegram y grasped
Jennie.
"The telegram ? Oh yes, Sad, isn't
it,"
"Oh, it's the Same-the very same.
Then you have seen it before. |
thought it was probable. I've had a
dozen, or less, word for word. She's
as mad as March, you see, but quite
harmless. She's one of my hospital
patients, you know. She had a lover,
they gay. whom her father dismissed,
and it affected her reason. She took
the greatest fancy to me from the first
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