Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-12-29
THE new YEARS MASQUERADE

Goodbye, old year, goodbye.
THE new YEARS MASQUERADE
The old year had rung out all it's day
and months with the midnight stroke O
the clock, clearly and solemnly; and nov
the new year was ushered in with LIGHT
tieecy fall Of snow, floating down Xix,
tiny feathers, and covering the hare
frozen earth as with wedding garment
All the preparations for the evening
were finished in Squire Brent's house
aud Alice sat by the window after many
Tights, up stairs and down, and watching
with delight the wonderful picture oui
of doors-bare branches and tall. straight
trees, changed as by fairy wand: low
hedges bending the inimitable grace I'm.
der their light burden; evergreens and
climbing ivy hidden in odd, exquisite
shapes of white, cloud-like carving and
more than all, thinking of the last New
Year.
Some one else was sitting in the empty
seat beside her taen, and she remem-
bered his every look and tone as thew
talked over things present and past and
al the coming days might bring to them.
There Was subtle meaning in John
Thorn's words she did not catch at first,
TIL III the midst of some lively badinage,
he broke off suddenly, and told her in
lbs eloquent, passionate, pleading way,
the Old, old story, sweeter than any other
to maiden, and begged her to crown his
Life with her love, and make it's CON-
pleteness. She felt the same, quick.
bounding thrill again, and the thought
OF JOY was born III her heart at that mo-
ment, came back to her, just as when
she gathered up all her out-reaching de-
sires and tender hopes, to give the cold,
hard answer, out OF the fullness of her
bitter, Just condemnation.
II am sorry that you spoke of this.
l cannot marry you"
Why not, AGce?'
" Because, If you will know, however
much l admire you now, I should grow
to despise YOU afEer awhile. I believe
the money that has been left you will be
your bane and your curse. You are liv-
ing tor nothing but its enjoyment-for
the delight it pours in upon you alone.
Even the rich scion of nobility is not in
SO pitiable condition, for he has his pat
rmonaal estates to manage, and his vii
lage dependents who draw him out of
himself, and call for large exercise OF his
thought aud charity. But you, with
your culture and talent, think of moth
ing but adding to them year by year.
wrapping yourself more entirely in self,
and giving out of your mental gains only
in the sparkling chat of an evening call
Or the little more exalted effort of the
co~vcrzazione, instead of doing your
work in the world"
"What need is there of me, Miss
Brent?"
Your own need most of all; you are
sinking down into the Elegant gentle
man OF leisure, whom I most heartily
despise.'
ANSWER me in one thing; do you care
for me in the least, Aice?'
A little pause, then the calm, quiet,
"No, l do not, Mr.. Thorne."
''Thank you for the correct estimate
Of my character, and for your good opin-
ion Of me. leave tonight, and will
preserve it as my remembrance OF you."
And he was gone. i.
So much out of the embers of the by
gone year; and as Alice looked at them
more closely she knew that she had done
some wrong to her heart in these last
words. She did care much for John
Ihorne, indolent and pleasure loving as
lie was. She felt all the grand POSSIBLE
tiles that were sleeping in his large heart
and brain; that it was the force of cir
cumstances alone that had left him feebly
drifting on in life without purpose or
ann since his college days; and that if
the occasion for doing came, he would
surely rise to meet it. She reproached
herself that she had not been more kind.
more true and patient, before saying
those ftful words.
Since that day she had heard nothing
OF him. Several times she had half ap-
preached the subject with Mrs. Thorne,
his aunt, but the good lady shrewdly,
quietly passed it by, as if suspecting
something, and would give no informa-
ton Of the aosent nephew that Alice did
not directly ask for. This she could
not do, and SO the months sped on full
Of regret and LONGING:
''Why, Alice, child, you are not ready
yet! Do you know it's six o'clock, and I
sent out all the invitations for them to
come at seven! None of your morning
parties for me, coming at ten, when hon
est country people are sound asleep in
their beds, and keeping one awake with
jovial din far into the small hours, when
my stiff joints are aching to get rest!
You like this time, don't you, puss %
Aud Squire Brent hustled across the
room, rubbing his hands in a hearty,
gladstone, and withal such a hospital,
fatheriy way. New Years welcome in
his face! Alice laughed q merry, rip
ping laugh, as she said, patting his
cheek: -, ..:.., -.
eyes, you dear, good father, of course.
l like best what you do; and with you
here we can't have anything but just the
incest, old-fashioned party that ever was.
I'll go up stairs now and be ready in q
trice. You know Sisters of Charity have
renowned the vanities of this world, SO
my toilet will not take a great deal OF
time. 1 am SO glad we are going to
dress alike, for we shall have to set our
sharpest wits to work to discover our
best friends under our masks. We won't
take them of till eleven, remember; but
am afraid they will know you, Father
Abbot, because your portly appearance
cannot be hid. u. -. -
"Run along with you, Miss Impertin.
ence, and we'll see who looks the best in
ten minutes time. y IS. ' go. {
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