Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-12-13
Under The Mistletoe.

For two weeks a gay party had been
cheating Old Time or themselves at
Mrs. Edwards hospitable country -bouse,
which had been thrown open by its
hostess for an old-fashioned winter joli-
fcation, which was to include the holi-
days.
All the guests were well known to
each other-all save one; but at the end
Of this first fortnight, both among men
and women, remarkable to tell, she
reigned prime favorite
'I'm just determined to have Nellie
Arden with us p Mrs Edwards had said
to her husband when they had been ar
ranging their list. ssIt's just shame
Buried down there in the country, she
sees no one, and she's pretty as picture
Uncle Reuben is so horrid and selfish
that expect | shall have to go through
regular siege to get her; but come she
shall-that Pm determined on-and I'll
take her up to town, too, for the winter,
if he'll let her stay SO long"
''All right, nay dear Clarence Ed
wards had replied, with considerable
faith in his wife's ability TO carry any
threats into execution faith in this in
stance well-founded, for by some means,
known only to herself Mrs. Edwards
had gained her point, and the first among
her guests to claim welcome was the
charming little cousin whom she had
beguiled from her country home.
Il quite depend upon you, Nellie, 2
she said, ITO help me in entertaining all
these people. Only don't make the
women too jealous. If you can escape
that, give you free permission to break
the hearts of all the men,
A bright blush had mounted to the
girls cheek as she listened to these words.
a strange embarrassment took possession
of her.
cousin Ada" she stammered, 81
think l ought to tell you that
But she got no further. Some one at
that moment interrupted, and the con
versation never was resumed until But
we anticipate.
Two weeks of the four had passed
What glad, merry time it had been!
They could hardly find time for sleep in
pleasures relentless pursuit
To Nellie Arden it was life she had
dreamed of, read OF, but in her widest
imaginations had not fancied could be
made reality to her.
She was supremely happy. The women
made of her a pet and plaything. The
men Well, somehow, all had. given
place to one. 1t was Jack Vernon who
always secured the after-dinner place by
her side-Jaek Vernon who rode or drove
with her-Jack Vernon whose step best
accorded with hers in the waltz-hand-
some Jack Vernon, the young officer,
home on furlough.
1t was the buttons, of course, the other
men declared; but they were very i'm
aginary buttons, for he wore no insignia
of his rank, though the straight form and
splendidly held shoulders marked him
every inch a soldier.
1t had all come to bea matter Of course
to Nellie; she had got on better with
Mr.. Vernon-that was all. That any pos
sible danger might lurk to either of them
she never dreamed.
1t was Christmas eve, and not until the
tswee sma' hours" were the good d-nights
said. There had been dancing and tab
leaux. In both, Nellie had distinguished
herself.
'1sn't it perfectsn she had breathiessly
exclaimed to her partner, ''Oh, dear,
wish 1t might last foreveri''
'fwhat might last forever, Miss Nell
lieGn he had answered, half.roguishlv.
half-seriously ''that you might dance
through life with my arm eneircling your
waist am quite willing, assure you,
But she had torn herself away at his
words with vivid blush, and ran hastily
up the stairs, her hostess calling after
her:
''Beware of the mistletoe, Nellie, to-
This warning fell unheeded on her
ears, for the words which had preceded
them still were ringing there.
Her own room gained at last, she
turned the key in the lock, and stood
pale and motionless, her two hands
clasped above her heart.
Why was it beating so wildly? At
Jack Vernon's foolish and doubtless al
ready forgotten wordsa or had they sud
denly brought before her something
which she had forgotten-something of
which tonight the memory burned itself
into heart and brain alike-something
before which she shrank, trembling and
afraid? Her face was little paler than
its wont next morning when she came
down the broad stairs into the seemingly
deserted hall.
Evidently she was as usual one Of the
early ones upon the scene; and breakfast
IN this house meant not formal gather
ing at q set hour, but gradual dropping
In of guests into the breakfast room, from