The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-01-02
FIRESIDE "REMINISCENCES.

"'T'was the night before Chri
mas" ann in the busy mining can
Of Cedar Gulch. in n of our We:
ern Territories, there was an uncO
sc.ou. air of Christmas cheer al
Christmas sparkle in the very atmt
phere.
The ground was covered with
pure, white m ln,le Of snow. mo
befitting the OCCASION. and the fro:
Ell tAixs Df the ctdars down q
Gnich sparkled in the moou-l'g'
The air was Intoxicating in ts fires
ness, the m re 70 a. the last fe
clOudless hour. appreciated. .
ter days ut ciund- and scud- of snO,
wntch had III ! .st cleared away in
Lr IN .nJrus fpi, Of snow. n quiet
It's d -srent a. vuiv 81 fl k-. n b
The grea, sMeirer furnaces glove
red with fire, and the huge stack
sent forth volumes of black smOk
against the whit. ned hill benin
them. Hardened men were nece az:
rily busy at the never ceasing work
but all who could get excused WEI
ut their homes, or, sad to say, pre-
pairing t. III Ike devils Of themselve
In some den Of u saloon.
Up and down the Gulch, an
perched ON the hiIlsides We're tn
homes Of The smelter men-Of tn
superintendent and general manage
of the banker. and Of the two o
three wealthy merchants.
Ernvn oVyurxy hnpoo xuh0fh0r rid,
cabin, neat cottage, or pretending
villa, there streamOd forth q Cheerful
light. aud in some Of the best houses
on the mill there were sounds o
mirth, and the parted curtains re.
vealed pictures Of comfort and lux
ury. :.
The home of superintendent Leigh
stood at the head OF q turn in the
rood winding up the hill, and to all
passers bv that night it was a pleas
ant sight. The house was q long,
white building with q wing and
porch at each side Of the main part.
Every room vas lighted. and the
blos,oming plants in the large bay
window made q summer for the men
as they passed on their way to and
from their work.
On this Christmas eve the house
was gay with company. Mrs. Leigh's
father and mother from Virginia had
arrived the week before, tn stay .
month or 80; accompanied by a
granddaughter, q charming South
ern girl of fifteen. She and her cous-
ms, Ethel and Stella Leigh, kept the
house lively. but they were assisted
this evening by half a dozen or more
young people, who joined the Leighs
in q Christmas tree. Mr.. Leigh and
Ethel with grandpa and grandma e.
liOt, were In the double parlOrs ar
ranging the tree, while Mrs. Leigh,
Stella, and her younger brother, Irv-
ing, were left to entertain the COM
pany in the large family sittingrocm.
A base burner in the dining. room
warmed this apartment, But Mir.
Leigh insisted on an open CRATE, and
the glowing Goals made a cosy spot
for twilight talks.
The young folks had sung and
talked and played games, and at last,
having exhausted their stock of re-
sources, Clarabel Vernon cried:
"Let's ask aunty::Nell for a story.
Ses. she sits meditating there by the
CRATE, and know she is in just the
mood. Will you, aunty?" she con-
TUNED, throwing herself on a hassock
at Mrs. Leigh's feet I'VE must be
amused until they open those big
doors there!"
Mrs. Leigh smiled, and passed her
hands care.singly over Clarabel's
wavy locks, ~ she said:
L don't know as l am in a story
mood at all. I Was
this season recalls memo
ries half sad and half glad"
"Oh. aunty!" interrupted the ire
pressible girl. "Tell us how you hap
pened to come away out West here.
It's sort of romantic, isn't it?"
Mrs. Leigh involuntariIy glanced
1t Stella, who answered the mute in |
JURY with a look of confidence, and
.larabel exclaimed:
"Shall we have the story, aunty?"
An unconscious sigh escaped Mrs.
and she said a little nervously;
Eyes, l am in a mood for reminis-
ence, and as all these young people
ire dear friends, l can tell them the
tory of nav life and be sure of genu-
ne sympathy"
She was treasured by Clarabel's
Yes, indeed, aunty." and the affec-
glances bestowed Oh her. as
hey all grouped around her and the
'ozy fire.
''Turn down the lights for real
said romantic Clarabel, and
'tslla complied with her request.
But after all were seated and quiet
Y waiting, Mrs. Leigh hesitated, and
eemed lost in thought. No one cared
0 break her ~reverie, and finally she
bserved the respectful silence and
'egan her story.
"CIarabel and Stella know that my
irlhOod was passed in the "Sunny
My father owned a large
agar plantation in Louisiana, and a
ity residence in New Orleans, and,
ntil I was thirteen years old, we
asked in that semi-tropical land,
lrrounded by every luxury and re-
netnent that taste could suggest,
nd money procure; It was a drea-
~, poetical. romantic, life-even
he black slaves whe relieved us of
IL toll, were a picturesque addition.
Christmas in the "Sunny South" is
cry different from this season in
.ese snowy mountains, but I could
OF make yon realize the beauty and
endure that, even in winter, sur
'unded our homes, nor would you
Understand the pleasure we took in
10 merry making of the simple peo-
lie.
But that all passed.
With the firing on Sumpter came
terrible change!
1 was too young to realize the eau
that led to the war, but 1 appre-
ated what followed.
I was an only child, and an idol
18th my parents, and when my father
.ctded to accept q commission, and
tier active service in the confeder-
e army, his first thought was to
'ovide a safe retreat for my mother
I'd myself.
He would have left us In our city
not fearing trouble, but he
as anxious for our health and final
proposed to send US to a plantation
Virginia, which belonged to nv 8
Tt WAS near q smaIl vi1lowo l