The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-01-02

Tsou about this matter. Death, and de-
spair, and undying love, and all that
sort OF thing are all very well aud very
pretty in novels, but they would not do
at all in real life,y you know. | under
tstand and sympathize with you perfect
ly. You promised to marry Edwin Bar
clay; and, if he had had the sense to
stay at home, like other young men,
would have kept your word, of course;
but, as nothing would do but he musBgO
laway and drown hlmselt"-Zay paled
and shiyered-"and it has been thI ee
wears sfdce then, can't see how you
are bound to him now; especially when
a substantial, sensible gentleman like
Mr.. OttOn BatLs passes over the dozens
oil young women ready to throw them
selves into his arms, and does little
couutry-girl hike you The honor to ask
you to be his wife,"
The CLOCK IN the haH struck 8.
"Mercy r continued Mrs. Wynne, ner-
yously, "IGst hear tnutl and you haven't
so mucn as chaDged your slippers yet
Do GO to your room, aud be reasonable,
cnilu, or snail fl! -
"Patience, MOTHER" returned Zly, in
the same cUld, unnatural manner. Give
me little llm5 TO be reasonable III my
way, and then l will be as mad as you
like. want 10 go uver the old house
alone once more, and then want to slL
by my yselt for haIt an hour. Alter that
L viii be- at your service"
Up went tue hands and eyes Of the
lhorlor-strlcken auditors.
"Imposslbel Absurd! Suppose any
one should concur II MIR. Cotton Bats
should see her3 What WoulI the peo-
pie thlnKf 1t Woulun't be even decent"
etc.
Zay took up her candle.
Good night, then. You must GO
through you larce without me-"
stop! stOpW exclaimed Mrs. Wynne;
"fur mercy's sake do wuat YOU ANe---go
where you please--and uon't hurry on
! any account"
Zay smiled coldly and went out into
the nall. All the cheerful house was
llIghted and aglow, though hushed in
That curious stiffness thai always pre-
cedes great events in household hlstO-
ries. Christmas sights and scenes were
everywhere in the cheerful rooms. Sou
pine wreaJhs framed. pictures, and
draped walls and chimneys; green
buughs waved around the long windows,
and fresh wood doors mingled w.t.
those of the conserVatories.' fhrou !, IL
the doors that Zay had let open Cam
, the murmur OF merry voices and Tn Z
, subuued scrapings Of violns in the
kitcnen; all very much as II was on that
! Christmas Eve three years ago, when,
blushIng in The shade of the Christmas
J tree, Zay whispered to Edwin Barclay
the tremulous promise to which her
!. mother mad reerred. No; one thing
y was different Under the central aren
, OF the long saloon stood table, loaded
with silver, glittering with gold aud dia-
mouds, and gorgeous with proofs OF Mr..
Cotton Bats affection.
"My price," murmured Zay, with Il
3 bitter smile; and, turning qulckly--for
the sight stung her like a serpent--she
went back to the 'twest ROOM" 1t was
empty and half ghasLiy now, for the te-
: male Wynnes had carried with them all
a those muslin mysteries that had given
, it sucn festive air; and the fire, unre-
plenished, had commenced to shoulder
> and flicker, and cast strange shadows
over rle low walls. Zay put out her can
, die. drew low stool up to the hearth,
l pl lauted her elbows on her knees, leaned
ner lace in her open palms and listened
and the secret wall in her soul grew
loud and clear in the unwonted hush,
and told out plainly what 1t was al
ways murmurlng at her heart, about
i the great joy OF new love and the ah-
: guish offs sudden parting; and the days,
V Ike years OF suspense and slckening an
: guisD, and of a death-llke despair, and
l. OF cold, calculating, resistless will,
: that had borne down hers little by
h little, till 1t had crushed out the very
@ lile Of her soul Tor the qualification Of
t it's own ambition. And the fire danced
G and famed up tiercely, and sank down
again into the glowing Goals, TIL there
i was only left of it little blush jets
b waving, quiyering and cracking, till as
Zay looked, one after anotaer took
+. shape and faces and wings, and she
n knew them for Christmas spirits-0ld
, friends to her and all dreamers, from
= the time Adam first split up pine los
q to boil the tea-kettle. The huge, ole
Il black log had burned quite down, 81
), that now it only charreu aud smoked
and as Zay gazed steadily atit, it ladeU
d away altogether; and there was a room
n with q sl0pfng roof aud unplastereC
II ceiling, cold, small, and only haa.lishi eC
| by pitiful talIow-candle. Zay knew
Y the girl who sat sewing by its light; il
If was their pale-iaced, silent dress
e maker, paler than ever, ant
4 blue with cod-for the few little
10 sticks on the hearth gave out no heat
Zay had seldom spoken, and still more
!. seldom looked at this girl-she had fan.
u cled her dull automaton, not wortl
Is her most careless thought-but thu
u. loving little sprites came and danoel
3. on her hearth, aud crept up on her dress
10 ana prayed on ueT pdLlenb lOTeueAu, ant
tried to warm her poor, chilled fingers
Y. And ZAy heard it said, though nothln!
RI broke the outward stiffness, that it Wa
y because she was true in act as well a.
D, WORD, and patiently and meekly ever.
n day died to nope, joy, love, ambition
/. ali this worlds goods, because sh
- would not be false to God and herself
Ana Ivy, who was shivering at he
heart, stretched out her hands towart
m the friendly sprtes, and begged them t.
n come 10 ner also; but clouls of smok
ii rol ed in, and the pale faced girl and he
,r attic faced away, till Zay found herseI
looking in at a tar, sweet mother, rock
p ing and hushing Il little golden-haire,
baby. There were no bare raiters, an,
d broken, chilly hearths here; but ther
was some hing Worse-a great blacI
8, shadow that fell all around mother ant
j. child, and ZAY saw brutal, etoliI
: Sc fish husband In The doorway linger
:. ing and beckonlng as if for ner to com
the one the young wife mad loved frs
d and best.
N "She Is cold as am" thought Zay
e. "She will surely 90 to him."
ID But the fair mother never looked tina
way, but kept her eyes on the baby
s. face, as she rocked and sung; ami th