Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-03-27
MIScELLANEoU US.
THE RED LIGHT.
A STORY OF NEW YEARS EVE.

E41a T was New Years eve.
Not one OF the ideal New Years ewes of
poets aud romance writers, wherein the moon
is always at the full, the snow always .
sparkle like pulverized diamonds, and the air
always still, and cold, and clear; but u stormy
twilight, with the snow driving steadily from
the east, the wind raw aud biting. and the
sky-what you could sec of it-as black Is
ink.
But it was New Years eve, all the same,
and Bertha Hooper's cheeks were as red as
the bitter-sweet berries in the woods rs she
sat, all wrapped up. in the train that was
steaming n"rthward. on her way to spend New
Year with her Aunt AimiTa Higgins.
Now Year in tho country To Bertha,
who had lived all her life in the brick walls
aud stone pavements of city, the very words
seemed TO convey somewhat of cheer and
joyousness And Bertha, as she sat with her
eyes closed, and her little glovcd hands safely
nestled in a gray squirrel muf, behold in her
minds eye great fires of logs roaring up wide
throated chimreys, and had half composed
poem on New Year and its associations when
tho ruthless conductor came along for her
ticket.
"How far are we from Montcourt station ?"
she inquired, as she gave up the bit of paste
board.
Next but one, Miss" said the man. as he
hurried on, with his lantern under his arm.
"tlnlf an hour yet"
She hod never been so far from New York
in all her lie before The driving rain in
which she had left her home had changed
as they progress ed northwsrd, into the steady
fall of snow, which futtcred around them
like white waving shroud. But Bertha
Httl Inv IaA
Almra promised to send Zebedee, her young
est son. to tho station with the pony to meet
her on the arrival of the sIx,y-four train from
New York? And was not Zcbedee to have
lantern with red glass door to it, SO that
she could identify him at oIce?
She was very pretty as she sat there in
her little black velvet toque, with its curling
plume of cardinal red, aud the wiue-red rib
bon bow at her throat-pretty with the bloom
and freshness OF eighteen. She dark, with
large hazel eyes, almond>shaped, and long
shaped, \ clear rosy bloom on either cheek,
and wavy dark hair hanging in silken fringe
over her broad, low forehead.
"Mont-court-s ~ bawied che
brakeman, putting in a snow ewdered fur
cap. and Withdrawing it again as quickly IS
if he had been a magnificent edition Of the
Jack a>box. wherein children much rejoice
at holiday time. And Bertha Hooper knew
that she had reached her destination.
Stiff aud cramped for the length Of time in
which she had been sitting in one position.
she rose up, with a little steel clssped travel
ing bag in one hand. and a dainty silk um-
brella in the other, and made her way to the
door.
All she could see when she stepped out
upon the wet and slippery platform, was
aT H. 81, ch Sha
lights of the solitary little country depot
cleaned ftfully; but the next instant sone-
thing flashed athwart her vision like friend.
ly red eye-aDd beneath the reflector over
the station door, she saw tall. fine looking
Young man, in fur.trimDed overcoat, q seal
skin cap set jauntily on one side of crop of
chestnut curls. and a red-ligbted lantern
swinging from his left hand, and he stood
strainine his eyes into the stormy darkness,
as if to catch sight of some familiar face in
the little crowd.
''Cousin Zebedee :" cried Bertha, aloud,
and she made one spring into the arms OF this
blonde whiskered young giant. For had not
she and Zebedee played dominoes and fox-and-
geese together in the days when she wore
blue ribbon sashes, and his hair was closely
shorn mat of carroty red =? "Oh ! Cousin
Zebedee, I'm SO glad TO see you and hadn't
any idea you had grown halt so handsome %
And she gave him great hug, At the came
time holding up her rosebud lips for kiss.
But, to her Infinite amazement, the hero of
the seal skin cap seemed Ii'tle backward in
responding to her cousinly advances.
"1-1 beg your pardon" said he. slightly
recedine, but Pm afraid there is some mis-
take. My name is not Zebedee, and the lady
for whom l am looking is some years older
than you"
Bertha Hooper started back, colorine and
confused .od, as she did SO, fat, comforts
ble>lookine old lady came trundlipg along
the platform, in India shawl and boa of
Russia sable worth its weight in greenbaeks.
"Chsrley !" she cried. II thought 1 never
should find you. Is the carriage here7"
'All here, and waiting, Aunt Efie," re-
sponded the young man bu. he still hesita-
ted a second, as Bertha Hooper stood with
averted face aud motionless figure in the
shadow of the building.
"Cau be of any service to you 2" he asked.
"If you are expecting friends who have failed
to meet you"
Anybody here by the name of Berthy
Hoo-oo-per ?" shouted stentorian voice, and
a tall. raw-lnoking lad with lsntern-also
lighted with red glsss-rusbed shutting
around the corner.