Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-06-21

separate email building was called IN
which he transacted all matters Of bsasi.
ness: but apparently he was unoccupied
when old Gilbert entered, for he sat In
his leather covered arm chair, strokine
his beard and staring at the fire. His
thoughts were busy about Miss Roxanna
Whites appeal-not that 1t moved him
In the least; 1t had served but to empha-
size his conviction that he was deeply
injured man; his pride, his affection, his
dignity had been wounded, not merely
by his sons folly, but by his duplicity In
concealing his marriage, leaving the mo-
mentous secret to he discovered through
child's inability to keep silence. And
yet, after this lapse of time, Nicholas
was not willing to make overtures. The
colonel, forgetting that he had refused
to allow Nicholas to say word in his
own defense, was resolved that he would
not take the initiative toward reconcilia.
ton; yet his thoughts turned necessarily
to his son. But he thrust his painful
musings aside when he heard old Gilbert's
familiar salutation, and said, with an
effort at gayety:
"Well, old man. what foolishness are
you up to now!"
"Hit's business, mawster, eff you
please, sub, dis time" old Gilbert made
answer, twirling his hat by way Of relief
to his embarrassment. Use been study
in on trade, ef you'd git 20 cawnsent,
suh."
"Wellg'
"Dat ole white muel, Zip, sab. wuz
studyin' Diet you mought be minded ter
TEX sixty dollars fur him; he Is a ole
muel."
"What? You've saved up sixty dol.
larsv exclaimed the colonel "And you
want to buy old Zip to feed him on my
corn and fodder, eh?"
"You wouldn't miss what he'd eat,
sub, nur nairy 'nuthcr muel," old Gilbert
said deprecatingly, unconscious of the
comparison he made, but which the
colonel perceived and smiled at grimly.
~ don't see what you want with the
mule" he said. "Old Brandy and the
OK cart about belong to you now"
sole Brandy en- de yox cyart amt %
survisable for ploughin'," Gilbert ex-
planned.
81 don't want your money" said the
colonel, shortly.
There followed pause, during which
old Gilbert stood stock still, as if sudden
ly paralyzed. Not fiber of him stirred.
except his eyes, that roved from one
part of the room to another. returning
again and again to rest upon the colonel.
"You can take the mule at any time
| you may need him." the colonel said at
last, and he repeated, 81 don't want your
money"
'Thankee, mawster, thankee suh," old
Gilbert responded, but there was disap-
pointment in his tone. He fingered an
| instant, as If Re meant to say more, then
turned and went his shambling way cut
of the Office. When he had gone down
the steps, he looked back to say, "Ain't
heard you tell de oberseer what Zip is
wuth bout sixty dollars, suh9"
~ suppose he may be worth about
that" the colonel answered, absently.
1t wanted now but few days Of
Christmas, which the colonel desired to
celebrate just as usual. The turkeys had
long been fattening, the beef was killed,
the bonfires were piled ready for light
ing. II Nicholas absence was felt, no
one alluded to it, and jest and jollity
went on without him.
On Christmas morning the Hill re-
sounded with the popping Of fire crack
ers, the shooting Of guns and the repeat
ed shout, in every variety of tone, Of
"Chris'mas gif', mawster" "Chrism mas
gif', Missle-virey!' "Chris'mas gif' 4,
Missy!' Even some few ventured to
"catch' Glory-Ann "Chris' mas gif'p for
which impertinence they were promptly
1ol n,,f
stood on the back gallery and presented
china mugs, gay handkerchiefs, strings
of beads and pipes and tobacco; while
Miss Elvira, aided by Glory-Ann and
Daphne, ladled out egg nog from huge
punch bowl, and distributed gingerbread
from an inexhaustible basket.
And that Christmas morning, far away
in Tampa, Nicholas was saying gayly,
though the tears stood in his eyes, "Only
a kiss, my Dosia, only kiss for n Christ
mas gift!"
a large party dined at Thorne Hill that
day, and there was feasting with decor
Gus merriment, in which the colonel bore
his part.
Missy disappeared after dinner, but at
dark she rushed in, and calling her aunt
Elvira aside, she demanded the necklace
and bracelets her father had brought her
from New York. II amt never showed
'em to Nom Bee, nor nobody" she said.
But, Winifred, you might break
them," Miss Elvira demurred.
Nevertheless, Missy, as usual, carried
her point, and Miss Elvira returned tc
the parlor to forget all about the jewelry
until next day. Missy, when inquired
of, responded that she was old enough
now to be trusted with her own things
and by dint Of forbearing to press the
question, Miss Elvira came soon to forge,
the chain and bracelets altogether.
In the afternoon of the second day
after Christmas Glory-Ann took occa
sion to ask:
"Missle-virey, is you sont old man Gil
bert off anywhey?"
OF course Glory-Ann knew all about
those secret expeditions with the OK cart
first to Eden and then to Tallahassee.
"Where should be sending him?" said
Miss Elvira, coloring guiltily.
"Dunnome," Glory-Ann answered
with mystery. Maybe hits mawster Ii
sont him?" She was consumed by curl
osity; for old Gilbert had been missing
since the morning after Christmas Hi.
cabin ~as locked, and there was nc
smoke In the chimney.
1t was soon manifest, however, thai
the colonel was not responsible for old
Gilbert's disappearance, as he was heard
to ask If the old man had made himself
Ill on Christmas cheer. When the mat
ter was further inquired into, 1t was founC
that the old white mule Zip was missing
likewise.
The colonel received this information
with stare at first, and then burst ou