The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-12-21

grumbly, holy etc. fumph. Gam
mon! Where's any holly. and who'd
90 dragging round in this slush and
sleet to bring it IMP What's set me to
thinking Of"
Christmas Eve" chants the tea
kettle, swinging briskly over the blaze.
"Crickyh is Bachelor Brindle's rep
rehensible exclamation, so it is. l
ike to have forgot it.
AS if sprinkled with some subtle,
magic powder, the freight pickering,
quivering, dancing, suddenly lights q
path across the floor. through the cot
tage walls, beyond the murk and mist,
far into the past, where q CHEEKY Christ
mas fire Is burning; there are busy
hands and hurrying feet and merry
voices; there is an Intoxicating flavor
Of holiday cheer; there is song and
gladness; there are bright-eyed cousins,
troops of relatives and friends, and ra-
diant among all, romping, black-eyed
girl with turned up nose, who wore
a scarlet jacket.
And had temper enough for two"
grunts Bachelor Brindle. There is a
dim spot in the path of light. Half
your fault sings the tea-kettle, cheer
fully. more than half" snorts the
wind, beiIigerently, coming in a puff
down the chimney to back the tea-ket-
tie. Twas, twas, twas"
A momentary luIling of the aggres-
sive wind, and soft suffering in the
red Goals brings Bachelor Brindle's
mind back to his present lot.
''SnOw," he mutters, with a shudder.
'Time was when the idea brought only
foolishly bright visions of sleigh rides
with her, of frolics and fun, and-Oh.
what the use2 They're all gone. she
among the rest, AMI Pm forlOrn old
soul with no one to s. much rs cook a
Christmas dinner for me-Unless | could
coax Aunt Nancy over. Christmas Eve!
bless us. What an old wretch l was to
for ct it. -
Bachelor Brindle gives the fore-stick
a disconnected poke, and turns to light
the tall lamp on the shelf, then brings
forth his old-fashoned brown Bible, and
once more follows the sweet story of
the beautiful Babe and the first Christ
mas morning, while without the wind
losses and whirls itS-1cecy white burden
alb ut at its own erratic will
Ughl what a depressingIy IN
Christmas evening, Christmas Lven'
Nab Lacy caught her breath, and
clutched at her veil with both hands, as
the rampant gale charged with millions
of sleetY needles swOOped around q
corner and nearly blew her off the steps
of the grim, tall, narrOw-chested house
with its gray-green shutters, the bit Of
white paper tackled against its door bear
ING the faded notice - Furnished Rooms
for Rent" revealing its nature and
characteristics.
"Shelter is shelter, such a night as
this ii it is the waste and desert gloom
of MalOnc's establishment, with its
mackeral-scented halls and rOachy
corners, - she continued, plunging into
the shadows of the long, dim hall and
feeling in the dark for her door-knob;
"with all its faults it is q haven of
refuge frOm-Mercy, Peggy! What are
YOU tUmbling my furniture about and
stopping up my Oil-cloth for? And
whose is this big barn of Il trunk?''
The stout maid-Of-alI-wOrk, on her
knees by the desOlate little bOx-stOye,
arose with n red flannel HoOr-cloth in
one hand, and bar of yellow soap in
the other. eyed Nab doubtfulIy, tried
to scratch her eye with her elbow, and
failing, gave her brOom-like head a
random rub with the soap, and an
swered:
"New teller comm tomorrow; and
Miss Malone sayed as how you hadn
paid yer rent this week, an bein' gen
tlemen Preferred cause they don
muss thing up coOkin' in their rooms,
an not wantin' to lose a shure payin'
rOomer, an'-an'-.'
But, Peggy, tO-mOrrOw's Christ
masn' Nab sat down on the strange
trunk, clasping her damp, gloved hands
in helpless bewilderment.
THAT'S what l know" said Peggy,
ia no
Miss Malone She says how the rent ain
paid an --'
But l was going to pay itnext week,
and would have last week if | hadn' t
been sick and not able to work, as
told her"
That's so. But l reckon the ain t
no u in rasin' a fuss said Peggy,
philOsOp ''he's done paid her a
month rent. and she's tuck it. She
saved, anyhow, she reckoned YOU was
more of a lady'n to want to stay wher'
you weren't wanted. But he won t
come till mOrnin', you can stay to-
night"
''But what am l going to do then?''
"ROOm-rentin' agency down yander "
said Peggy, indicating the direction by
hirt OF the tloor-cloth.
Nab opened her fiat little pocket book
anu SllOOh It's toliCHlS lulO uGE zap
''Pegry.'' said she. chow many rooms
could rent for dollar and half?''
Dunno" answered Peggy, with easy
vaguencss as She picked up her bucket
of suds and departed.
Nor care" added Nab to herself,
leaning her head against the cold, white
wall of her little be i-ro m, neither
/ does any one else in the world. flow
! different from the old Christmas Ewes in
/ the country, when royal fires roared on
| every hearth, and everybody was kin to
/ everybody else, before so many Of them
/ died, or left the dear, peaceful stupid
! old Hollow-and l among them.
/ And now there is scarcely one left who
/ would know me-Oniy Aunt Nancy Daw-
/ son who would have been my aunt really
/ now. If Ben and I could have kept our
! tempers till the wedding day. All, well,
! RI has forgotten me, but Aunt Nancy
might bs glad to see me, and-yes. a
/ dollar and n half will take me to the
I Hollow. I'll 90. The room is mine to-
night, and sufficient unto the day is the
/ evil thereof. l will trust in the Father
/ of the fathorless, who leads us on by
paths we know not OF"
"Aunt Nancv-Auut Na-an-cvr'
! Dear sakes, don't shrek a body all
in pieces, you Ben Brindle; what you
{ after?'
/ The door of the little deep-eved kitch-
en- flew open, letting out scent of
/ boiling coffee into the clear December
I air; blue lmsy skirt cleared the open
i passage-way, aud Aunt Nancy Dawson
/ popped into the sitting-room, armed
! with a broom which she at once pro-
/ cecdcd to devote to the obliteratiun OF
the string of powdery tracks left by her
nephew across the striped rag carpet,
4 &c Knowed there q be tracks wherever
/ Their was a man, observed the little
woman, whisking away briskly, "what