The Washington critic., 1886-02-11
ELMWOOD FARM.

Dlusltll1E ttN NNb NlVSihS III hN III ~
wood farm. Dull, gray clouds floatcd
up from the northwest and began
throwing copious handfuls of great
star shaped snow flakes all over the
frozen earth. The white new year, 50
ardently wished for by all the young
people in Elmwood neighborhood, was
being verified beyond the ghost of a
doubt.
Miss Judith Wilder, one of the
wealthiest spinsters in that part of
Ohio and mistress of the beautiful
Elmwood, sat in her richly cushioned
rocker before glowing fire, which
cracked up wide old-fashioned fire.
place. Her brow, which 50-odd years
and some hidden bitterness had COM
bined to wrinkle quite deeply, was con
tracted with thoughts of the past.
Her surroundings were luxurious.
Books, pictures, chairs, table, sofa and
everything that helped to furnish the
pleasant sitting-room betrayed the
good taste of the mistress. Yet Miss
Judith was not happy. Some secret
or trouble she had vainly striven to
hide for many years disturbed her
peace of mind.
Miss Wilder was not the sole occu-
pant of her well.furnished sitting.
room. a young man of twenty four
stood near her chair This was For.
rest Edley, Miss Wilder's handsome
ward, just home from Europe, where
he had completed his education in
travel. His parents had been swept
away by prevailing fever while
spending the winter at Cuba. Miss
Judith was the only American friend
stopping at that part of the island, so
it fell to her lot to become Forests
guardian. And, as he had no living
relatives, he had always remained n
much -petted inmate of Miss Judith's
commodious house.
The young man had just returned to
Elmwood to spend the holidays with
the best earthly friend he had known
since he had been left an orphan boy
of years. He intended opening an
art school in one of the Eastern cities
as soon as his vacation should expire.
Miss Wilder opposed his doing any
thing. But Forrest preferred occupa-
ton TO genteol idlencss.
Mother" (he always called Miss
Wilder SO at her requcsD, "mother.
what bitter night its going to be- The
snow has completely carpeted the
ground. My heart aches for the suf-
fering and houseless who are out in
this storm"
Miss Wilder came back from the
past with guilty start. Looking up
at her wards sympathetic face she
said:
"You are too sympathetic, my dear
boy. Do not worry about what you
cannot help"
"But am not so sure that it is i'm
| possible to help the suffering around
us, if we will exert ourselves TO find
| them out"
"Have done with this doleful SUBJ
| ject, Forrest. You will talk yourself
| quite out of an appetite, and Jane will
| feel her New Years eve dinner sadly
slighted, indeed" replied Miss Will
der.
Forrest was going TO speak, but
the entrance of servant interrupted
him.
"Well, Lima" said Miss Judith, ad-
dressing a rosy. checked Irish girl
"Ef yez plaze, mum, there's an ould
gint with n pretty young Teddy out
on the stips as wishes to see yez," an
nounced the apple. faced Lima.
THAT is strange" said the mistress
of Elmwood. "Who are they, Lina?"
"Indade, could not tell yez, mum.
They never gave me their cards at all,
at all. But III jist inquire, num-"
| stno1l m ;po - cnnlyo tho x,o,,r n,
man. Mother, 1t is cruel to keep
your visitors out in this storm. Why
not admit them without further ques-
tion?"
"You are right, Forrest. Lima,
show them in here.
Thus commanded, the girl left the
room, and after the lapse Of few mo-
ments the visitors were shown in.
The man presented the appearance
of one prematurely gray. His step was
still elastic, and his frame was ap'
parently quite youthful, but his hail
and the long beard which concealed his
features were very white. To his left
arm clung creature so beautifully
fair and sylph. like that one might have
mistaken her for snow-spirit or a
fairy princess who had arrived with
the new years eve storm.
But the starry blue eyes, the deli
cate sea-shell pink of the rounded
cheeks, and the profusion of golden
curls sparkling here and there with
snow Jewels, and flowing over marvels
of shoulders, where 1t had escaped
from the scarlet hood which had pro
tected her head from the storm, were
all too real to belong to an 9rial prin-
cess. So Forrest Edley thought as his
artists eye drank In the lovely pic
ture.
Miss Wilder arose as her visitors ap
preached. The old gentleman touched
his hat politely to the mistress of Elm
wood, but he did not remove it. The
young girl clung timidly to his arm
and turned from the inQuirng gaze of
the spinstcr.
"Have / the pleasure of addressing
Miss Judith Wilder?" asked the old
man, searching that ladys face with
his keen gray eyes.
"You have" she answered, a pallol
creeping over her face.
The old mans step, his figure and
something in his voice carried hel
back into the far off, dim past. But
MISS Juuitu huu always pecH piuoti
cal woman, and no matter what shadows
of her past arose to confront her sh,
would not allow herself to dream now
pray be seated" she said.
She resumed her own seat rs hel
visitors availed themselves of her in
vitation. Forrest Edley took seat OF
the sofa near his guardian and stole
occasional glances at the mysteriou
visitors. The old man broke tn,
silence.
"The nature of this visit may not bC
understood without an explanation
If can claim your indulgence while
/ tell my story briefly"