The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-04-29
to walk in the direction of Marley


Il have told you must be alone"
He did not speak roughly; his voice
| was cold, and there was a vacant ring
in it which it panied DR.. Bax to hear
E'Not a pleasant duty, William?"
mo. Ask me no further questions.
| Goodnight"
But DR.. Bax would not SO lightly
part with him.
You distress me; thought we were
friends"
William laughed harshly. The Bit
ter emphasis placed on the word by
Stephen Winkworth had robbed it of
its good meaning.
THE duty before your persisted the
doctor. as it secret one?"
1T is"
1.-The knowledge of which is not to
be cOnfided even to me-"
Not to be confided even to YOU"
at is no light duty, William"
II wish to God l had died before it
came in my way to perform! l will
say no more, and l can not stop longer
with you
'NOne other question:" said DR.. Bax,
almost imploringly, ''only one. Does
Laura know of this?"
William, with no more force than
was necessary, disengaged himself
from the doctor, and, waving his hand
in adieu, plunged wildly through the
snow. Dr. Bax gazcd sadly after him
until he was out of sight.
Il hoped to have had a good nights
rest" he unused, as he mounted his
seat, and slowly drove away; land
now not wink shall l gGt-not a
wink! Confound all mortality, l say!
If men took a tenth part as much
pains to mako themselves happy as
they take to make themselves misera-
bic, this would be the blessedest of
worlds. As it is, have no patience
with itr'
This being uttered in a tone loud
enough for the pony to hear, drew
from that wise creature a determined
protest; he stood stOck-still, and would
not bulge an inch in response to hard
words and impatient urging to get on.
Not until DR.. Bax tried the soothing
system, and spoke to him in his usual
mild and affectiOnate manner, would
he allow himself to be cOaXed. And
even after he had covered two or three
hundred yards in his accustomed easy
iog-trot, he pulled up again of his own
impulse, to make sure, from his mas
ter's gently spoken entreaty to put on
the steam, that all was right behind.
William Fairfield walked so swiftly
that before midnight Warleycombe
Lodge was in view. The night was
cold, but he was in a hot fever. He
looked toward the house in eXpcctant
dread. There was not a sign of life
within or without. All was silent and
still as death. The snow lay lightly
upon roof and cave, upon tree and
plain, and made the silence moro i'm
pressive in its spiritual effect than the
silence which is accompanied with
darkness. A doubt stole upon him
whether what had passed between him
and Stephen WinkwOrth was real or 4
dream, but it did not linGer in his
mind. Il am not mad yet" he NUT
tered, land / must keep my senses
about me to learn the truth" Stephen
could not have lied to him. He con-
iured up the picture which presented
itself to him whichever way he turned
the picture of Laura and her lover!
He saw their lips utter voicelesS words
Of affection; ne saw her, the womsn he
loved, lay her head upon this mans
shoulder: and he bit blood into his lips
with jealous rage.
Suddenly the silence was invaded by
the sound of the Christmas bells, which
pcalcd joyously over field and hill, pro-
claiming the birth Of peace and love.
To the high-born and lOwly alike they
sung the boiler theme, in the light Of
which earthly and sOrdid desires fade
utterly away.
Dear bells! that bring glad light to
weary eyes, that whisper courage to
deSpairing souls, that inStill hope into
hearls-ring on, dear bells,
and teach your lesson anew Human
ity sits crowned in her throne of love,
and 4 Heavenly glory shines above her
head. Ring on, dear bells, the time
has come! Forth into the places where
misery turks; where crime and dcsti-
tuition lie in each others arms; where
ignorance Compelled TO live, and COM
pretending nothing but its own hard
laws) breeds haplesS generations;
where it is not possible Tor virtue to
take root and ilOwer-fortn into those
places let the angels 90. Spotiess and
pure they enter, with love and pity in |
their radiant eyes; and Heaven smiles
upon them rs they return with dirt |
stained wings, the sacred evidence of |
sacred work performed. Ring on, dear
bells, and teach once more your Eeauti- |
full lesson! The pulse of the world is
stirred with tender memories The |
happy mother aroused from sleep, |
whispers to her child, lying awake by |
her side: Dear child. dcar child, the |
Christmas bells are ringing!" The !
musing on the day that !
shall make her a happy wife, sings to
ler heart, to the rythm of the bells: |
Dear love, dear love, the Christmas
BELLS are ringing!" The rich man
smiles, the poor man rejoices. Ring |
IN. sweet Christmas bells! The sir is
illcd with your music, which travels |
ar across the snow-white land. Over
orests of trees whose branches CLEAN
With beauty, on TO the furious sea,
where the sailor, battling for dear life
With the raging storm, thinks of what
S dearer to him than life, and cries to
his mate in the midst of the darkness:
AT home, old boy, the Christmas bells
Ire ringing!"
They rang in William Fairfeld's
,ars, and bewildered him. He was
leaf to their tender whisperings; they
AIRED upon his soul, and he sSrove,
With wild motion of his arms. to cast
hem aside, so that he might reflect IN
disturbed upon the treachery of the girl
O whom he had given his heart.
This was his Christmas Evei Next
christmas they were to have merry
,arty at their own house; it had been