Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-12-23

did not expect any company fO1
Christmas, yet could not allow the day
to pass without some slight observ-
ance, such as decking;>s so my servant
and myself had decked the rooms with
evergreens, and were busily engaged
making mince pies, crullers, and othe
lndigestible delicacies, when little Ben
Skater rushed into the kitchen ex-
claiming:
''Miss Bronson, bin down to post
office for pap, and Miss Lippincott give
me this letter for you cause she thort
it might be from some of yer folks
who're commin'. to Christmas with
vel" He threw the letter across the
table and ran out again in the same
breathless way.
3 1t was from my sister, Mrs. Elwood,
who wrote to inform me that her
SCI, her daughter Lucy, and Mr.. May
hew, the gentleman to whom Lucy
was engaged. would spend Christmas
with me. / had not seen my niece
since she had grown to womanhood,
and Mr.. Mayhem was an entire stran-
ger, consequently after reading the let
ter was thrown into a furry OF ex-
citentent at this threatened invasion
OF nly quiet home.
MARY" said, addressing my serv-
ant, 3'three visitors are coming to
spend Christmas with u.s."
"Yes'm," was the laconic answer.
81 really believe if [ should announce
the expected arrival of Queen Victoria
you would answer yes'm in the same
Indifferent tone," | observed in a
slightly irritated voice, for her cool re-
ception of the. to me, exciting news
annoyed me. Her face flushed for a
moment, but she made no further
comments.
Mary was a comely-looking young
woman, with large, soft brown eyes
and an abundance of brown hair
slightly tinged with red She was re-
markedly neat in appearance, reserved
and ladylike in manner. She had been
with me nearly three years, and during
that period [ had never seen even the
shadow of smile on her face; yet
she was byno means sullen-only very
sad When she first came to live with
arns her melancholy demeanor had a.
most depressing effect upon my spirits.
Her predecessor had been rollicking
Irish girl, who made the whole house
ring with her merry laughter; there
fore I found it to difficult to accustom
myself to Mary's sad ways.
Once ] spoke to her about her de-
iected air, telling her she should always
try to look at the bright side of life.
suppressed sobs:
f'IIife has no bright side for me, Miss
Bronson. All the brightness died out
of it years ago"
ffYou are too young to be SO utterly
bopeless. Life should hold many at
fractions for you still.
She shook her head sadly.
'sI am twenty-six, but SO much
numbing, heart-breaking sorrow has
been crowded into the past few years
that it seems as if | had lived a whole
century. Before that | was, oh, sc
happy-so happy" She uttered the
words in wailing sort OF way, and
raised her eyes heavenward as If ap
pealing for aid to endure her burden o.
sorrow, then clasping her hands con
vulsively over her forehead, she stood
for moment like 81 marble image o
despair. "Oh. God, help me to bear il
patiently" she sobbed, and hurryint
out into the garden she walked for al
hour or more up and down che gray
eled path.
When ehe returned to the house be-
violent agitation had subsidized anC
her face assumed it's expression Of in
tense sadness. Her strange actions
terrified me, and ever after [ carefully
avoided referring to thegrief which ha(
overshadowed her life. Certain days
In the year she would appear more de
jected than usual. These days, I sooi
learned, were anniversaries of SOM
dead Joy or overwhelming affection
4 finally grew accustomed to her pecu'