Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1878-12-26
HANNAH GRAY.
AN ORIGINAL CHRISTMAs STORY WRIT
TEN FOR THE CHRISTMAS EDITION
OF THE LEDGER
BY ANNA LAURA.

The FIRST week in December ha.
come lis SNOWY, and Old Winter
| = surely doing i,s best to make IL,
feel his pOwes, but with all thi, gloom,
1eatncr, | am hagpy. Let me see
to-day Is Wednesday, and two week;
mOre Christmas will he here, anC
thcnl am To return home with ;
merry Christmas To ali Oh. In
sn happy to know that he loves me
Ihis Is the ilappir~t wcei of my life.
How lonely I've felt, how sad anu
desOlate at times, as my heart yearn
td Tor some one To love, and Da !ovcG
by. l wonder if this feeling doe-
not come 10 all as they pass along the
journey OF life! If SO, what JOY thcy
| must feel when the boon is granted
10 have one to trust, to honor anti
be friend in the true sense OF tn,
word Is enough TO make one rejoice.
All, how noble he looked when ht
told me of his love, and asked me tt
be his wife. just one week ago |
gave hlm this promise-two week
more he returns, and then We &c
home to join the loved circle to spend
happy Christmas.
Such were Hannah Gray's thoughts
as she sat musing on the past week
she laid the book down in which she
had been reading, aud her mind wan
dered DER the past, with now and
then taking flight into the future,
picturing there a home filled with
love and happiness. This WIS, in
deed, a pleasant day-dream to Han
nah Gray, surrounded, as she had
been all her life, with but few associ-
atcs, she naturally longed for some
one to cOntide in and love. We can
not paint her, as many heroincs, fault
less and bcautiful-'a angel wear
ing the garb of woman and walkin9
on earth" No, she was really hui
man, with many faults and many yir-
tues. She could not be called pret-
", yet when conversing, I've seen
her soul, as il were, SHINE out through
her eyes and illuminate her whole
coUntenance, and at such times l
thought her beautiful. 4 few month
before our story commences she visit
vd friend living in the town O.
c While there she met wit: CO
Lee, a man OF high, moral character
and intellectual t, ste; they grew t.
pe friends, and he became a regular
visitor. Many pleasant hour they
spcut in talking, reading some IA
miliar book, or walking in the grand
Old forest, and no wonder thcy grew
Ia love each other. At the opening
Of our story she had not seen George
Tor week. He had been absent
from town, but had promised to re-
turn on Christmas Eve. We have
seen she VAS not forgctful OF tht
promise. but kept the time almost 10
the hour. Indeed, all seemed lonely
wien he was away, so accustomed
she had been to his company. Whilt
'le was thus thinking over the pas,
and weaving many bright, wrcatheo
garland tor the future, two letter
came to her. She looked at the post
mark OF each, and saw one was from
George Lee, the other from her friend
aud neighbor, Mr.. Price. She read
Mr.. Prices letter first. 1t was such
letter as friends of long acquain-
tance would write to each other.
After giving her the general news,
ne finished by saying he expected t.,
visit c. in a short time and would
see her. Now she thought she would
read Georges letter, for in it sht
would find welcome message
What was her CONSERVATION when
she read the following:
''Mlss Gray: L find, too late, that
you have deceived me. Through
your acquaintanccs | learn that YOU
entirely disguise your true character
and that you are not what you seem
| have loved you, love you yet, but
l must conquer this feeling, for l
can't bear the thought of placing NJ,
on one who has acted the
part of dissemhler to gain them. /
wish to be free from my engagement,
and, oh, it pains me to write it, when
l think Of the happy hours spent with
you. 1t were better if we meet no
more. The world knows nothing of
our engagement; let it drop where ii
is, so that it will not be food for Cos
sips to feed upon. leave here to-
ever wish you well, and
with this leave you final farewell.
GEORGE Lee"
Hannah sat looking vacantly, al
most wild when she had finished this
letter. Such a sudden change from
joy to sorrow, and her disappointment
was q great trial to her. Taking the
letter up she glanced at it and said : |
81 must answer this; he must feel
that he is free. Oh, why did he ever
write me such letter? Surely no
one could be SO base as to tell him
the falsehood he has heard. What
have / done to merit such treatment? ?
There is something wrong, 1 cannot
tell where. He may have thought
me wealthy, or something may have
led him to deceive me, of which
know nothing, and he has feigned to
hear this, by way of leaving me.
Well must / will overcome fbis |