The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-04-01
lovingly, they went into the house to-

sembled on this evening as merry and
! ight-hearted a company as ever met
within four walls. Genial faces every
where; smiles and cheerful looks on
| all sides, from old and young; every
| person on MS best behavior, ready to
shake every other persons hand, with
as much amiability as can be expressed
by the pressure of palms and fingers.
And if such a thing as truth exists,
! hearts accompanied the pressure. As
for duplicity, double-dealing, suspicion
of motives, artful maneuvering for
selfish purposes, such qualities were
purely mythical, good enough to put
color into dreams, but utterly imagin-
ative-almost comical to think of-as
to any part they might play in the bust
| ness of lifei The business of lifei What
am l thinking of? Business, to the
right about. 1t is Christmas-eye, and
the world is pleasant to heart and eye,
sweet and loving and charitable,
Astounding in thought.
Butt am bound to confess it-there
was heart-burning in the kitchen. For
in thatregiOn of shining stew and sauce
pans, in whose polished surfaces the
genial reflection of a Jolly time was
clearly visible, Samuel Medium (the
man-servant of the establishment had,
! by the merest accident, come plump up
on Kitty Simons (the maid-servant of the
/ establishment and had discovered her
/ in the act of being kissed, beneath the
/ miserable pretense OF a piece of mis-
| tletOe, by retainer of low degree. who,
being especially recommended by
| Samuel Meldrum, had been Temporal
rily engaged to assist in the general
| JOY, and had thus basely betrayed the
trust reposed in him. Now, Samuel
! Medium regarded the kisses of pretty
| Kitty Simons, both from and for, as his
! especial prerogative, and most particu-
! larry and solely within his department
at Christmas-time. This ACT of the tenn
pOrary retainer was clearly, therefore,
an act of treachery, and as such was
regarded by his patron, who, after
treating the treacherous dependent to a
'.piece of his mind" glared at Kitty
with eyes in which love and jealousy
Were plainly depicted. Pretty Kitty.
busy at the dresser, whittier she had
demurely walked after the kiss under
the miStletOe, was of course entirely
| unconscious Of the state of Samuel Mel
drum feelings-which was the reason
why she furtively watched him from
beneath her dark eyelashes, and won
dered when he was going to speak
But Samuel's moral dignity was hurt,
and he preserved silence-more from
not knowing what to say than from
any other cause.
They re playing games upstairs"
said Kitty, taking the bull by the horns;
''such games"
Samuel only grunted.
They re playing, said Kitty, slyly,
81 love my love with a a, because he's
amiable, and amusing, and an angel;
and | hate my love with 4, because
he's a@gravating, and absurd, and an
moving; and his name amt Alexander,
and he comes from Aberdeen, and |
took him to the sign of the Axe and
Anchor, and treated him to apples and
anchOvies.
And l don't love my love with
We" retorted Samuel, goaded into
full sense of his wrongs by the pretty
maids attempt at Cancellation, ..be-
cause she's vicious, and vile. and
vixen; and hate her with We, be-
cause she's vulgar, and vain, and a
wiper; and her name amt Venus, and
she comes from Wandieman's Land,
and | took her to the sign of the Wen
OmOus Vampire, and treated her to
vinegar and water"
The retort caused Kitty to smile to
herself more slyly than ever: for the
next best thing to a declaration of love
from man you have liking for is a
declaration of jealousy, and there was
no doubt that Samuel was in desper-
ate condition. The temporary retainer,
driven by kitty'S distracting airs into Il
state of Overbubbling love, listened to
this quarrel with secret pleasure. and,
beguiling Kitty under the mistletoe. at
tempted to snatch from her tempting
lips a repetition of the temporary bliss
which had fired his soul. But this time
he reckoned without his host. Kitty
sly puss as she was!-knowing that
Samuel was near, pretended to struggle
with the poacher, crying out with at
fected Indignation: How dare YOU,
sir! What do You mean by it? On.
Samuel, Samuel Save met" Where
upon Samuel, his jealousy melting in
the warmth of this appeal, flew to the
rescue. and caught Kitty in his arms
where she lay painting, her pouting lips /
in direct line with the mistletoe, and |
looking altogether so lovely and be- |
witrhing that Well, he did what |
you would have done-kissed her once |
and again, and again, and would have |
gone on for there is no SAYING how |
long. had not Kitty ran away to hide
her bushes and delight.
Every room in the house had such a
bright look about it that there was no |
the time. Had Father Time
himself suddenly appeared with his
opera hat under his arm. and (being an
airy old gentlcman) with nothing else
worth mentioning on his old bones in
the shape of garments, for the purpose
of telling You that ne had made mis-
take with his glass, and that he was six
or seven weeks too fast or too slow.
you would have snapped your fin
gers at him. Not Christmas, A
nice thing, indeed! As if YOU
did not know better! As if every
saucepan in the kitchen did not know
better! As if the very sparks flying up
the chimneys did not know better. Not
Christmas! Ask Mrs. Ramage. Who
was Mrs. Ramage? Mrs. Ramage was
R Large woman. with Large mouth.
and Large nose, and Large eyes. and
Large limbs, and a Large way of assert
NC herself which there was no resisting.
And in Mrs. Ramage was merged Mr..
Ramage, who was little man, with a
little mouth, and little nose. and lit
lie eyes and little limbs, and such
very little way of asserting himself that
~ ono took tho SlirbtaSt notioa ~ b;,,