The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-12-13
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him the street and number, and pre-
senting him formally to that lady. Mrs.
Verdan exchanged but few sentences
with our hero, yet when they separated
it was with q much more favorable opin-
ion of him than she had ut first enter
tanned.
David soon learned that Mrs. Verdan
intended to leave her property to Miss
Mehitable Seaton, who had thus ac-
quired degree of respect and admira-
ton which naught but money or pro-
spective wealth could have evolved
from her numerous Ocean county ac-
quaintances. Il
At an early hour on Christmas eve,
David Oaktree opened the gate leading
to the grounds surrounding the Verdan
mansion.
Hetty heard his footsteps upon the
veranda; the next moment David was
in her presence.
Could this be the man who so recent
ly stood before her in the Oldtown
courtroom, pale, haggard, awkward?
And yet it was he; but how different!
His ill-ftting garments changed for
hair and beard neatly arranged, his
checks flushed with the hue of health
the metamorphosis was complete!
The evening passed pleasantly. Het-
ty found that David, like herself, had
vastly improved, in mind as well as
manners. During his long absence he
had, besides devoting himself to the
study of books on all possible occasions,
picked up vast amount of general in
formation in various parts of the world,
and David had been an indefatigable
traveller since his hasty exit from the
Ocean county lookup.
On this occasion he said nothing con-
corning his financial affairs, and Het-
tvs impression was that he still remained
poor, or comparatively poor, with a
prospect, in the distant future, of be-
coming his fathers successor, and the
owner of Oaktree farm.
Mrs. Verdan, charmed with our hero's
conduct and conversation, cordially in
vited him to the annual holiday festival
which was to be celebrated at her house
on the Christmas. David
cheerfully accepted the invitation.
On the afternoon of the following
day, David, arrayed in faultless evening
costume, was warmly welcomed by Het-
ty and Mrs. Verdan.
The guests being all assembled, the
doors of the great conservatory were
thrown open, and scene of novel
beauty was presented. In this immense
conservatory, which was lofty enough to
contain full-grown palms, the trunks
and branches of spruce, hemlock and
pine trees had been skillfully arranged
in imitation of the cruciform interior
of medieval cathedral. Every tree
trunk in this Christmas temple was q
verdure-clad Gothic column; each
branch was a portion, clothed in living
green, of the interlacing mullions, aisles,
arches, nave, roof and transept tracery.
The fragrant box-plant hung in fes-
toons from pillar to column; rare
flowers, fashioned into crosses, stars,
letters and Christmas phrases, hung
from the various points of vantage.
An organ occupied the proper place in
the choir, and in the center of the tran
sept, inclosed by blossoming orange
trees, was the chancel with its evergreen
altar. In short, all the appointments of
cathedral were here represented.
A reverend gentleman in canonicals
was at the altar, by whom, with organ
and choral accomplishments, the Christ
mas services were impressively cele-
brated.
The last notes of the final anthem
were still vibrating in the perfumed air,
when David whispered to Hetty, will
you grant me favor-a Christmas gift
that may choose for MYSELF"
with all my heart. What is ?"
Yourself Hetty!"
His meaning suddenly flashed upon
her. She blushed wildly, and hest
tated "What, to-day? Now? Impos-
sible! Ask Cousin Verdan."
Mrs. Verdan made no objection. In
deed, she was pleased with the pro-
posal.
Hetty insisted upon time in which to
make more suitable toilet. A few
hours after she reappeared in a costume
which seemed perfect at all points-es-
pceially to the gentlemen present-but
which under other circumstances she
would have scorned. But she made
this sacrifice of etiquette to love grace
fully-for his sake.
David and Hetty were ushered to the
altar; and the mildly -amazed clergyman
proceeded to bind them together, mat
rimonially, in due and ancient form.
Hetty and Mrs. Verdan still looked
upon our hero as poor man.
The fete went ON with unusual bril-
hancy.
In the evening, David and his wife
were together in the transept of the
Christmas temple. From the hundred
branches of great chandelier, the light,
filtering through colored globes, was
like the softened sunshine which is shed
from the tinted panes of chancel win
dow
"Hetty," said David, as they stood en-
veloped in this variegated effulgence
when we were first before this blessed
altar, 1 said; With all my worldly goods
1 thee endow.' Inow fulfill that prom
ise."
He gave her package.
what is this?" she said.
A Christmas present; all my worldly
goods"
She opened the packet. 1t contained
S101 900 worth of bonds commons intact