Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-12-24

. | eha1 JuSb WY nc Sudll marty me
i With this she hastened to her room I
prepare for the evenings gay party, a
which she now was determined to con
plete the conquest of the young millionai1
Lawrence brood. He was of an old fan
lily ; belonged to the highest circle of 81
ciety master of the most polished mar
ners, and withal accounted one of th
most handsome of men-what though b
was little too dashins and gay: there wa
no ambitious mother who would not hav
thought him altogether desirable matc
for her daughter.
Christmas evening came-a model Christ
mas. Softly the pure white snow came
floating down, flake upon flake, mellowin,
the sound of the bells which sent fortl
through the frosted air peal upon peal, tt
every soul wishing A Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas!
The air was bitter cold, biting, cutting
pierting-cruelly cold to the thousands o
POOR and needy ones throughout that grea
city. Did Maude Harrington think Of them
as she stood there before her mirror with
a gratificd smile? Why should she-how
| could she? She had never seen anything
| of poverty. nor ever known what want
hunger and cold might be. She had never
| been taught nor given occasion to think oil
| such disagreeable things. And just now
| her mind was full of the party, the guests
! 10 which were already arriving and full
| of Lawrence brood, whom she had almost
brought herself to love, with such love as
a sclf-absorbed heart like hers could feel.
miss Maude :" 1t was tho servant
calling at the door, "Miss Maudc, I begs
your parding, but the woman wouldn't 60
way"
"What is it you want, Jane be quick,
have to 60 down to the parlor."
"a wOman's at the back door she scz
she wants ter spake to yer; and | couldn't
git rcd NV hur at all
"What nonsense, Jane You don't sup
pose can go down and entertain every
bcgsar that comes to the door. Why do you
bother me with such things now? Give
her some money ard send her Off"
81 told her SO meself. But she sez she
didn't want no money at all-sez She
"Go on ard do rs l tell yOu"' inter
ruptcd the vexed young beauty: And,
Jane. see to it that you don't come to me
again about beggars ~
And while the proud lady Msude swept
into the brilliantly illumincd parlor, the
back door was rudely slammed in the face
of a poor woman, who, with the marks
of bitter suffering in her pale face, and
evidently in a condition but little able to
endure the cold blasts of the pitiless storm,
feebly dragged herself along through the
deep snow, out into the darkness of the
winters night.
belle of tho evening. Her perfect form
moved with Il matchlcSS grace through
the mazes of the merry dance. Her dark
cc1,p than ne hritII9nov
and cloqucncc as they glanced from one to
the other of the group of admirinS gal
lants who were around her. There was
charm about her beauty which none could
help but feel. And yet it was that type of
beauty that ever leaves an impression upon
the bcholdcr of something like dissatis-
faction and even regret, al undciiuablc
feeling as of something wanting not
anything physical, but a spirit worthy
to dwell in and possess SO perfect face
and form. Upon the thoughtful, bcauti-
full body inhabited by Il soul less perfectly
beautiful, ever leaves this impression Of
sadness and even pain.
She seemed to be having indeed Il merry,
merry Christmas, and to be perfectly
happy, until the evening wore on to near
midnight. Lawrence brood was devoted
to her. Her prophecy had been fulfilled.
He had asked her to be his wife-and she
had consented. Her triumph was com
pletc.
What was it then that toward the close
of the evening caused a cloud as OF doubt.
if not regret, to pass over her fair face:
There were others of the gentlemen who
drank as freely of the choice wines rs
Lawrence brood. Yet it troubled her to
note his free indulgence, it D:orc than
mortified her to hear his silly speeches.
She was becoming nervous, thoughtful,
disguised. Shc!was actually
glad when the time came for the gay party
to disperse Lawrence Droul fairly stag.
gered and reeled from the door to his car
riage:,
you. Young brood seems to
be jolly good fellow-of \ first class
famiIy-plenty of morey, too; altogether
it has been right merry Christmas, eh,
darling? 2" And old Mr.. lIerrington set
tied himself in his arm chair, after all had
departed, to talk tho events of the day !
over with his daughter, as was his custom
almost every evening.
But Maudc seemed in 40 humor for it.
Strange that y newly betrothed bride
should feel as restless, as dissatisfied, as
she did. She thought SO herself, and it
provoked her. Everything provoked her.
So sho pcttishly replied to her fathers
kindly banter:
81 don't feel like bcin. congratulated |
just now." Aud she abruptly rose to 60 +
to her room, without the customary good |
night kiss, and in decidedly disagrccablc |
humor, muttering to herself as she went g.: |
"Merry Christmas, indeed don't SEQ |
anything merry about it. Always the |
same thing over, year in and year out l |
think it's tiresome
Was it only the relaxation aftef the |
evenings excitement that SO depressed her |
spirits? Was it because her powers of en- |
ioymcnt and pleasure had become cloycd {;
because she had too much of all her heart |
could desire, that at length even these
things that should confer happiness palled |
upon her taste and disgusted her? What
ever it was, when she retired that night,
it was in decidedly unhappy frame of
mind, discoDtented, irritable, sick and |
tired OF everything. of herself most of all. |
But still the midnight bells kept pealing |
forth their Merry Christmas! lNerry |
Christmas to all
II.
"Fcace, good Will toward men," |
How swiftly flies the time! And yet |
what an age it seems to Maude Hcrrington |
3ncc last Christmas for SO much has |
since then! /;
But can that be Maude. the petted |
hciress, wading through the drifting snow |
in the very teeth Of the sharp, cold north
wind? !,
r. :, No,do IVorr;,,r1,,, xJ,,,ol> .L A.