The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-17
YES, OR NO.

O~NN ~>>'@~
ioned Christmas-the Snow falling fast,
in flakes as large as dimes, and m icy,
penetrating wind sweeping across tic
country, with a fierce determination to
have It's own way. Everybody said it
was the coolest winter ever known; but
that is the ANIMAL saying.
1t the E!lHs, the seat OF 4 country
gentlemen, in one Of the Northern
States. 2 largo party had assembled to
sLcnd the Christmas holidays. Mr..
Fowler, the owner CT the Elms, WAS q
man of both taste and liberality, and
enjoyed nothing better than to gather
his friends around him. He was Wild
over, with one clill-Lucilla, a spark
ling, sprigiltiv girl of nineteen or
twenty.
The party consisted of several friends
and neighbors of Mr. Fowler, and their
wives and daughters. There was, OF
course, pr"pcrtjonate assembly Of
young men, and among them & certain
Captain N'ilfccd Herbert, great ad-
mirer OF Luc!la's, without, as yet, hav-
ing actually declared himself. 1t needed
not much dscarrEent, however, to per
ceiye that lie was dcvotediy attached to
the vu;ng ludy, while she on her part
Was not ind 1t'treEt t. linn.
But Just let me tell you word about
Lucillu. Size vas one Of those dear, be-
witchir3 creatures that viii make you
think that yoG; are g very nice sort CT q
fellow, and that yau are just the kind OF
n man that Sic always admired; then,
without any pcrccptiblc effort, will
cause you 70 suppose that you are a
great laundering thing that astonishes
himself by his own conccit in sllppCsing
that he. for Il moment, could compare
himself with her; but underneath all
this, there was woman's nature that
could be loving, ana even sincere. Now
her father, who, strange to say, could
not read young ladies' like q book, seeing
only ccquettc in lis charming daugh-
tef. was much pleased by the preference
paid her by the handsome young officer,
who came OF an excellent family, and in
addition to his profession, had an ample
private fortune, and, in his parental So
licitudc, Was GcsirOus Of seeing her hap
PLY settled with some deserving and eli
gibic young man. NJ. Fowler himself
was vcrcing on seventy years, having
married late in life.
1t WAS about midday and the scene III
the grounds of the Elms was animated
and striking. They were of great OK
tent, and in summer most beautifully
laid out. Now, however, their bca'lt cs
were yelled beneath waste of snow
The immense elms, ycws and ccdars
which sl1irtcd the lawn, 50 extensive rs
almost to resemble the open space IN n
park, were weighed down by fantastical-
]y shaped conGlomeratiGn Of snow, all'!
the lawn itself was Il vast sheet of white,
reminding one as much of Siberia, and
It's sable and mink hunters, than Of an
American landscape, and party OF
American ladies and gentlemen.
The guests of Mr.. Fowler-some thirty
in numhcr-seemei to he enjoying them
selves amazingly. Some Of the young
men had, for the amusement OF the
ladies, contrivcd to make a huge figure
Of snow, ana they and their fair com
panions wcrc now engaged i'll pelting the
giant with snowballs. Others had rugged
sleighs, which, drawn by three ponies
adorned by small silver bells, and each
capable Of containing two persons, afford
cd an opportunity for flirting not to be
lost by yollng people showed up in a
country house Most of the young
ladies were clothed in fur suits from head
to foot, while the gentlemen, in fur caps
and Jackets, contributed their share to a
very picturesque tableau. The tinkline
of the sleigh bells, and the merry shouts
of the party engaged in pelting the
snow giant, formed most pleasing ac
compartment to the ehilarity of the scene.
Miss Fowler, who had been sleighine
in turn with half the young men of the
party, while Captain Herbert stood
apart, gnawing his tawney mustache, ano
eyeing her with i'll concealed vexation
had left the merry throng for one mo-
ment to confer with her father on some
matter of domestic economy.
Very pretty and piquant looked Lucll'
la Fowler, muffled in suit OF rich sables,
her black eyes twinking like those of
squirrel and her nose displaying just the
faintest suspicion OF red in the frosty
air. Size laughed, chatted, mimicked
and hirtcd outrageously.