The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-12-26
Maudie'S Christmas.

Like some beautiful dream of the
poets fancy she stood before the long
mirror, arrAyed in costly velvet that
swept the floor and draped her exquisite
form in long, waving folds.
The cleaning dark brown hair was
carelessly braided into coronet upon
the queeny head, and amid its dark shad
ows there gistened tiny star of glow
ing diamonds.
With IA careless hand she took the Jew
N els from the casket before her, and then,
with dissatisfied look, she flung them
VI from her.
What did she care for diamonds?
II They were nothing to her she could
afford to fling them away-she, the bank
4 er's wife, who counted his wealth by the
millions. Once, when she was poor and
friendless. she had longed for them but
now, womanlike, when doting husband
heaped them upon her with lavish
hand, she cared no more for them than
as if they were so much glass.
At last her toilet was completed, and
with glance of pride she gazed into the
lovely vision reflected in the glass before
her. She was beautiful and she knew
it. She had all a beautiful woman's love
for admiration, and it was a triumph to
her proud and foolish heart to know that
she was queen in the society in which
she moved. Wherever she went men
bowed down and worshipped her, and for
that she lived and that al one.
Her husband, her home, her child
were naught; she loved society and admi-
ration more than her very soul, ana, ike
many a woman before her, she bowed to
the fatal goddess and trdmpled ON her
very heart.
This very night-Christmas eve it was
her husband had implored her to stay
i at home, if not for his sake, for Maudie's,
q who seemed i'll and restless,
"No," said Airline coldly, with not a
q touch of love or sympathy i ! her beauti
full eyes, 81 have said | would go, and |
shall" and then she had turned carelessly
toward the mirror to finish her toilet.
"But Maudie is not well" he said APP
pealingly,
ooh, pshaw! she is well enough; it is
only your Imagination,
With sigh he had turned away. This
beautiful w0man-had she no soul And
then he paced the room with a troubled
look. At last the finishing touch was
added, and she stood before him trium-
phant in her loneliness. She saw the
look upon his face With light touch
she laid one jeweled hand upon his shout
der aud looked up into his face, her eyes
glowing with a strange, questioning look
Through their long lashes.
1t was her woman's spirit of coquetry
that caused her to do this; but he, be-
cause he was looking for every symbol of
her soul, deemed it was her sympathy
and love for him, and for a moment he
dreamed that he was understood. The
power of her beauty rushed over him
like spell of olden days; and the dark,
uplifted eyes, with their strange, dreamy
looH, thrilled him as they had so often
done before. With low cry, half of
joy and half of pain, he took her III his
arms and held her close. And she was
all his own-this beautiful being whom
society throned as it's queen, and men
bowed before as to Il goddess. And
yet-her heart, her soul-where were
they?
As the thought came again into his
mind, he put her suddenly from him,
murmuring, 81 am fool, she is like all
the rest"
"What did you say?" said Airline in
differently, who had caught the latter
part of his faint whisper.
Nothing" he said, struck by the I'M
sympathetic tone. Would she never un-
derstand him-would she never love as
he lad loved? Was their life always to
be like this, and was the welfare of their
child naughl to her, that she could for
get it for the sake of society who loved
her only for her beauty, her wealth and
her position. Had he married beauti-
full doll or woman?
With sigh which she neither heard
nor felt, he had gone from her leaving
her radiant and happy. Why should he
grieve-all women were alike, soulless
and Indifferent, should he expect her to
be any different? Why should he care
SO long as she seemed happy?
Airline was just putting on her gloves
when the maid came in with little two
year-old Maudie in her arms. When she
caught sight of her mothers dazzling
jewels and costly robes, her delight knew
no bounds.
"Pitty mamma, wanted to see 200,
she said in her cunning way, putting up
her arms to Airline.
''DId you" said her mother, kissing
her carelessly, well, here" and she flung
into the child's lap heaps of glittering
things that children love to play with.
but Maudie was not satisfied. Mamma,
please hold me little while. won't you,
mamma" and Maudie looked up with
q hungry, longing look in her dark blue
eyes. Poor baby, she loved her pretty
mamma, but with child's quick instinct
she felt that mother did not love her a
she should be loved.
mo. no, must 60 now, Airline said
hurriedly. pressing good night kiss upon
Maudie's face.
"Pitty, mamma, don't 60, please don.