The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1886-12-24

''lauleS, sne might as well Dccn one Oh
the china ornaments on the mantlepiece
for all the share she had in the CONVEX
sation.
Sitting bolt upright on the stiff
legged horse-hair sofa, she had the
pleasure of listening to discussion Of
the latest "styles," Miss Gillette being
appealed TO on this side and on that us
to ~;".t woul' or would not be worn
during the IRE Il season.
And SO to. morrow would be Christ
mas, and no wonder poor jamie felt
lonely, with the prospect of whole
day in such company.
''If could only afford to go home"
she thought, winking very hard to
keep the tears back, ''and see father
and mother, and grandma, and the dear
old homel know just how it looks,
with the hickory logs cracking and
swapping in the fire place, and strings
of dried apples and red peppers hang
ing in festoons from the Kitchen rafters,
with grandma knitting in the high,
backed rocking. chair, and mother max
ing cookies for tea, or setting away the
crooks of milk on the buttery shelves,
and father smoking his cob-pipe,
and"
But here jamie broke down in spite of
her efforts to wink the tears back, and
sobbed like home sick child
"Dear me!' sighed Miss Verena Gill
lette, the same evening, as she glanced
over the top of JAMES head at the
Widow Dashaway, who sat mex, "what
luck does happen to some folks! Now,
there's my Cousin John | seen by the
papers to-day Miss Verena always said
''seen" instead of ''saw'D-'I seen by
the papers he's been left fortune by
distant relative out in Arkinsaw."
ooh, Verena!"
The Didow Dashaway glanced past
jamie at Miss Gillette.
How romanticl Do introduce us"
"Yes, do" chorused the Miss Bobbs,
and Adalina Duffy, glancing around, or
over, or beyond poor jamie.
''But he amt here" explained We're.
ma. Giles in Illinois. l haven't saw
him" Miss Verena used "saw" when it
should have been "seen")-"I haven't
saw him since last summer q year ago,
when l was a-visiting my aunt. John
amt my real cousin you know. Only
his uncle married my aunt, and we call
ourselves COUSINS" explained Miss
Verena, looking down on her plate with
a conscious air, which gave her hearers
to understand that if John was not
already much nearer than q cousin, he
would be soon, thereby filling their
hearts with envy on account of the for
tune left by the "Arkansaw" relative.
"Ah, girls, do look here! A gentle,
man in sleigh stopping here! Who
on earth is it?"
1t was Christmas morning, and jamie
had gone to church. The others were
gossiping in the little parlor. with its
gaudv Brussels carpet, cheap, snowy
curtains, and prim. hair-cloth furniture.
''Such handsome man! Who Is
he? repeated the Widow Dashaway,
peering out through the Stats of the
half-closed window blind.
She had just time to change her
position when Bridget, the hired girl
ushered in the strange gentleman.
He was tall and handsome, with
curling brown hair, and dark, expires.
slve eyes.
"Why, Cousin John, what sur
prise"
Miss Verena was shaking hands, in.
reducing him to her friends, and show.
ing her cousinly admiration in very
demonstrative manner.
"But why didn't you write you were
coming? And how did you know was
here, Cousin John2" she demanded
with a glance. which was meant to be
coquettish and irresistible.
"You see-ah Miss Verena-"
''Missl' echoed Verena, reproach.
fully.
l mean cousin" stammered John.
| "I-I came to see another. Oh, here
she Is now"
And there was jamie in her cheap
black dress and hat, just come from
church.
And Cousin John was shaking hands
with her, looking down into her eyes
and talking to her, not at all cmbar-
raised; for Miss Yerena Gillette's hand
some cousin, who had just inherited
fortune. proved to be JAMES lover 10
whom she had been promised" for
nearly two years.
Hurry. jamie, and get your things"
he was saying. "for nm going to take
you home for your Christmas dinner,
though it will be pretty late one. Get
everything" he ordered, ''for you are
not coming back any more. And here's
your Christmas present, jamie. Put it
On and wear it home"
Miss Verena and her friends looked
enviously on as jamie unrolled her
Christmas present-an ele ant sealskn
cloak, long enough to cover her from
head to foot, shabby dress and all.
And so JAMIE had her Christmas at
home with her fnther and mother and