The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-02-16

him her hand, she blushed her vows ut th
alter; and he was still as happy, as gener
Gus, and as free. Niue fair children sat ar
ound their domestic hearth, and one, tn,
youngling Of the flock, smiled upon its Mo
theirs knee. Peter had never known sorrow
he was blest in his wife, in his children in hi.
focks. He had become richer than his faith
ers he was beloved by his neighbors, the
tillers Of his ground, and his herdsmen yea
no man envied his prosperity. But blight
passed over the harvest of his joys, and gall
was rained into the cup of his felicity.
1t was Christmas, day, and more melau.
choly-looking sun never rose on tho 25th OF
December. One vast, sable cloud, like a
universal pail, overspread the heavens
For weeks the ground had been covered
with clear, dazzling snow and as through
out the day, the rain continued its unwear-
led and monotonous drizzle, the earth as
sumed character and appearance melan-
choly and troubled as the heavens. Like a
mastiff that has lost its owner, the wind
howled dolefully down the glens, and was
re-echoed from the caves of the mountains,
as the lamentation of a legion of invisible
spirits The frowning snow-clad precipices
were instinct with motion, as avalanche upon
avalanche, the larger burying the smaller,
crowded downward in their tremendous jour-
ney to the plain. The simple mountain rills
had assumed the majesty ofsrivers the
.hraadeEssk skReamsz szalla j 4fhAs I.siid
torrent, and, gushing forth as cataracts, in
fury and in foam, envelopend the valleys in
an angry Hood. But, at Marchlaw, the fire
blazed blithely the kitchen groaned be-
meath the load of preparations for joyful
feast; and glad faces glided from room to
room.
Peter Elliot kept Christmas, not SO much
because it was Christmas, as in honor of its
being the birthday of Thomas, his first
born, who, that day, entered his nineteenth
year. With fathers love, his heart year.
ned for all his children; but Thomas was
the pride of his eyes. Cards of apology had
not then found their way among our border
hills; and, as oil knew that, although Peter
admitted no spirits within bis threshold, nor
Q drpnkard at his table, he was, nsverthe-
less, 20 niggard in hisshospitaIity, his invl-
eations were accepted without ceremony
The guests were assembled and the kitchen
being the only apartment in the building
large enough to contain them, the cloth was
spread upon long, clear, oaken table,
stretching from England into Scotland
On the English end OF the board were plac-
ed a ponderous plum pudding, studded with
and smoking sirloin on Scot
land, a savory and we'll seasonal haggs, with
a sleeps head and trotters while the inter-
mediate space was filled with the good
things of this life, common to both king
doms and to the season.
The guests from the north, and from the
south, were arranged promiscuously. Every
seat was 6lled-save one. The chair by
Peters right hand remained unoccupied.-
He had raised his hands before his eyes,
and besought blessing on what was placed
before them, and was preparing to carve for
his visitors, when his eyes fell upon the va
cant chair. The knife dropped upon the
table. Anxiety flashed across his counte-
nance, like an arrow from an unseen hand.
"Janet, where is Thomas ?" he inquir-
ed "hae name O ye seen him and without
waiting an answer, he continucd-"How
is it possible he can be absent at time like
this Aud on such day, too? Excuse me
a minute friends, till just step out and see
if can find him. Since ever | kept this
day, as mony O ye ken, he has always been
at my right hand, in that very chair and
1 Gamma think O beginning our dinner while
see it empty. r..s..-1s ~
"If the filling O the chair be all, said a
pert young sheep-farmer named johnson,
+" will step into it till Master Thomas ar
rive"
"Ye're not father, young man. said
Peter, and walked out of the room.
Minute succeeded minute, but Peter re-
turned not. Tho guests became hungry,
pcevish, and gloomy, while an excellent din
ner continued spelling before them. Mrs.
Elliot, whose good nature was the most prom
inont feature in her charaeter, strove, by
every possible effort. to bcguile the unplea.
SAINT impressions she perceived gathering
upon their countenances.
Peter is just as bad as HIM." she re-