Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-02-14
JOSEPH'S CHRISTMAS.

: 1t was very strange, thought old Jos.
eph Golding, that he couldn't be master
bf his own mind. He had lived great
many years, and neither remorse nor
memory had ever been in the habit of
disturbing him; but now it seemed to
him as If the very foundations of his
life were breaking up. lie was well
through with his days work-he had
dined comfortably sat in an easy
chair in a luxurious drawing room
whose crimson hangings shut out the
still cold of the December afternoon
he had nothing to do but to enjoy him.
self. Mr. Golding liked to enjoy him.
self at this season a. much as others did.
for it was Christmas Eve. What though
he was in the habit of spending it -oli.
tarily ?-he liked solitude.
For many year on Christmas Eve he
had sat balancing in his mind the great
accounts presented in his ledger, the nc.
Rumulating Golfers at his bankers, the
strokes of business he would make in
5hture. Not so now. The year was
drawing to a close some intruding voice
kept whispering that in like manner so
was his career. lie could not put it
from him, try as he would. The voice
reminded him of a coming time when
bis ffr - ,rnrl, ,-,,,Il l., III H.. -
as his days work was done now-when
he would be ready to sit down in the
evening and look over the balance.sheet
Of his deeds, good and evil Curiously
the old days came trooping in slow pro
cession before him. And he had been
able to forget them for sovery long,
His dead wife. He had not loved her
much when she vas with him, but how
vivid was his memory of her now He
icould see her moving round the house,
snoiseless rs a shadow, never intruding
~ him after he bad once or twice re.
.ulsed her gruifly, but going on her
own meek, still ways, with her face
growing whittier every day. He began to
understand, as he looked back. why her
strength had failed and she had been
ready, when her baby came, to float out
on the tide and let it drift her into
Gods haven. She had had enough to
eat and drink, but he saw now that he
had left her heart to starve. Heavens,
what hard man he had been lie
seemed to see her white, still face. as he
looked at it the last time. with the dumb
reproioh frozen on il; the eyes that
would never plead vainly any more.
closed for ever.
He recalled how passionately the
three daysold baby had cried in another
room just at that moment, moving all
the people gathered together FOR the
funeral with thrill Of pity for the poor
little motherless morsel. She pas pas.
sionate, willful baby, all through her
Eby-hood; he remembered that. She
1anted--missed without knowing what
nc lack was-the love and sustcnance
which her mother would have given her
and protested against fate with all the
might Of her infant lungs. But as soon
as she grew old enough to understand
how useless it was, she had grown quiet
too; just like her mother. lie recalled
her all through her girlhood, a shy. still
girl, always obedient and submissive.
but never drawing very near him. WHY
Because he would have repulsed her a.
he repulsed her mother. lie could sec
it now. Il was very strange these facts
should come back to him to-day, and
their naked truth with them. lie had
been a cold, hard, ungenial man. with.
out ympathy for any one human being
absorbed utterly 10 the pursuit ofmoney.
making. And so the child, Amy, had
@rown up without him.
But suddenly, when she was eighteen.
the old, passionate spirit that had made
her cry 50 when baby must have awak.
ened again, he thought; for she fell in
love then, and wished TO marry. To
larry in defiance Of his wishes. lie re.
Inembered her standing proudly bescre
IN after one Of their quarrels, where
= bad been harsh and bitter and abus