St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-25

Janet cares for very few things" said
Carrie colnplacently "She Is so cold-so
difficult to please"
''She was neither cold nor difficult to
please formerly" said Kirby.
''Ah me. all change. with timew said Car
rie, land Janet realizes her own i'm
p0rtance better now than formerly"
II scarcely think" Kirby began. and
then slapped. After all, it might be so.
He did not know much of Janet; he felt
often sorely puzzled by her. What had be-
come Of the frank. simple, charming girl of
year or two earlier? 1t was an altogether
different person who met him now with
reserve which put him back into the region
of mere acquaintanceship. and who GER
tainly did seem both cold and difficult to
please. Sometimes-tO-night. for instance
he said to himself that he would cease
making any attempt to please her. Here
was a beautiful face that met him with
ready smiles. hand that responded to his
grasp. voice that was always cordial.
What more could a man ask? He would
forget this girl who had once charmed and
now repealed him.
After dinner there was dance In the
large hail. which had been deliberately dec
GRATED with evergreens. Cedar and holly,
ivy and box were mingled in the great
wreaths that hung in heavy festO0ns on the
walls and garlanded the pictures. But Kirby,
who was dancing with Carrie, suddenly
looked up and said. Your decorations are
incOmplete-yOu have no mistletoe."
Not yet" she answered. but the boys
are going out into the woods to make a
search for some tomorrow. 1t has become
nard to find. believe"
81 shall go with them" he said. 81 am
pretty certain that | know where some is to
be found. And used to be very fond Of
gathering it for Christmas. The search
will make me feel like a boy again myself"
why should we not all go?" said Car
rie. 1T will be an appropriate amusement
raising her voice so as to address the com.
pany. Shall we not all go out Tomorrow
to search for the mistletoe which is at pres
ent wanting in our decorations and which
must have place in them?"
There was all immediate assent from
most of the company-fOr when people are
in country house with nothing in particu-
lar to do. almost any form of diversion is
welcome to them. Only Mr.. Dulany re-
marked that while he was willing to 90 in
search of the miStletoe. he must decline the
task of gathering it For unless my recol-
lection is at fault" he said lit is found
only on high trees, and my tree climbing
days are over"
1.-The boys will do the climbing" said
Carrie. ''We shall demand of you no ex-
ertion more arduous than that of using your
eyes,"
My eyes are entirely at your service. :"
said he. with look which emphasized the
words.
Gathering mistletoe sounds very poeticaI
and Christmas-like. said Que young lady.
Il hope the weather will be good ton
row."
The weather next morning proved to be
much what was to be expected at the time
OF year-a gray sky from which it looked
as if snow-t1akes might at any moment be-
gin to float softly down. and raw. cold at
mosphere. But nothing daunted. after
breakfast the party proceeded to wrap
themselves up and set forth-a pretty. pic
turesque procession as they passed across
tire thrown into relief by the brown earth
and gray sky, with dogs bounding around
them, and boys almost as full of spirits as
the dogs, leading the way.
Janet. at all times the chosen friend and
comrade of these boys, was with them now;
her trim. delicate figure showing to great
advantage in her walking dress, her face
fresh as a rose under the feathered toque
Which she wore, and her light, elastic step
proving her delight in the physical exercise.
Arthur Kirby watched her with pang in
his heart. Let him make what resolutions
he would. she seemed to him infinitely more
attractive than her beautiful step-sister who
walked by his side and gave him now and
then melting glance from her large dark
eyes. These glances were intended to keep
him in good hulnur while she bestowed the
most of her attention on Dulany, who also
attended her; but. if she had only known
it. Kiroys thou gifts were SO incessantly
wandering that he scarcely heard word of
her gay chatter.
He was thinking of another Christmas,
two years before. when he and Janet and
the boys had gone out like this in search of
mistletoe. There was no gay party with
them then-but they We're gay enough not
to need or desire any additions. How
friendly and delightful Janet had been. and
how contidentially they had talked as they
wandered through the leafess woodlands
under just such a sky as this! 1t all came
back to him with singular vividness and he
wondered afresh how and why the change
had occurred which had put them so far
apart He remembered that not long after
that Christmas, Carrie had for the first
time come to live in her fathers house, on
the death of the aunt who had brought her
up. He admired her, of courSe-who
could fail to do that?-and she, being prac-
ticed in demanding attention, he
was drawn, he scarcely knew how, into
close association with her, while slowly but
surely Janet drew away into fortress of
reserve which he was never able to pene-
trate. He went over the whole thing-and
with masculine obtuseness failed to under
stand it now as he had failed to understand
it while it was going on. But he said to
himself. wistfully, that he liked old friends
best. and he wished he was not so sure of
being made to feel himself unwelcome if he
went, as of old, to join Janet and the
boys.
When they fairly entered the woods there
was tendency of the party to separate
most of its members preferring to keep to
the beaten path, while the boys and dogs
dashed at once into the thickest of the close
growth surrounding them. Kirby followed
their lead. but Jauet-who did not usually
mind underground or dead limbs or fallen
Ieaves-drew back and joined the more un-
adventurous party in the road.
You are quite right Miss Holiness" said
Dulany, whom she speedily found by her
side. There is no good in losing ones
self in jungle. and there is as much chance
of finding mistletoe along here as in there"
ION the contrary. there is not the least
chance of finding it here" said Janet;
''but the boys can search without our aid"
ITO give boy something to exercise his
superfiuous energy upon is to play the part
of his benefactor," said Dulany. MY con-
sciencejs entirely at rest, therefore, and
can enjoy the walk without any draw
back
us there anything to enjoy?" asked
Janet. a little perversely. Il confess do
not see anything particularly charming"
'.YOu have not the pleasure of seeing