The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-02-17

ldaro Say this light snow has not covered
T. The girls toll me they are not Ii the
hsbit Of putting Christmas evergfeens
about the house, bat always did II ct
home, and"
He understood me Ut once. He said.
with his rare gentleness: "And you. are
|rsying hard to keep some Of the old,
christmas feeling about you. You
must forgive me ii can not help seeing.
something Of your brave struggle, and
yearning to help you in Il"
sYearning! It was strong word.
but his eyes made 1t stronger, as ! could
not help CHANGING up to see. And be-
fore, in my confusion, ! could drop
mine again, somehow my muif was on
the snow ut our feet, and both my
hands wore in his.
miss Deane- Annie--I can help you
with my whole life, Annier'
And. after that, is It any wonder if
the sun shone straight into my hearth
dea,t think our researches would
have added much to the cause Of either
zoology or botany that day. On the
latter especially my lover would have
made strange confusion, insisting that
we were passing under quite number
of mistletoe boughs, if my superior
knowledge Of the science had not set
him right. We did find the crow-foot.
however, and, as I had expected. not
too deep in the snow. But when he
had torn up a long spray Of it and
1ng it trailing over my shoulder, l
stayed his hand. Madge and l could
come some other day for some-there
was plenty OF time before Christmas
but to-day's in-gathering / meant to
keep all to myself.
At least for this one day, / told him,
Iswhen we had reached the house and
paused together in the porch--for
this one day we would not call in any
one, however friendly, 70 see what it
had brought me; but tonight, when he
was gone, then would tell Aunt Mar
| garet that was to be his wife. said
the word in little futter as we stood
there together, for already he had been
asking me how long ! meant to keep
his own from him. As l said it,
glanced up shyly at him, and it would
have discounted me to see how his
face changed, paling at that word, II
his hand had not closed on mine with
a tightening grasp which made me
ashamed of dawning doubt that he
wanted it.. ~
| annie
The voice, full Of strange pain.
startled me. Could this day have any
pain ID ite -
Perhaps ne read that thought--he
was always SO quick 10 understand
for he said: II have a story to tell you,
Annie, q story that may take some Of
the brightness out of this hour for you,
as it has taken all the brightness out of
the last seven years of my life until
now. Shall I tell it you now? Or can
you trust me that it is nothing which
ought to part usp and would you rath-
or wait to hear 1t until tomorrow"
| could trust him; ay, rather. could
not distrust him; and ! told him so.
Let us live this day out without shad-
ow; afterward. Il shadows must come,
he should lead me safely through
them.
There Is no danger in the shadow,
Annie; there is only something for-us
both to forget"
"Let US forget it now, then. See,
there is Aunt Margaret at the window
signing to me-. she Is afraid I shall let
her neighbor so offend against her good
old-fashioned hospitality as to 20 away
to his bachelors hall. when 1t is three
o'clock and our dinner hour"
4 The shortest day of all the year. We
were watching its setting from the
library window, we two left alone, for
Madge and Fanny had driven into the
village for the mail. and Aunt Marga-
ret was summoned to one Of those
kilchen-cabine councils which h view
Of Christmas cheefgrew more and more
frequent under old Lethe's able admin
'istratiOn So we two were standing
together in the bay-window, watching
the crimson glow fade off from the
wide snow stretch of lawn that sloped
4 down to the lane, dotted here and there
with a black-grecn pyramid q fir, be-
tween the naked oaks, when presently
l caught sight Of something moving
across their shadows flung stir and
dark against the white.
"Some one is coming" Isaid, break
ing the happy silence. "a lady,
thought though wonder who it could
be, walking"
"What a bore!'
"Oh, she'll not be shown in here,
and unless you feel disposed to 60 tc
Aunt Margaret's assistance"
Hore l saw the side door of the Ii
brary opening from the lawn. The
visitor must have observed us at the
window; some one on sufficiently IN
ceremOriOus terms
TWAS stranger.
She had closed the door behind her
spd had come forward into the full
) glow of the Christmas wood fire blaz
!. ing on the hearth. A stranger, Ger
tainly; If had ever seen her before,
should never have forgotten her. =
She was standing on the hearth, ani
! drew her slender gloved hands out o.
! the folds Of her cashmere shawl, hold
ing them to tbs warmth, before sh,
turned to us the fairest face have evel
seen-the fairest face one ever dreamed
Only that would have been a strange
Fouque-like dream in which such q Wis
! ion should come. s
Il could not have been after-knoWl
edge on my part, for before she spoke
while she still fronted NJ with that ga
: smile upon her perfect lips, l though
!. Of Undine In her soulless loneliness
light-hearted, glad, careless Of Others
!, pain because she could not feel ii
! There is the Undine nature in child
e | too for xvhop, thoro ov;ste M main th q