The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1886-12-15

family. In vain she piled Cousins ahj
annt~. not "A trace ii tine Offender cnal
~ find She found tlea ntnrr mis''le~
were made; Others did moi receive H."
presents that were designed for them. hW
10 one knew how it hnpPcned.
Alfred Stanley, en- outraged by Ans F.
present, soon called upon her and trirl ip
renState himself in her favor, bnt Ia
plainly told him that She did not intend
the slippers for him it was II mistake that
,hc could not explain. He was Infatuated
at his bad luck he had given Ada away
an now she would not receive him back
again knowing rs she did Of his affection
for Nmy.
Thu, time rolled on. Another Christ.
mas day wa, approaching Again busy
preparations were being made for the
merrymaking AT Col. Madrf's. Amy did
MOI enter into these preparations with the
Ze>t of former years. What hid she sui
ferrd during tn. last twelve months!
Each new feature of the approaching day
wa, like Il barbcd arrow to her aching
heart The Christmas tree especially was
Il sore trial to her Gladly would she
have retired to her room and remained in
its welcome solitude, but the family
would not near vi IT, Nllc llllI-ith WIN
the merry throng while the fruit WAS
again gathered from the { ristmas tree
and scattered among them, but nothing
seemed to interest her, until i'll answer to
her own name small parcel was placed
in her hand, mechanically she opened it.
If the rarest gems of pearls had greeted
her vision she would not have cared for
them, but simply IA letter bearing re-
quest that Uncle Jerry should read il a.
loud at the Christmas tree. 1t ran thus
Amy, my dear cousin =
As cannot he at your ever memorable
Christmas tree this year, | will do tile
next best thin" and write you letter,
in which will set forth the wild prank
by which WAS the means of creating 50
much misery last var. At that time |
thought 10 have little fun, 50 | quietly
slipped away from the dinner table, while
the rest were busy discussing the merits
of the vands, and unobscrved entered
the hall and changed the names on some
of the presents. But believe me, cousin
mine, was entirely ignorant a. to whose
name changed, nor did | know until a
short time since what havoc made
among the hearts of my friends 1t was
through my love of fun that Alfred re-
ceivcd the slippers, which your loving
hands had fashioned for Charlie, and he
instead received the toy that | myself had
purchased for little cousin Jamie, and
made such II sad plight for yon, poor
cousin Forgive my foolish prank "a !
shall not be there To spoil Your happi-
ness this time. DICK MApHIF.
As Uncle Jerry finished reading this in
tcrcs.iig letter, II servant entered to say
that Amy was wanted in the library
Thinking it was her fathers request, she
arose. happier than She had been for long
months and entered the library. There
before her stood Charlie Bradley.
Charlie"
Amy These two words Spanncd the
gulf of Il year. We will not ntrudc upon
this meeting, such meetings are too sa-
cred for the eye of the curious. Dick
had not done his work at the halves. lie
sent letter to Charlie also with the cN-
planation begging him to meet Amy at
the Christmas gathering. which he readily
consented to do. Amy and Charlie still
live To erect their friends on Christmas
day with no fear, of "A cruel mistake cs-
trangng them from each other, for they
have long walked the paths of life TO
gcther. while Allied Stanley and Ada walk
separate paths and all are happy.