The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1878-12-19

VOC, 70 fomomUOf l AIN IN earnest.
Tom, without waiting for . word in
explanation, entered bic sleigh and
drove oil.
Squire Mallory chuckled 10 him
self as he watched Ion Malpins
drive rapidly away. Entering the
house, he called agnes, Agnes, here
is package your Tom left for you,
with his compliments. I hope and
trust you will have sufficient strength
to live through il, as Tom says he
10 irrepsrably 10 earnest.
She took the package aud turned
pale. She had seen Tom ct the Of
fice, and noted his hurried and OK
cited manner. Taking the package
TO her room, in breathless anxiety
she opened 10. The most beautiful
watch aud broocho chain Of pure
gold came from the package Of many
pieces OF paper which they had
been wrapped. With it came . note
from Tom.
At home Christmas.
DAlLINa AoSEs Il wanted TO hang
this little token about your neck last
night. - your Christmas present,
but why did not you know. To-
day I told your father l did not care
for you, and had returned some lit
tie articles OF yours. Forgive me
bu. be silent 1t was the best |
could do. will drive without bells
past your house this evening at 7.
Bo at the front gate for . ride with
your Tox.
Aud the heavy dark cloud Of do
spondency was lifted from the mind
Of the wounded young girl, and then
it was that she looked out OF her
window with light heart and threw
kisses in profusion iu the direction
Of Meadow Glen. A moody, Thought
ful, silent daughter was Agnes all
that day The hours wore on and
her father was congratulating him.
self upon his easy victory. She'll
forget oil this in iew days, he
whispered to mother Mallory, ~
they sat talking over the doings Of
the past few days.
Punctually at the hour appointed,
Agnes entirely uuconcerued left the
sitting. room where she had boon
reading with her father aud mother,
slipped noislessly through tho hall
aud vsstibule, donned her furs, cape,
shawl aul bounet in All instant, 81
lsutly opened tho door and IN an 10
slant wus out ct the gate waiting the
coming Of Tom. The moon shono
ont brilliantly and the beautiful
Christmas night lay jeweled in its
beams. In q sncond Tom came driv.
ing along with his elegant span aud
sleigh without bells. Agnes entor-
sd instantly, without word, and a.
way they flew over the bills far out
Of the sight Of the Mallory mansion.
Then began Meir Christmas. The
bells we're soon drawn from an extra
blanket 10 the bottom OF the sleigh
and placed upon the horses, and to
their cheerful music the young lov.
ers went dancing over the snow ~
happy as happy could be.
That night there was wedding
Tho Halpiue home rang out With
tho merry music Of the assembled
people. The daughters OF the Rit-
ters and Hammersleys, Hsrkaways,
Trenwiths and Thomases, with their
mslc attendants, had been invited,
aud a merrier throng never danced
to the sounds Of . wedding orches.
tra. Until way after midnight could
the hymns aud songs be heard COM
ing from those happy people. while
the great warm fire crackled on the
hearth. and the cider and apples,
wine and cake disappeared to the
toast "loug life and happiness to
Tom and his runaway BRIDE
Il was more than Q year after
wards before father Mallory became
satisfactorily reconciled. But Agnes
Was happy, Mrs. Mallory was pleas
ed two hours after she heard Of il,
and there is not now . man 10 oil
the country round more pleased
with his son-in law than old father
Mallory himself Aud it Was not
"the worst Cbristmas for Agnes"
. ex>e Ill