The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1880-12-11
BERYL's CHRISTMAS.

Christmas eve, and raining. 1t had
ralned from early dawn steadily and
without cessation, and now the night
had fallen and it was raining still.
20 the eyes of the girl that stood in
the west window OF the little villa
among the elms, it was unspeakablv
dreary. She had stood there a long
while watching the horses with their
laden vehicles splash through the mud.
and the pedestrians, laden too, hurrying
along the swimming payements: and
now she pressed her face against the cold
pane. and great tears fell slowly from
her eyes. She turned away in moment
and buried her face in the cushions of a
dlvan that stood near, and cried as if her
heart would break.
The little fire in the CRATE fllekered
fltfully on the walls and pictures of the
pretty room the rain dripped down on
the veranda and battered against the
pane; and the girl sobbed among the
pillows, the freight just touching the
dlsOrdered masses of bronzed hair, and
the slender form that shook with the
Intensity of her grief.
The little French clock on the mantel
chimed seven and she lifted her tear
stained face, and pushed back the heavy
hair with two small white hands.
6 wonder if there is another girl as
miserable as L." she exclaimed, as so
many girls have exclaimed before her,
and as SO many will excaim again. 81
who have erything in the world to
make me happy-health, happy home,
and friends; and yet, because | have
quarreled with one of these, everything
is less than nothing to me. Such little
thing to quarrel about! He knows am
jealous, and he has no right to praise
Coral Gilbert when she is everything
that am not"
She was nervous, slipping a dainty
amethyst up and down one slender
finger, and the freight catching it drew
pale, violet flames from it. "Ye s, and
to send this back without word
without one least little word. just
year ago tonight he took it from me,
and promised to keep it until sent him
back the one he had given me. If did
send his back, what right had he to re-
turn minep He knew I would be sorry
when had time to think; he knew, too,
I didn't mean one word of the hateful
letter / wrote him; and / haven't seen
him for six weeks, and he is going to
take Coral Gilbert to the party tonight.
almost wish was dead" The bronze
brown tresses were recklessiy crumpled
against the cushions again, and the rain
outside seemed weeping in sympathy
with her.
There was q CHATTER of glad childish
voices in the hall, ringing of happy
laughter, a rush of little feet, and Beryl
Dean had lust time to Jump Up, wipe the
tears away and smooth her hair hastily,
when the children burst in without
ceremony.
"Story, story!" they cried. "You
promised, Berry, you know"
eyes, | remember" she answered,
gently. In moment the petulant,
grieving child had become the quiet,
Womanly girl. "Have you had a pleas
ant time this afternoon?"
"Joilv!"
"Lovelyw
"Aunt Louise Is the incest woman in
the world"
mot nicer than sister," Baby Jessie
said, Loyalty.
"Oh, no, indeed, of course not" they
all said, and then Harry rolled great
easy chair to the CRATE and drew Beryl
into it affectionately, and sat down on
little hassock at her feet and leaned
against her knee; May sat down on one
Of the arms, Daisy on the other, and
Baby Jessie clambered into her arms.
And so they sat in the CHEEKY freight,
and Beryl told them wonderful stories
of Christmas tide and the Christ-child,
her sweet, low voice often broken by
eager questions, and Mrs. Dean came
and astonished them beyond measure
nv telling them it was nine o'clock and
bedtime loving and with kisses and
rood-nights for the elder sister, they
trooped off. =,
But that night the white pillow under
the bronze hair was wet with hot, girl
ish tears.
Christian day, and still it rained !;
would it never cease? Long before
dawn the children had rushed into her
room with "merry Christmas on their
lips. Everything we wanted, we
have" they cried. Come downto the
breakfast-room and see all your lovely
presents" And she went down with
pale cheeks and heavy eyelids, but with
smiles and cheerful words over the
pretty things that had been lavished
upon her. Only the mother noticed
that there were large shadows under the
dark eyes. and the face was very pale,
and the red lips often trembled as she
looked from the warm, coy breakfast.
room, out to the wet, gray sky that
leaned down sorrowfully to the solder
earth. The thoughtful! little. woman
said nothing, but Beryl felt in many
maua that the mothers love was VERY