Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-01-02
THE RED LIGHT.
A Story fer New Years Eve.
1t was New Years eve.

1t was New YEARS. eve.
Not one of the ideal New Years ewes
of poets and romance writer's, wherein
the moon is always full, the snow al
ways a sparkle, like pulvarized dia-
monds, and the air always still and
cold and clear; but stormy twilight,
with the snow driving heavily from
the east, the wind raw and biting, and
the sky-what you could see of it-as
black as ink.
But it was New Years eve, all the
same, and Bertha Hooper's cheeks
were as red as the bitter-sweet berries
in the woods, as she sat, all wrapped
up, in the train that was speeding
northward, on her way TO spend New
Year with her Aunt Almira Higgins.
New Year in the countryl To Ber-
tha, who had lived all her life in the
brick walls and stone pavement3 of a
city, the very words seemed to convey
somewhat Of cheer and joyousness.
And Bertha, as she sat with her eyes
closed, and her little gloved hands safe
ly nestled in gray-squirrel muff, be-
held, In her minds eye, great fires of
logs roaring up wide-throated chim-
neys. and half composed a poem on
New Year ard its associations when
the ruthless conductor came along for
her ticket.
How far are we from Montcourt sta
tion?' she inquired, as she gave up the
bit of psstebosrd.
Next but one, miss said the man,
as he hurried on, with his lantern uu-
der his arm. Half an hour yet.'
She had never been 80 far from New
York in all her life before. The dri-
wing rain in which she had left her
home had changed, as they progressed
northwsrd, into a steady fall of snow,
which futtered around them like a
white waving shroud. But Bertha
Hooper cared little for this. Had not
Aunt Almira promised to send Zebe-
dee, her youngest son, to the station
with the pony to meet her on the arri-
val of the sixty four train from New
York? And was not Zebedee to have
lantern with a red glass door to it, 40
that she could identity him at once?
She was very pretty as she sat there
in her little black velvet tOque, with
its curling plume of cardinal red, and
the wine-red ribbon bow at her throat
pretty with the bloom and freshness
of eighteen years. She was dark, with
large hazel eyes, slmOnd-shaped and
long-pointed, clear, rosy bloom on
either cheek, and wavy dark hair
hanging in silken fringe over her
broad, low forehead.
'MOnt-cOurt-sta-t bawled the
brakeman, putting in asnOw-powdered
fur cap, and Withdrawing it again as
quickly as If he had been magnificent
edition of the Jack>in-a-box, wherein
children much rejoice at holiday time.
And Bertha Hooper knew that she had
reached her destination.
Still and cramped for the length of
time in which she had been sitting in
one position, she rose up, with little
steel clasped travelling bag 10 one hand,
and dainty silk um mbrei,a in the other,
and made her way to the door.
All she could see when she stepped
out upon the wet and slipl~ry platform
was blurr of driving snow, through
which the lights of the solitary little
country depot cleaned titfu. ly; but the
next instant something tiasi ed across
her vision like friendly red eye-snd
beneath the reflection over the station
door, she saw tall, fine looking young
man, in fur trimmed overcoat, SEAL
skin cap set jsuntily on one side OF
crop OF chestnut curls, and red lighted
lantern swinging from his left hand, as
be stood straining his eyes into the
stormy darkness, as If to catch sight oil
some familiar face in the little crowd.
Cousin Zebedee!' cried Bertha, aloud.
and she made one spring into the arms
of this blonde whiskered young giant.
For had not she and Zebedee played
dominOes and fox and geese togther in
the days when she wore blue RIBBON
sashes, and his hair was closely shorn
mat of carroty red? oh! Cousin Leb-
edee, I'm so glad to see you; and
hadn't any idea you had grown half so
Handsomely
And she gave him great hug, at the
same time holding up her rosebud lips
for kiss.
But to her infinite amazement, the
hero of the seal skin cap seemed little
backward in responding to her cousin
ly advances.
IL beg your pardon,' said he,
slightly receding,' but l am. afraid
there is some mistake. My name is
not Zabedee, aud the lady for whom
am looking Is some years older than
you
Bertha Hooper started back, color
ing and confused; and, as she did 80 a
fat, comfortable looking old lady came
trundling along the platform, in an In
dia shawl and boa OF Russia sable
worth its weight in green backs.
Charley! she cried, Il thought
should never find you. Is the carriage
bere?'
All here, and waiting, Aunt Eftie,'
responded the young man; but he still
hesitated a second, as Bertha Hooper
stood with averted face and motionless
figure in the shadow of the building.
Can be of any service to you" he
asked. If you are expecting friends
who have failed to meet you
Anybody here by the name OF Berthy
Hoo-oo-per?' shouted stentorian
voice; and tall, raw looking lad with
a lantern-also lighted with red glass
rushed shuffling around the corner.
Zebedee himself! Zebedee, red haired
and shambling and awkward as he had
been in the old fox and geese days.
'Oh! said he, catching up his lantern,
so that the scarlet birds wings dashed
out, like spit of fisme-scarcely more
scarlet, alasl than Bertha's own face.
Here you be! Pm little late, for
the roads is so all-fired bad and L
couldn't start the pony out of a walk.
Come on! How de do? Be you very
cold?'
'Zebedee,' said Bertha, clinging al
most hysterically to her Cousins arm,
Who's that young gentleman with
with the other lanternY
'Eh?' said Zebedee. That feller
with the old lady in patchwork
sbawl?'
'Yes!'
It's Charley Harcourt, the Squire's
son. said Zabedee. lust come from
furrin parts.'
'Zsbedee,' said Bertha, with curl
Gus little sound between laugh and
snh tnnt me- infn the cnttar nnick: and