Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-12-12
AFTER TWENTY YEARS.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.


known as Miss Bridget" that her
friends and neighbors would have scout
ed the idea of her ever being called by
any other name. There had been, to be
sure, vague rumors of an early fondness
on her part for some curly headed youth;
but whether that fondness had been re-
clprocated or not was question only set
at rest by the general opinion that no
one could ever know Miss Bridget with
out loving her; so it was generously con-
ceded that the curly-headed youth had
gone to sea, and been shipwrecked and
drowned, and that Miss Bridget had
worn the willow" ever since, and would
always continue to do so, for his sweet
sake.
The only reason for this sad and catas-
tropical supposition rested in the known
possession, by Miss Bridget, of minia-
ture representing young man having
large blue eyes and curling light hair,
and clad in blue jacket; yet on this
slender hypothesis was erected COM
plete seafaring romance, which the
younger of Miss Bridget's friends de-
lighted in rehearsing for her edification
whenever they felt in a peculiarly tan
talizing humor-delighted chiefly be-
cause of the perfectly charming blush
the story brought to Miss Bridget's
cheeks and the marvelously tender
smile with which it softened the rather
sad lines of her mouth.
Miss Bridget lived in large old stone
house in street which had once been in
the suburbs of the great city, and where
residences had been sparsely scattered
about and were of q more substantial
character than those usually erected.
But the great city in its progress had
caught up with this street, lined it with
blocks of faring red brick houses, and
rushed onward, far out into the country.
Miss Bridget could have disposed of
her property at very high figure if she
had been so inclined but she did not,
and no inducements could change her
opinions on this question; so she con-
tlnucd to live there, isolated, though in
the midst of aconstantly changing crowd
of inhabitants, and her dwelling stood
out from among its modern neighpors-
among them, but not of them.
1t was stately, solid, square-b built man.
sion, with home-like and comforting
look, not shared with any of chose
Others"
1t stood in the center of several lots of
ground, was possessed of lawn and fine
old shade trees in front, and flower and
fruit garden behind, and was shut in
from the outside world, and all noise
and confusion, by high stone-wall and
strong oaken gate, studded with big
iron nailheads.
From the polished iron mastiffs that
guarded the portal, to the brass knobs
and the brass knocker of the front door,
all was shiny and in order. The interior
OF the house was marvel of neatness
and comfort. The massive furniture,
darkened by age and daily friction,
though questionable and out of date,
was stately and comfortable.
The bright camel coal fire IN the sit
ting-room, that flashed in the large open
CRATE as soon as the brown leaves in the
garden began to fall, was a charm in it.
self.
The polished brass fire dogs and fen
ders-more for ornament than use-re-
minded one of the stability and security
of olden times. And when Miss Bridget
could be seen sitting in front of the fire
at dusk, with some of her young friends
about her, the scene of home comfort
and quietude was complete
Miss Bridget's household was orderly
through system which had been fol-
lowed for forty years-in fact, ever since
she was a baby, and a beautiful young
mother and strong, manly father sat in
the room she now occupied.
The same highly respectable butler
white-h haired and time-worn waited at
table; the same fat and equally respect
able housekeeper managed her domestic
concerns who had managed them for her
mother before her. The life in the
stone house was, in fact, one of the last
relics CT the life of half century before,
when it was a hope and joy to have
lived at all, instead of disease and in.
sanity as it is nowadays.
Miss Bridget rmed in truth, con.
Meeting link between the old and the
new. Her recollettions were of the past
and of the old-but rather by tradition
than by actual experience, for she was
only forty-while her associations seemed
ever with the young,
With old people she did not assimi
late; and almost daily she would be
found surrounded by young, charming,
and gaudy butterflies of the
fashionable worldwide sought in Miss
Brldget's society nameless charm which
seemed to soothe the feverish excitement
under which they lived, and to remind
them of an existence more beautiful il
less brilliant, and tender and sweet in it,
every element of orderly repose and re-
fnement. Miss Bridget was possessed
of competence, and of competent ser
wants, honest withal, to dispense it
therefore her domestic avocations were
few.
Many of her friends wondered how
she occupied her time, since she wa
never seen with crochet or Berlin wool il
her hands. True, she read much, ant
of the newest; and her music was some
thing to be remembered, as of the utter
ance OF an harmonious soul through sym
pathetic fingers. Still, the greater por
ton of her time was unaccounted for t.
the curious.
Meanwhile there was wretchedness anG
sorrow and starvation in the by ways o.
the great city that recognized in her ar
angel of mercy and aconstant savior from
the worst of evils.
There were poor, down trodden crea
ures who could have told how many o.
Miss Bridgets hours were dispensed.
But she held conversation between he
right and her left hand on such topics tt
be vanity and unworthy, and there
fore these acts of hers passed in the di
vine record unknown Of men.