The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1888-12-28

I'll u ! true eentiemsn'< nobility o. ooul.
~Mayorss Flint wAs not: but - wes
crafty and possessed : keen initiative peg-
ception. and ID wAs seldom HIS Judgment
VS. fnr out o. she way. After due consid.
GRAFTON be rightly conjectured that Job
would read the note and believe Dot had
commissioned her father % return ths
volume.
II irrisated the naturally turbulent de-
pot 70 think that the poor schoolmaster
had dared 70 lift his eyes toward Dot
but he knew little OF the teachers strength
OF character. The mute Christmas to&cn
was the only evidence he would have
given 70 indicate that the poor and hu mbic
mentor Of the district school entertained
toward the rich man's daughter any other
feeling than that Of the most profound rev.
crcnce and loyal respect
Mayor" Flint decided 20 Be absent
when Job should arrive. and he left orders
that the parcel on the comfortable should
be handed the schoolmaster
Job pulled and blowcd and kicked 80
hard on the scrapcr outside the magnafe's
front door. that he was heard long before
he attempted 70 ring the bell As he was
about 10 ring. the door opened softly and
Dot held out hand OF welcome that sent
m electric thrill through the schoolmas-
terss system when her iittic fngcr-tips
touched his calicused hand. Job was en-
ichabod Crane in appearance. nut his man
ners were those of polished member Of
the intellectual and refincd grade In soci-
ETY.. over which money Is without infiu-
ence; 50. externally. he appeared cntircly
q; ease in Dots company. yet. IL the truth
was known. his heart was fiuttering be-
meath his vest like 4 Gagged bird
:" Here il Christmas present. Job. !
made for you myself said Dot. handing
him parcel ss he stood ready 70 depart
.YCu must not open IL until you hear the
Christmas chimes 81 midnight q. l a.
most forgot that, Father left il for you.r
she added by the way OF explanation II
presume il may contain another Christ
mas remembrance.
As she took tine volume from the table.
job watched her beautiful face. aud when
their eyes next met his own told OF his
smothercd passion as plainly as IL he had
spoken. she trembled- blushed and hung
her head rs she lnnocontiy profferei the
package addressed TO him by her father.
Job glanced ~ the package and started
A. he recognized the volume through it,
torn wrapper.
Mechanically he received the book. but
IL fell from his nervelcss grasp. He c>-
sayed TO speak. ard his tongue refused its
function With one parting glance he
tottercd through the doorway and along
the path leading TO the road. where he
caught glimpse Of the mayors scowling
face As the moon shone on window in
the second story Of the house
He walked with head cast down, neither
looking TO the right nor the left He WAS
dazed. He was like one whose reason was
clouded II her eyes spoke the truth-but
no. his Christmas tokeni Why did she
return II IL such was the caset And yet
no. he had even no right 70 think that. II
might have been natural embarrassment
through fear Of wounding his feelings By
the return Of the book.
Hellow, Gogr' exclaimed . familiar
voice. as the path was blocked BY q form
that was irrec0ga Fable beneath its great
coat and heavy muller. -Hyer's a letter
fur yer got outer the pust-uf1is- got one
fur III ua'am- tew. Eef yeou wanter
wait. I'll take We hum. but gotter git
some CHRISTMAS fixins fust-"
The speaker was the farmer with whom
Job lodged The offer OF the ride home
wa declined BY Job. who thrust the letter
in b pocket and continued his walk
Queer cuss tibet. Old Cog Ruther
walk than rife On SIGH er night ez this IN.
Wouldn't ketch me walk n ef didn't hcy-
ter. b'gosh, Gee, Ho-bah! Git-er-lang.
there yew y and he whipped up his horses
to faster gait and soon widened the dis
lance between himself and job.
When Job reached the turn that led
into the dark gap between the hills he
paused and leaned on the rail ng Of
short bridge that SPAWNED the frozen
brink.
Christmas Eve. Beautiful Christmas
E~-r VI. - no .
though the stars were scofling at him ard
the snow fringed trees nodding in derision-
The moon shone with . whittier, Or ghter
light and wore mocking smile. The
water lying under tie trees fringing the
bed Of the brook was completely frozen
and occasionally snapped like the pop Of
q chestnut- the cvergreens stood out dis
tinct and clear. and the weird music of the
wind. as Il stirred the great trees. sounded
Is though the very spirit Of Christmas was
already abroad He thought OF the happy
homes on which that moon was 81 lining, Of
devoted husbands and wives. fond fathers
and mothers. merry children. s-his fam
lily. home from school, Of happy lovers.
ant kind fricnds
And he-he stool alone in the world, an
isolated being on that silent country road
on this Chris tmas Eve.
- Wtll4 y A@3At4n CtEFt 0tSE Vim - az
stood there He glanced a. the deserted
house. Part Of iis roof had dropped in
ward, and the snow had drifted through
the inlet and piled itself in the center Of
the flooring. How like his own hearth He
felt that the ruin Of that home was an in
animate picture Of himself; for the roof Of
his heart had been upliffcd. and the chilly
snow Of unrcquited love had drifted in
upon is floor
A strange fascination that house held for
him, II had never been occupied during
the nine years he had been In Ciderbure
He had never been inside Of IL II bore the
reputation Of being haunted; but Job was
not superstitious. and he feared neither
goblins. spirits nor spocks. 50 when souye
strange feeling impclicd him TO jump the
fence, wade knce-dccp through the snow
and enter the ruin. he was not frightened
Ct the noise made By some animal that
made it, escape rather than resent the in
trusion.
He walked through the several rooms on
the ground floor, then explored the second
story, where be sat upon some broken tim
bcrs and 3uneo MS face In his hands The
loose shInzics tapped ~ the angry wind
fcuf]c1 over the dismantled roof and the
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