Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-12-21

never yielded Ralph a decent living!
Oh. it was hard to stand in the snow
and darkness, and see a prosperous
man talk prettily to the girl his strong
heart adoredi The long arched draw
ing-room was filled with successful,
happy people-it was a miniature heaven
- Ralph standing and viewing it from
that dread region "without."
He resolved not to be a fool, at any
rate, and walked away. But before he
reached the end of the street he went
back to take one more glimpse of her.
Thus he stood, with the snow drifting
in his ears, so fascinated-so mastered
by his own passionate mood, that he
forgot time, and the guests begun to
depart before he thought of again turn
ing away.
When the door opened, however,
throwing it's shine far across the wild
street, Ralph tramped hastily off to an
opposite veranda, and watched jealous
~ every departing individual who had
enjoyed Mays hospitality.
They were gone quickly enough; but
Ralph still watched the windows. An
impulse to 60 in and see her a moment
was mastering him. He would just see
her a moment; he would tell her he was
glad prosperity had blessed her he must
see her. Like a man obeying some in
visible rope, he crossed the street and
pulled the door-bell. A piano was ut
tering low, touching chords within.
Mays guests were gone. She was think
ing after the excitement of the evening,
and thinking in music.
A black man opened the door to
Ralph, and supposing he was one OF the
guests returning for some reason, ush-
cred him-like a walking snow-bank-
at once into the house. He took off his
overcoat and hat mechanically; the
black servant hung them up and open
ed the drawing-roOm door for him. He
entered and closed it.
May lifted her eyes from her slender
hands on the keys and saw this tall
stranger. She rose from the piano.
stool and came forward. The gas had
been lowered. She loved to sit in the
glow of the CRATE; but the crate light
was not very bright.
Perhaps this was the blacklist instant
of Ralph's Black Christmas. She did
not know him. Fair and graceful, she
stood still waiting for this rather rough
looking man to speak. She was a little
startled, but held herself well.
"May!" said Ralph. (He afterward
wondered that she knew his voice; he
did not know it himself.)
"Oh, Ralphie!' she cried, reaching
up both arms to his neck.
CHAPTER u.-WHITE CHRISTMAS.
She put him in an easy chair before
the CRATE, and pushing his hair from
his forehead looked him in the eyes.
"Where have you been?" SAID May.
"Roughing it in the West,'' replied
Ralph, meeting her eyes steadily, "and
getting for my pains cabin and a patch
of land"
She took up his chilled hands and
began to rub them with her soft fingers.
Chow cold you are! Did you just
get in?"
81 came in two or three hours ago
On the evening train. Yes, it's a cold,
horrible, black Christmas Eve!"
Ralph did not aim at pathos; but
there was something ruggedly pa
thetic in his words. He felt dazed. He
had scarcely touched her when she
chung around him with both arms. He
was feeling around now in his mind for
the right, straightforward words
to speak before he must go.
To May he appeared like
a lion. She was a little astonished at
her own boIdness in touching him. So
they sat silent for a while, she rubbing
his red fingers.
"I'm glad" said Ralph, speaking
up clearly while he stared into he fire,
"that life has been made easy for you.
| had to come in and tell you so. | have
done my utmost the last year and q
half, and expected to come with some
thing in my hand; but it's as | said,
and now all's different. And,n said
Ralph, still dazed and cropping for his
arm-chair, to rise, Give seen you, and
I'll go"
He stood up. May stood up also, and
leaned against the mantel. If any one
had repeated his speech to him he
would have been shocked by its cool
ness To May it appeared that after a
year and a half of wlllful silence, and
after the long absence through which
she was SO faithful, he had come back
to break their tie! She had pictured
Ralph's JOY in her inheritance. Over
and over again in her mind had she
placed it in his hands. All the pretty
graces which leisure had given her
were for Ralph. She never bought a
pretty thing for her home without men
tally consulting Ralph's taste
He uttered a cry-his eyes dilated;
he caught her in his arms and wound a
rug about her! The fire which had run
up her light drapery, to her head, was
smOthered in an instant with his big
hands. She only knew she had been
in danger when the danger was past,
and with all MISUNDERSTANDING burnt
away from between them, she rested in
her first and best lovers arms.
"Oh, Ralph! how could you-how
could you go away from me again?"
sobbed May, hanging on his neck in
her old fashion. "Oh, Ralph, | did
wait so long! and when the money
came | was glad for as, because you
would now have capital to work with.
Nobody could do much without CAPT.