Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-12-24
Making Others Happy.

Lulu Ripley sat in the great oriel
window that faced the west, her cheek
leaning in her hand, and her great
dark eyes fixed, with unseeing lustre,
on the steel-blue surface of the froz-
Ell river, where the orange shine of
the sunset mirrored itself like pool
of gold, And as she sat, there came
tap at the door.
s'Come in' said Lulu, almost i'm
patiently, as if it were an annoyance
to her even. to be disturbed.
1t was Emma, the apple-cheeked
maid.
"Please, miss, said Emma, smooth
ing down her white frilled apron,
"Simon has just come from the woods
with wagon-load of mistletoes and
holly and princess-pine, miss, and he
says, where will you be pleased to
have it putt"
Nowhere, % retorted Miss Ripley.
81 want no meaningless decorations
about my house"
Emma started.
"But, miss, it's only one week from
to-day, and
II shall keep no Christmas this
year'' said Miss Ripley, sharply.
"Why should I?' It's only name
to me now y
And she dropped her head on her
hand once more, with great lump
rising in her throat, as she remem-
bered last Christmas, when Will
Graham was at her side, his strong,
loving arms about her, his tender
voice in her ears.
"We'll keep next Christmas just
in this merry, old-fashioned way,
God wiling" he had said.
And then he had gone away on
that long voyage, and his vessel had
been wrecked in sight of land, off the
cruel reefs Of.
The news had come when the first
snow-storm folded its wings of pearl
about the bleak landscape-and Lulu
Ripley had never held her head ur
since.
"Please, MISS" said little Emma
when she came in to light the cluster
of candles that stood in a silver stem
on the table, and heap fresh coal OIL
the fire of scarlet-glowing anthracite
"could l 60 home for Christmas day?'
"Nop' said Lulu, shortly, "yor
cannot. Why should be inconven
fenced for your silly revels?'
"If you please, miss, mother is t.
"No! l tell you, no! said Lulu
"And let that be sufficient"
Emma crept out, abashed and de
jected, and Miss Ripley felt a sort o
gloomy satisfaction in having quelleC
the girls fresh enthusiasm.
"Christmas - she repeated bitter
ly to herself. 81 have nothing t.
keep Christmas for? Heaven has hel(
back the drop of sweetness from m,
cup, and not all the Ginning of ever,
church bell in the land can make m
thankful -
AS the dusk deepened, and th
shadows began to darken mysterious
ly over the great echoing ruins of th
old court, Miss Ripley rose and bega
to pace up and down the corridors
wringing her hands and moaning
like restless ghost, until at last sh
paused in the very spot where Wi
Graham had stood, nearly year age
when he bade her farewell-a spo
where the reflection of the faint stal
light through the stained-glass case
ments threw a quivering crimson eros
on the waXed walnut floor.
''Oh, my love-my darling!'' sh
walled aloud, looking wildly up int
the serene heavens, "can you hea
me from the world of dreams an
shadows? Can you listen to the pulls
es of my breaking heart?''
And as she knelt there, all alon
with her great sorrow, she could hea
the servants talking in the room be
yond-t talking idly, as servants wi
talk"
"Put up plenty of berries over th
door, Simon," said Emma's chirpine
bird-like voice. eff Miss Luly don
want 'em, we'll have it look lik
Merry Christmas down here, see if W
| don't!'
''And don't she want not singl
thing?' Simon demanded. "Why
| we couldn't fasten up enough greer
) for her years back What's the res
son of her changin' of her mind?'
, II don't know" said little Emmi
making a great rustic among tt
e heaps of crisp evergreens. "Fine |;
dies does take such queer notion
: sometimes. Oh, Simon, I wish / W:
n as rich as Miss Lulu p
i "Wishes is cheap said Simo
: his voice proceeding from the heig
r of stepladder, and sounding cul
IL ously muffied, as if his mouth was fl
l. of nails. ssEver heard the old pro
p erb: If wishes were horses begga
N would ride?'"
s'Never mind your proverbs" l
torted Emma. ssThere you've g
ng that garland all crooked But / wi
dv / was rich all the same.'
IN, 'sWhat would you do with 20