Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20

..Old tsog" was true gentleman, win
all Of true gentlemanss nobility of soul
Mayor" Flint was not; but he was
crafty and possessed q keen intuitive per-
ception. and it was seldom his Judgment
was far out OF the way. After due consid-
Grafton he rightly conjectured that Job
would read the note and believe Dot had.
commissioned her father to return the
volume.
1t irritated the naturally turbul emit des-
pot to think that the poor schoolmaster
had dared to lift his eyes toward Dot.
But he knew little of the teachers strength
of character. The mute Christmas token
was the only evidence he would have
given to indicate that the poor and hu mble
mentor Of the district school entertained
toward the rich mans daughter any other
feeling than that Of the most profound rev.
erence and loyal respect.
Mayor" Flint decided to be absent
when Job should arrive, and he left orders
that the parcel on the comfortable should
be handed the schoolmaster.
Job puffed and blowed and kicked so
hard on the scraper outside the magnate's
front door. that he was heard long before
he attempted to ring the bell. As he was
about to ring, the door opened softly and
Dot held out hand of welcome that sent
an electric thrill through the schoolmas-
ter's system when her little fnger-tips
touched his caIloused hand. Job was an
lchabod Crane in appearance, but his man
ners were those of polished member of
the intellectual and refined grade in soci-
ETY., over which money is without infiu-
ence; so. externally, he appeared entirely
at ease in Dots company, yet. if the truth
was known, his heart was fluttering be-
meath his vest like Gagged bird.
''Here is Christmas present, Job, 1
made for you myself" said Dot, handing
him parcel, as he stood ready to depart
You must not open it until you hear the
Christmas chimes at midnight O, 1 al
most forgot thatl Father left it for you,"
she added by the way Of explanation. Ct
presume it may contain another Christ
mas remembrance"
AS she took the volume from the table,
Job watched her beautiful face, and when
their eyes next met his own told of his
smothered passion as plainly as if he had
spoken. She trembled, blushed and hung
her head as she 1nnocently proffered the
package addressed to him by her father
JOB glanced at the package and started
as he recognized the volume through its
torn wrapper.
Mechanically he received the book, but
it fell from his nerveless grasp. He es-
sayed to speak, and his tongue refused its
function. With one parting glance he
tottered 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. If her eyes spoke the truth-but
no, his Christmas tokeni Why did she
return it it such was the case? And yet
no, he had even no right to think that. It
might have been natural embarrassment
through fear of wounding his feelings by
the return of the book.
"Hellow, Gogp' exclaimed familiar
voice, as the path was blocked by form
that was irrecognizable beneath its great
fur yer got outer the pust-ufas. got one
fur tn ma'am, tew. Eef yeou wanter
wait, pu take we hum; but gotter git
some Christmas fxins fust.''
The speaker was the farmer with whom
Job lodged. The offer of the ride home
was declined by Job, who thrust the letter
in pocket and continued his walk.
''Queer cuss thet, Old Cog. Ruther
walk than ride on SIGH er night ez this un !
Wouldn't ketch me waikiki eff didn't hev-
ter, b'gosh! Geei Ho-bah! Git-er-lang.
there. yewP' 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 railing of a
short bridge that spanned the frozen
brink.
Christmas Eve! Beautiful Christmas
Eve! He looked up to the sky. It seemed as
though the stars were scofang at him and
the snow-fringed trees nodding in derision.
The moon shone with a whittier, brighter
light and wore hooking smile. The
1Vi lar fIa frin cyip ho
bed OF the brook was completely frozen
and occasionally snapped like the pop of
chestnut; the evergreens stood out dis
tinct and clear, and the weird music Of the
wind, as 1t stirred the great trees, sounded
as though the very spirit of Christmas was
homes on which that moon was shining, of
devoted husbands and wives, fond fathers
and mothers, merry children, ''his fam
ily," home from school, of happy lovers,
and kind friends.
And he-he stood alone in the world, an
isolated being on that silent country road
on this Chris tmas Eve.
A weird Sc nsation crept over him as he
stood there. He glanced at the deserted
house. Part of its 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 tk:t home was an in
animate picture of himself; for the roof of
his heart had been uplifted. and the chilly
snow of unreQuited love had drifted in
upon it's floor.
A strange fascination that house held for
him! 1t had never been occupied during
the nine years he had been in Ciderburg
He had never been inside Of it 1t bore the
reputation of being haunted; but Job was
not superstitious, and he feared neither
COLLINS, spirits nor spooks. So when some
strange feeling impelled him to Jump the
fence, wade knee-deep through the snow
and enter the ruin, he was not frightened
at the noise made by some animal that
made its escape rather than resent the in
trusion.