The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-12-24
ACHRIsTMAs STORY.
THE sAcKFUL OF sovEREIGNs.
CHAPTERI.
THE SUMMONS.

A sunny garden slope upon the
southern side Of Higbgate Hill at its
lower end delicious tangle of orch
ard, long grass, and underwood, rus
sei-tinged briers, and common ferns.
Higher up, the gnsrled and twist
ed old appletrees, thick with frosty
fruit, give place by degrees to strip
of gcoseberry and currant bushes and
kitchen greeuery until there, in their
turn, edged by q high box border,
sweet aud gay with waving lavender,
gilly flowers, cabbage roses, sunaow-
ers, hollyhocks, and the homelier or
der of garden treasures, terminate in
smooth, well-kept lawn.
Upon this look several windows Of
a quaint, old-fsshioned, irregular red
bricked cottage, partly thatched and
partly tiled with honey-suckles aud
many a sweet-scented creeper clam
bering round the angles, and even
going some way up little stack Of
twisted chimneys; the whole-cot-
tage, garden. and orchard-surround-
ed by an old grown wall which,
on the front or high.rosd side of the
domain, is bright and odorous in the
Spring with overbanging lilac and
lsburnum, while, where the antique
iron gateway makes a gap, a great
arch of ivy marks the entrance 10
this pleasant home-one of those
homes, indeed, which, rural and un-
pretentious, might have been found
in many a London suburb quarter
of century back; but which, alas,
have well-nigh disappeared now, since
the cverw helming wave Of bricks and
mortar has swept out from the great
city, like the overwhelming eddy on
the surface of lake when rising fish
or idly-tbrown stone disturbs its pla-
cid waters.
There is q wooden Summer bouse
also in perfect hsrmony with its sur
roundings, save that part of its root
has been recently repaired with
patch of somew hat too new and over
bright red tiles. Nesting snugly nn-
der the shade Of big elm-tree, mid
way on the slope, between orchard
and kitchen garden, il oyerlooks that
well known view which terminates
with ST. Paul's, dimly looming-witb
chimney stacks, towers, and spires
through the long line of murky and
dusky sky.
A sweet retreat for tOil-worn citi-
zens, or any caring for the gentler,
simpler ways of life.
Particularly suited as background
does it seem to the figure seated at
the rustic table in the little arbor on
the soft September afternoon when
our tale begins He is an aged but
tolerably hale looking, broad shoul-
dered man of about seventy FIVE, with
keen brown eyes, and having that
snug old fashioned aspect 10 dress
and mien beftting the retired well-to-
do man Of business, that all who have
any acquaintance with Matthew
Hickman know him to be. Open be-
fore bin lies small memorandum
book, 10 which be seems to be adding
up some figures and beside him,
with ink bottle aud tray of pens, are
a few scattered papers Now and
then, in the pauses of his calculations,
be strokes his clean, shaven chin, or
toys with his mutton-cbop strip of
pure white whiskers, and the quiet
of satisfaction with which
from time 10 time be looks out upon
the view tells Of contentment With
both place and circumstances. Yet
10 his eyes and round the corners of
his mouth very close observer might
detect some signs of waning health,
and there is at times a knitting of the
brows and raising Of the garden
hat which might suggest occasional
twinges Of pain passing across the
forehead. The clock OF the neighbor-
ing church chimes ont the half-hour
past FIVE, snd while the sound dies
away on the DELICATE air be draws
from bis fob, by it's broad ribbcn and
bunch of seals, large old fashioned
gold wstch to compare the tine.
Presently be is deep 10 his figures
again, when footsteps approaching
along the winding gravel-path that
leads down from the cottage 10 the
Summer-house, divert his attention,
and hastily gathering up some of the
papers be places them with