Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-12-15

With 10Y bring IN the nOity pOuBui
With sory and feast and smiling brow.
Bachelor Brindle gives the half
burned log in the fireplace kick that
sends the red sparks flying, and wond-
ers where that bit of rhyme strung ON
half-forgotten fragment of melody,
comes from, and how it happens to
chant itself tc him SO persistently to-
night. 1t is a dismal night. Outside,
a high east wind shrieks and equea!s,
skirmishes around the corner and ech-
oes away dolefully in every stray cav
ernous retreat and nook. Within
bursts of tawney and scarlet flame
light up bachelor Brindle's favorlte
apartment, big, low-ceiled, and com
Portable. yet wearing the ar OF careless
disorder peculiar to bachelors apart
ments.
And bachelor Brindle, listening to
the winds bcisterous whistlings and
plaintive minor chords, becomes cross
grained, and even misanthropical.
"Song and feast" he mutters grumb-
". "hollv, etc! Humph. Cannon!
Where's any holly, and who'd go drag
Cling around i'll this slusn and sieet TO
bring it in? What's set me to thinking
Of"
christmas eve" chants the tea-kettle
swinging briskly over the blaze:
"Crickey" is bachelor Brlndle's rep
rehensve exclamation, so 1t Is. l ike
to have forgot it, 80,
AS if sprinkled with some subtitle,
magic powder, the freight, tilckering,
quivering, dancing, suddenly lights
path across the floor, through the cot
tagc walls beyond the murk and mist,
far into the past, where IL CHEEKY
Christmas fire is burning; there are
busy hands and hurrying feet and mer-
nv voices; there is an Intoxicating tia-
vor Of holiday cheer; there Is song and
gIadnets; there are bright eyed cous-
ms, troops of relatives and friends, and
radient among all, n romping blac X
eyed girl with turned up nose, who
wore scarlet jacket.
"And had temper enough for two"
grunts bachelor Brindle. There ID
dim spot in the jpnth Of light. "Half
your fault" sings the tea-kettle cheer
fully. "More than half" snorts She
wind belIigerently, coming down the
chimney IL puilto back the tea-kettle.
"Twas, twas, twas"
A momcntary lulling of the aggres-
sive wind, and soft sputtering III the
red Goals brings bachelor Brindle's mind
back to his present lot.
"iSncw," he mutters with shudder.
Cline was when the idea brought only
foolish bright visions of sleigh-rides with
her. of frolics and fun, and--oh, what's
the use2 They're all gone, she among
the rest, and / fotlon old soul with
no one so much ~ to cook 4 Christmas
dinner for me-uuless | could coax
Aunt Nancy over. Crlstmas evcl bless
us. What an old wretch | was to forget
it,"
Bachelor Bfindle gives the fore stick
II disCDntcnted poke, and turns to light
the tall limp on the shelf, then brings
forth his old-Gashioncd brown Bible,
and once more follows the sweet story
of the beautiful Babe and the first
Christmas morning, while without, the
wind tosses and whirls it's ileecy white
burden about at its own erratic viii
"Ughl what depressingly un-Christ
mas evening, Christmas eve"
Nab Lacy caught her breath, and
clutchcd her veil with both hands, as
the rampant gale charged with mill
ions ofsloety needles swooped around
II corner ard nearly blew her of the
steps of tho grim, tall, narrow-chested
house with its gray green shutters, the
bit of white paper tackled against the
door bearing the faded notice Furnish
ed Rooms for Kent, revealing Its nat
ure and characteristics.
'tShn ltDr IL oh plinr Snrn "a MONT AZ
this, if it il the waste of the desert
gloom of Malonc's establishment with
it's mackeralsccnted halls and roachy
corners shc continued, piunglng
into the shadows o! the long, DIM hail,
and feeling IN the dark Tor her door
knop: WIN I'LL ~ 'aul'S ~ Is ', w,,
"l refuge lrom-Mercy; tesEy " n".
are you tumnllhg my lu urn to "pou I
ana stopping up my Oh, Cl"'h ioi! ~, Anu
whose IA thus Ing barn OF trunk
Inc stout ma1-ol'@i,work, on her
knees 10y the desolale iittie ooH-StoVe,
arose wltna red flannel noor-cloth IN
hand, ana bar OF yellow soap IN inc
"'her, eyeu MAO q, uUuui'y, urea 10
scratch her eye with her elbow, ana
iaiIlng' gazing her oF"om-'lNe heau
random rub with the soap, aud an
swsred -
New teller comm tomorrow; and
Miss Malone sayed rs now you hadn't
yaid your rent tbs week. an BEN gen
uemen preferred cause they don't
muss things up aconkln III their rooms,
an not want'n to lose shore pawn
roomer, an'-an'-
"But, Peggy, to-morrow's Christ
mas Nab sat down ON the strange
trunk, clasping her damp, gloved
hands III helpless hewlldcrment.
That's what know" said Peggy,
rubbing her ear with the soap, "but
Miss Malone abe says how the rent
amt paid an"
"Rnt was going to nav il nsxt week
a,d would have last week If hadn't
hnn, sicL anA NOT able 10 wnrl as 7
tnld her"
"That'sso Rut ~eckon the amt no
use in rais;n, a fnss y said Pr,gv mil
osnnhirali, he's done maid her a
months rent and she's urk il She
s,id ANYWAY She reckoned von were
more If \ iady'p to wan 10 stav wher'
You weren't wanted But no wont
come till mornin' Won can say to-
pi,bf &"