The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1886-12-25
co., enterod tbn room wif6- n vsfY erand

satin gown, White .ioF'N o'ln 4" h"i' SP'"S'''
IAN. all little faded and worn and soiled.
but showing that Mrs Parnell considered
that she had cone to an orthodox evening
,arty and understood what was expected on
such occasions.
Honor hurr.iedly conducted her to the seat
~ honor. explaining that she felt it 50 kind
of her TO come and help them entertain their
,7,oets who were for the most part people l.
humble life.
Mrs ParneIl looked rather disagreeably sur
.,,;ead and drew herself up a little naughty
ro,. n moment But she had only time TO say
tbot olfhouoh she had not been accustomed
~ mix with her interiors, she had no obIec-
lion to do so Tor once and under the circum-
stance of being invited TO assist in entertain
mo the good people, when. after a little scuf
ling in the passage, the door opened, and.
SISTED by friendly push from sally, cH
Mamie entered the room
To figure as one Of the guests for whom she
had b. ped to prepare was Just at first TOO
much Tor old Nannies philosophy. There was
certainly a great contrast between Mrs Par
nen in her faded grandeur and Mamie IN her
short. scant, well worn merino gown, her
3loin muslin cap, her sleeves too short to
over her bonv wrists and her HANDS bearing
witness to o life of toll. Her only prcpara-
tons for company seemed 30 have been that
", rlrning down her cuffs, which were usually
,arned up. putting on an old fashioned collar
with a frill reaching to her thin shoulders
and pinned on awry, with brooch OF Cam
Den Town emeralds and diamonds purchased
for her by Sally in honor of the occasion.
So far all was going on propitiously; and
no sooner was Mamie inductef into her COM
Portable chair by the fire in the back room,
where she sat with hand planted upon each
kuoe. and her eyes turned cOmplacently TO-
ward the we'll spread table, than the little
sailor and his wife-neither of them much
more than five feet high-were ushered i'm.
The pretty. fair-haired school mistress, IN
deep mourning, was welcomed, and after her
came Johnny and his mother. No one seemed
TO think Of calling her anything but "Johnny's
mother With them came the poor
lodcer" who had not been easily induced to
accept the invitation, and who was looking
very doubtful and reserved, and on tho de
feusive, so 20 speak, as though their motive
was rs yet not quite clear TO bin.
But Honors diplomatic little aside, which
had answered so well with the others, seemed
TO succeed with him also: at any rate, so for
asdisarlning his suspicious went In reply he
bowed low, with few words about his eatl-
nation Of the privilege OF being allowed To-
assist Miss Bryson in any way. But y ives
.nough 10 show hat be was a gentleman, had
he not. evidently weak as he was, and appre-
.iative OF the comfortable chair assigned u
hiul. so courteously endeayorcd TO decline 1t
in favor OF others The rhreadbare clothes
o.ich hung so loosely about his TALL sauut
.ame coIJraSted p.teou8ly with his dis
auguishcI hearing At TIE same time there
vas 10 trace in his conference, which YVES
.hat OF refined thinker. of any vice which
.lieh. have brought him so low in the social
/ taIeas 10 desire TO conceal himself IN the
miserable attic Of one Of the meanest houses
Sd the street, where the most poverty
stricken gave him the name OF the poor
| loIger"
The little taloI's aside to his wife: "Tbem
was swell clothes once, mother, and nothing
wil get the gentleman out OF them amy more
/ than il will out OF him, showed Chat otb-Is
/ thought as did
Then came the Old soldier. brisk and heat
and upright as a soldier wish bullet n bob,
leg could be expected 20 be. E,eythm.
about him, from his clear, keen grly eyes f.
/ Bis carefully brushed and mendod clothes anc
well POLISHED boots, bearing witness To "a Die
of discipline By the hand he Ted Anne, iuc
/ little motherless girl whose father, iAr
drunken cobbler, lived in the Same house
with him. He had done what he could for
/ her in the way of adornment, brushing the
beautiful golden hair and tying it up with a
piece Of string into funny little knob az The
top of her head, brightly polishing her poor,
/ shabby boots, and presenting her with gay
/ pictured pocket handkerchief 10 carry i'm her
/ hand; and he had paid respect TO the season
/ by pinning a few holly berries in the front OF
| her thin, worn frock.
/ As they entered the room she hung back
| clinging nervously to him, and loorinS o.
| scared MS though she expected she was going
/ 70 i, beaten Honor had some difficulty u
/ inducing her to loose her protectors hand an"
| take the stool provided for her in p warm
| corner near the fire When she at length sat
| down she shrank tinidly against the wall, a.
/ though only DESTROYS 10 escape notice.
/ All felt that little Annie needed sympathy
and kindness more than did any guest there,
| If the soul was TO be kept much longer in the
/ great mounfui eyes Most pitiful Of ali was
/ the old look in the pinched, white face. She
seemed to regard us with kind Of calm in
diligence, as grown-up children playing ut
! life which she had long seen the sod real
/ ity Of.
All went well, aud with music and chatting
the time wa spent very happily Until 3
o'clock. Then, before the queer company
was seated round the table. Honor proposed
that each one relate the history Ok the hap
| piCst moment OF bis life
The happest momentl There was puz.
lied, half doubtful expression in some of the
faces as thought travelled back into the past
but it presently disappeared, and there was a
smile more or less expansive upon every ones
face. Even the poor ledger had a reticeut
smile upon his lips, as he turned his eyes med
itatively toward the fire.
Johnnie led oil. lie admitted without
shame that the hoppiest moment Of his lie
was when he had been invited 60 the party,
and Sally had assured him that there would
be ell the turkey, mince pi: and pudding thai
/ lac coul6 oar His mother finished over hi.