Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-12-21
BERYL'S CHRISTMAS.


Christmas eve, and raining. 1t had
named from early dawn steadily, and
without cessation, and now the night
was falling and it was raining still.
To the eyes of the girl who stood in
the west window of the little villa
among the elms, it was unspeakably
dreary She had stood there long
while watching the horses with their
laden vehicles splash through the mud,
and the pedestrians, laden, too, hurry
ing along the swimming pavements; and
now she pressed her face against the
cold pane, and great tears fell slowly
rom her eyes. She turned away in
moment, and buried her face in the
cushions of divan that stood near, and
cried as if her heart would break.
The little fire IN the CRATE hickered
ftfully Oh the walls and pictures of the
pretty little room; the rain dripped down
on the veranda aud battered against the
pane; and the girl sobbed among the pill
lows, the freight just touching the dis
ordered masses OF bronzed hair, and the
slender form which shook with the III
tensity 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.
ct wonder if there is another girl as
miserable as J." she exclaimed, as so
many girls have explained before her,
and as so many will explain again. 81
who have everything 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 I am not"
She was nervous, slipping dainty
amethyst up and down one slender fin
ger, and the freight catching it drew
pale, violet flames from it. Eyes, and
to send this back without a word-with-
out 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 I did send
his back, what right had he TO return
mine? He knew [ would be sorry when
] had time to think; no knew, too, ]
didn't mean one word Of the hateful let
ter I wrote him; and I 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 trees were recklessly crumpled
against the cushions again, and the rain
outside seemed weeping In sympathy
with her.
There was clatter of glad childish
voices in the hall, a ringing of happy
laughter, rush Of little feet, and Beryl
Dean had just time to Jump up, wipe the
tears away and smooth her hair hastily,
when the children burst In without GER
emony.
''Story, story!' they cried. "You
promised, Berry, you know"
"Yes, [ remember" she answered,
gently. La q moment the petulant,
grieving child had become the quiet.
womanly girl. "Have you had pleas
ant time this afternoon?"
"Jolly !"
Lovely p
Delightful -
'sAunt Louise is the incest woman in
the world"
"Not nicer than sister" Baby Jessie
said Loyalty.
''Oh, no, indeed, of course not" they
ali said, and then Harry rolled a great
easy chair to the CRATE and drew Beryl
into 1t atfec lOnately, and sat down on a
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 50 they sat in the cherry freight,
and Beryl told them wonderful stories of
Christmas tide and the Christie child. her
sweet, low voice often broken by eager
questions, and Mrs. Dean came and
astonished them beyond measure by
telling them it was nine o'clock and bed
time; loving and with kisses and good
nights for the elder sister, they
trooped off,
But that night the white pillow under
the bronze hair was wet with hot, girl
ISL tears.
Christmas day, and still it rained
would it never cease? Long before
dawn the children had rushed into her
room with 8" merry Christmas on their
lips. " Everything we wanted, we
have, they cried. ''Come down to the
oreakfast-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 layished
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 warnl, coy breakfast-room, out
to the wet, gray sky that leaned down
sorrowfully to the sodden earth. The
thoughtful little woman said nothing.
but Beryl felt in many ways that the
mothers love was a very tender and
precious thing.