St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-12-24


were able to secure, we had adorned the
table on which the feast was spread.
The gift for Miss Stafford. beautiful
book OF poems, we placed beside her
plate, with little note containing the
good wishes of her four pupils-Made-
line, Florence, May and Belle.
And what pleasant time we had
Miss Stafford was really surprising
could this bel asked myself more
than once-our proud silent teacher7
81 had no idea she could make her
self SO agreeable" whispered Florence
to me, ''really we should have missed
halt our pleasure without her. Isn't she
lovely to-day ?"
Aud lovely indeed she was-a beau
tiful wild-rose color glowed in her US
ually pale cheeks, her eyes sparkled
with merriment and her laugh rang out
clear as silver bell.
just in the midst of our erry-mak-
ing, received word that there was a
gentleman below stairs asking to see
me. Whe could it be /? wondered, as 1
descended, for he had sent up no name.
i pushed open the parlor door and
walked in-there he stood looking out
OF the window, with his back toward
~ but | could not mistake that tall
lnanly form and those curly brown
locks. With scream of delighted sur
prise l rushed forward and nearly stran-
gled him ia an ecstatic embrace.
30 Rex! you splendid old darling
Where did you come from and how
do you happen to be here 2' cried all
in breath.
"Well, little sister," he replied, 81
came from home, and am here because
the cars brought me-"
GAS provoking as ever" | said.
"NOw tell me what made you come ?"
'Partly because l did not. wish you
to die of despair-on account of being
kept here over Christmas-as you faith
fully promised to do, in your last letter;
well-and then | found / had business
this way that must be attended to di-
rectly. And has this been such a very
dismal day so far :" he asked.
'Why no, Rex" l responded, ~
thought it would be horrid, but we have
had real nice time after ALL"
Aud then bethought myself of the
interrupted party. l told him about it
and insisted that he should come up
there with me and make one of us for
the rest of the day. "You must" l in
sisted, as he hesitated, the girls will
never forgive me if let you off, and l
do not believe Miss Stafford will send
you away"
"Who p he asked, "what was that
you said 2"
''Miss Stafford, our teacher, haven't |
told you about herr"
"Never," he replied.
''Well, will introduce her to yOu," |
said, leading him toward Madeline's
room. How the girls will all envy me,
| thought, when they see my Rex.
Pm sure there was never such another
brother; so handsome and manly, so
good and yet so jolly and funny.
Girls" l began proudly" 81 want
to intro
But that sentence was never finished
Rex had sprung forward to where Miss
Stafford, now white and trembling, was
standing leaning against the wall for
support.
'.Alice !" he exclaimed, 'Ts it posi-
ble2 Thank Heaven | have found
you at lastm
Such bewildered group of girls as
we were But, at last, we did come to
our senses sufficiently to withdraw from
the room, and leave the two in full pos
session.
"For pity sake, Bell, do explain ~
said Florence as soon as we were well
out of hearing, "who is he anyhow ~
"He is my brother Rex" l replied,
"but certainly he must have taken
leave of his senses for how else can |
account for this strange conduct? d?
cannot even dream how he should know
Miss Stafford"
In due time, however, explanations
came, and | learned that my brother
had made the acquaintance of Miss
Stafford when Oh a visit to friend in
New York, four years ago. She was
then living with an uncle in that city.
This acquaintance soon ripened. into
friendship, and-it is easy to imagine
what followed, though l believe no
,rOrd of love had passed between them,
when Rex was summoned home by the
dangerous illness of our mother. He
was obliged to leave in great haste, and
had no time to say good bye to any
one.
He scribbled hasty note to Miss
Stafford explaining his sudden depart
ure; but this, she says, she never re-
ceived.
He was hardly gone, when her uncle
died, very suddenly, and she was soon
given to understand, by his wife and
daughter that she was no longer well
come in their home. So she went out
alone to care for herself; and in a very
short time had drifted beyond the
knowledge of her former acquaintances.
All this while, Rex was entirely alb
sorbed in our trouble at home, and had
not even heard of Alice's misfortunes.
After long, distressing illness, our
dear mother was taken from us, and we
were left desolate indeed.
When at length my brother found
opportunity to write to Alice, she had
already left the city and though he
wrote several times be received no re-
ply. Finally, in despair, he went back
to New York, but, as | have said, her
friends seemed to have lost all trace of
her Whereabouts, and her uncle's wife
also, pretended, at least to know nothing
of her II have dark suspicious myself
of that aunt and cousin of hers; but
Alice always puts her hand over my
mouth if try to give them utterance.
But now, after these long years, he
had found her at last. 1t is easy enough
TO guess the rest Of this little story of
mine. Yet no one but ourselves can
ever conceive of the blessedness that
has come into our home with the en-
trance of this sweet and lovely woman,
my dear sister Alice; and 1 shall never
cease to be thankful for that Christmas
party which brought about such happy
results.
The year is almost round again, now
and Alice has invited my friends Made