The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-12-25
Miscel laueuus.
Written for the A9giS and IateHi9eRcer.
TWO CHRISTMAS EYES.
BY HAROLD sCARBORo.

AS our story is to be Christmas story it
should properly commence on Christmas
eve but, as the year and locality in which
| the following events occurred are not essen
| tial 10 the interest of the narrative, they will
be suppressed, and it shall suffice to say that
the town which here appears under the
name of Westmore, is situated in our own
beloved State of Maryland, and that our hero,
| if indeed he be hero, has arrived at man.
| hood "since the war"
According to all tradition the Ice King is
chairman of the committee on Christmas
weather, and generally gives us some fine
specimens of his handiwork but on the par
| ticular Christmas we have to deal with he
must have been indisposed, for it was soft
Christmas. Instead of whirling snow, the
leaden clouds sent down drizzling mist, and
at every STEP instead of making noiseless
| footballs in beautiful white carpet, the
weary pedestrian splashed along in a dreary
sea of mud.
AS Kenneth Langdon traversed in this
manner the mile or more that lay between
his home in Westmore and the handsome
residence OF Col. Minturn, his thoughts were
almost as gloomy rs the weather; and only
the hope of Il warm welcome at the Colones
kept him from being completely disheartened.
For the Colonels welcome he cared but lit
Tie, DuI ulDClb SOl. mlnluTn WAS grizzly anu
rough, his daughter Bessie was the sweetest
and prettiest girl in the whole country
round, and Kenneth from past experience
felt sure of welcoming smile from her and
helping word to lift him out of his trou-
bles for he had troubles, as we all have, but
perhaps he was justified in thinking that his
lot was worse than that of most men, and
that Providence had deserted him. We shall
see.
Until within the last TWO years Kenneth
had been happy enough. His mother had
been dead many years, but he and his father
lived together on the best of terms with each
other, and as his tather-Stephen Langdon-
had very comfortable income and no other
children, he was able to give Kenneth the
full benefit of all the educational and social
advantages which the present day affords.
Although Stephen Langdon was, for his
neighborhood, a wealthy man, his estate in
Westmore was only the modest house and
grounds in which they lived. The bulk of
his property consisted of mineral lands in
Pennsylvania, which were leased to the Key
stone Steel Company, and yielded him the
income spoken of. But about two years be-
fore our story opens the lease had expired
and upon the Company making him liber-
al offer for the fee he determined to sell it,
and journeyed to Pittsburg for that purpose
AS he had nothing to do but sign the deed
and receive his money, he expected to return
in three days, but Kenneth on going to the
station to meet him was Mortified to find, in
stead of his father, telegram informing him
that Stephen Langdon had fallen dead in a
Pittsburg hotel the night before
For several weeks Kenneth was bowed
with grief, and paid little heed to business
but when, with the assistance of Squire
Urmston, his fathers lawyer and trusted
friend he proceeded to settle his fathers es-
tate and collect the purchase money which
his father had gone to receive, they were as
| tonished at being informed by the company
that it had already been paid,
Here was more trouble. No money had
been found upon his father except the balance
of that which he had taken with him for
travelling expenses. The entries in the books
of the Steel Company showed the transaction
and the payment of the money, and inquiry
at the bank where the company did business
elicited the information that the money had
been drawn the same evening Stephen Lang
don died, but it Ind been drawn by the sec.
| rotary of the company, who had since resign.
ed and left tor parts unknown, and all efforts
| to find trace of him failed
Kenneth and his lawyer consulted togeth-
er and concluded that the only course left
was to enter suit, on the ground that Stephen
Langdon had never received the money, the
company being unable TO show any receipt.
But law is costly commodity, and Ken.
meth was compelled to mortgage his home
for nearly all it was worth to procure funds
to carry on the suit. The company, follow
ing the usual policy of rich corporations, de-
layed the suit from term to term, until short.
ly before the time when our story opens. 1t
was then finally brought to trial and the
lnl hat
having been regularly kept, were sufficient
evidence of the payment of the money, and
therefore rendered decision for the defen-
dant.
During the two years that had elapsed
since the death of his father Kenneth had
frequently sought relief from his loneliness
in the charming society of beautiful Bessie
Minturn, and while under the enchantment
of her bewildering eyes and listening to the
music of her merry laugh, he had for the
time forgot his troubles and now when the
climax Of adversely seemed reached, he i'll
| stinctively sought the power of the enchant-
ress to brighten his desert path.
AS he walked up the drive toward the
house the hall door opened and Col. Minlurn
| came out, apparently equipped for walk.
Kenneth saluted him and would have passed
on, but the Colonel stopped him and alter
| moments trivial conversation said:
Kenneth, | have something very disa.
greeable to say TO you-as disagreeable to
me as it can be to you-but as it must be
said, the sooner it is done the better, ell ~
Kenneth assented, wondering what next
well the long and short of it is this. 1t
is impossible for me not to have noticed the
object of your frequent visits here, and it is
solely through my love for my daughter that
| have resolved TO perform this unpleasant
duty / can not consent, nor do think you
would desire that she should share struggle
with poverty such as now, unfortunately,
must be your lot. And even il You do not