The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-12-18
From Frank Leslle's Chimney Corner.
The Mountain Christmas Eve.
BY WALTER EpeAR MccANN.

Snow, snow The hollows, the mountain
glens, the deep caves piled full of it; every
where the sublime "white silence" Even
old Sam Whitehead, ,bu(Ieting his way across
the ridges and along those tremendous gorges
felt the awful quiet.
Human voices seldom aroused these lone
ly wilds. In Summer the drum OF the
pheasant, the squeak of the ground squirrel
or the sharp bark of the gray, the different
cries of forest birds and game, were heard
here; but now even their voices were still.
1t was Christmas Eve, and almost the
middle of Winter and old Sam Whitehead,
with his keen eyes and red nose and strag-
Cling gray beard, and mounted - his ''crit-
~ was gong mp the mountain with the
mail.
Two miles above, on the steep hillside,
stood plain log and clapboarded structure,
with but one story and two rooms, an
enormous fireplace, whose chimney, to save
space, was outside the house, and single
window-the dwelling of Tom Foster and
his pretty wife.
The fireplace was, in fact, FIVE feet wide,
and three or four huge logs were cracking
and blazing there.
The interior of this homely establishment
was not unpicturesque. The furniture con-
sisted of a few plain chairs, table, bed, a
few cooking utensils and loom.
Around the walls and to the joints were
hung different homespun articles of dress,
punches of fax, hanks of yarn, bags Of gar.
den-seed, rings of dried pumpkin, and
strings of medicinal herbs.
Tom Foster, stalwart, handsome fellow,
who had been to turkey shooting match,
was busily doing something to his gun-no
one but sportsman could have told what
His wife was preparing supper, the princi-
pal item of the menu being the universal
"corn pone," which had lust left her hands.
"Colder," said Tom, pursuing his conver-
sation, ethan for three years back-just as
| told you. There were nine fogs in August,
which means nine SHOWS; and l didn't see
a hornets nest but what was nigh the ground
and the corn-husks were thick as a board. Z"
Talking of boards, Tom," returned Mat
tie, crouching by the fire, with its rich glow
shining over her pretty face. 81 notice that
the boards ofthis house are beginning to cup
up and pull Off That's the cold, too"
"No," said Tom, shaking his bead wisely;
"that's because the house was covered on the
new moon. It's alwaysthe case. Iplanted
them potatoes of ourn by the dark of the
moon, and look how large they are. Kill
your meat on the decrease of the moon, and
see how ii will shrink. don't know as l
ever knew it to fail" r.
Matte could not recollect contrary ex-
perence either, although she passed FIVE
minutes in reflection upon the subject. Then,
thinking of another matter, she said, with a
little hesitation :
" There's that dance down at Plummer's
tonight, Tom guess there'll be a crowd
there, as it's Christmas Eve"
" We won't be there, though Matte" re-
Piled Tom, with quiet decision. There's
some don't want to see any more OF than
can help"
"Mollie Williams"
A dark flush mounted to Fosters cheek,
and be lowered his head still further over
bis gun, and, after a minute. said
"Yesj Mollie Williams is oae. I don't
want you or me to have anything TO do with
her, and l am mighty sorry she has come
back to this neighborhood. A nice match
she made!"
" l reckon you think you know a better
one she could have made"
" And | expect you think the same about
Joe Williams" rejoined Tom rather Grossly;
and then ho laughed "Well, it's no use
quarrelling about either of EN-, Matte. Joe
has gone nobody knows where, and as for
his wife, she is living over there at Brandy
Fork all by herself,and 50 long as she minds
her own business It is none of ours"
" wish you would let me see her, Tom.
We used to be such friends, and she must
think hard of me-"
A" don't want you to have anything to
do with her." said Tom, bringing his gun to
"order arms" with sudden aud sharp,
eiatter fierce light cleaning from his
ewes "If you ever speak TO her or Joe
Williams again, as long as you live, Youll
do what have expressly forbid"
Matte stood up and crossed TO the win. /