The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-12-23
OVER THE SNOW.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

themS, ali her soul IN TIE trlumpha
words:
joyful all your voices rise,
Sing the anthems of the skies;
With the celestial hosts proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
IT was the last of the rehearsal. The
choristers threw down their books, only
too glad to get away. The organist
alone remained, to play over once more
a new voluntary.
Good night Miss Englehart." "Good
night Miss Katherine!" Good night,
Katie, and merry Christmas eve," were
the cries, as, one by one, men and maids
left the choir, and went down the stairs
and out into the bright, white Christ
mas night.
Miss Englehart's smiling lips and
gentle brown eyes answered them all.
A moment and she was alone, only the
white, piercing moonlight streaming
through the painted oriel over the altar,
and the one dim light below. A flare
of gas lit the organ loft, but this sbt
lowered. and with rapt face and dreamy
eyes she played over and over again tie
jubilant new voluntary. She might
have gone on for hours she was quite
capable of it-but IA piteous yawn from
the boy at the bellows recalled her from
heaven to earth.
"Oh!' she said, stopping suddenly,
with halt laugh, had forgotten you,
Jimmy. We'll, | won't play any more
and here, take this for your Christmas
box"
Jimmy jumped up and seized the
prOfi,red greenback with glistening
eyes.
" EhaLky, Miss Kate merry Christ
mas, please ma ano ~ cried the boy, seiz
ing his esp abr she's brick, slit
is, said Jimmy to himself, as he clat
tered down tie steep stairway. "No.
body amoIg all the singers ever thinks
OF the 10y what blows lhe bellowses
'cept her. Don't just hope she wont
marry that long LEGGED rooster that
'scorts her there sometimes, and leave
the choir for good"
Still few moments longer fingered
Miss En- elehart on her knees; then she,
too, hurried down the stairway and cut
into the shining coldness of the starry
December night. High and white and
cold lay the Christmas snow. No
4" green Nule" this 10 make fat the kirk.
yard. Cloudless and blue spread the
sky, filled with sparkling Christmas
stals. Could that other night, so long
ago, when the shepherd watched his
flock in the great Galilee hills, land the
glory of the Lord shone around them, "
have been one whit fairer than this
Katie"
With a greats tart the gill came back
over eighteen centuries, from Bethle-
hem to the town of Southport. A tall
man had started up in her path, and
spoke her name.
You, papaw he girl said, in doubt
and surprise, the color that had arisen
to her face fading out.
"I-Katie." He drew her hand under
his arm with a laugh. did you think
il was Harry HattonP Well, it is almost
as good, for have come to talk to you
of hir.
Miss EngIehart looked up-a sudden
Trouble in her brown, tender eyes.
% I thought you had done talking OF
him, papa," she said, tremble in her
voice. - thought yesterday had fin
shed tie subject fol ever"
LET me see. What was it did say,
yesterday 7" says Mr.. Englehart, bland
nCcked, doting old client, John Hatton,
had made up bis senile mind 10 forgive
his runaway daughter and disinherit
Harry. Under these circumstances, /
very naturally tod you that you were
to meet Harry no more. You're a good
girl, Katie-a very good girl MIR.
Enslehart pats paternally the little
hand on bis arm" and at any sacrifice
to yourself you would have obeyed me,
I'm sure. My dear, it affords me great
pleasure TO inform you the sacrifice will
not be required"
Papal" the girl cries, her whole
face lighting up, "you will let me marry
Hairy, POOR as he is Oh, papa! / am
net afraid Of poverty-not afraid OF
work; neither is Harry, and"
"Oh, pooh my dear, pooh! nothing
of the kind. My opinion on that point
has never changed, and never will. No,
no; it is something infinitely bett er than
that. Old Hatton died suddenly last
night, before making the proposed new
will, and all is Harry's."
Katherine Englehart uttered faint,
startled exclamation.
And the old will, leaving all to
Harry. stands, and his only daughter is
disinlerited and left out"
Left without silver, my dear, and
sci yes her right, say /. She ran away
with a worthless scamp, against her
fathers will, and, like ali fools, has paid
the penalty of her folly. She supports
herself and her five children by sewin g
go l have been told, and you know what
sort Of support tnat means Serves her
right, / say again. John Hatton has
done W hat it was his duty to do-whai
1 Iw0uld have done in his place-cast
her off and left her to- starve with the
pa lper she ch ose."
In the moonlight the face of Mis-:
Engiehart grows white as the snow
itself, but she walks on and does moi
say word.
However" cries her father, cheer
fully, "that is not " hat want to say
Rose HattoD's case need never be yours
All is Harry's, and, excerpt his poverty
never had any objection to Harry as {
son.in- law. So when be comes to wisl