The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-25
RENA'S CHRISTMAS

those quiet places with is church, school
house. tavern blacksmith shop and TWO or
three stores in which rural New tneiand
Abonnds. Like many such IL gave stranger
the impressi0u that twas completely finished.
n seemed imrosslblc that anything could
ever be added TO OF taken from 70 or that any
tbing il contained could ever toe changed for
either better or worse in the slightest degree.
The first house in CRANKY was a great
rarnhltns old building with more gable ENDS
than lazy man would care 20 count ana
huge zigzae chimneys out Of which 1t seemed
10 though the smoke must issue m strangely
fantastic shapes so tortuOus was the course IL
must pursue. over the doorway was an an
Gent porch. ornamented with grotesque cary
ine about which countless pigeons Hooked
and cOoed mOnOtonOusy all day ion- IL was
the ancient sleepylookIng house when
seemed 70 have wrapt its mantle OF IVY about
il like garment 20 comfort us Oh age. =,
Fenlock Hall. az the old place was called
had been built 80 the close OF Queen Anne
reign by Richard Feniock wealthy English
man who had held positions OF great emo.u-
rnent under the crown. and who by trading
with the colonies had acquired vast posses
sions within their boundaries 10 was MS
within to have u country seat IN the New
World as well as in the Old, and he had built
FenlOck Hall in exact imitation OF his place
of the same name IN Lincolnshire.
On this Christmas morning, WITHIN the
Great hau of this I'D mansion. sits It's pres
emit owner. Colonel Richard Warresby d.
rect descendant ia the female line from the
builder Of the house. The old wainscoted
walls are hung with family portraits, 70 which
the Colonel who sits gazing INTO the log hfe
blazing on the andirOns bears a most striking
resemblance. lie is a tall, wei. -prOporuOned
man of some forty years, whose face. though
kindly. indicates strong resolution and
courage.
His title OF colonel was won by the most
daring bravery on the field of battle. and as
he sits gazing into the fire this Christmas
morning visions of bis soldier lie rise vlyidly
before him. lie lives again that day at Nicks-
burg. ten wears before. when he encouraged
ms men 10 repei a sally of the besleged upon
those working in the trenches. once more
he stands face 20 face and fights hand TO hand
with that brave Confederate officer, so gallant
and handsome whose face IS indehbly I'M
printed uDOn his memory. Again he sees
That officer fall beneath his sword, and again
he shudders as he feels those large.
dark ewes. fast glazing in death, fixed upon
him with a look OF uuutterable hatred TO the
last
Pardon me for disturbing you. dear, but
want 10 introduce our new goYerness, Miss
Rena Mention, OF Mississippi 1t was MS
wife whosp0ke, arOusing him from the trance
Ike ftNAltltH lHtt WHICH no ihA lt4ttA- iAD
rose hastily to welcome the young lady. whom
his temporary absence from homo had NTH
erto prevented him from meeting. Great
Heaven There before him stood tho very
officer whom he had killed ut Nicksburg Tho
face was Younger and hauds0mer than it had
I cen ten years ago and It's features We're OF a
more delicate and feminine cast, but there
was no installing those large dark eyes.
Though that diving look OF hatred had passed
T.. 81 "A q
kindly expression. they were the very same.
The Colonel tried 10 speak lie tried TO
grasp the small white hand so frankly OK
tended TO him. Impossible. His tongue
Glove to the roof of his mouth. He stag
gered, the room reeied and he knew no more.
Rena Mention was the only child Of a
wealthy young planter who mad inherited
from her father one of the finest estates III
Mississippi Reared as the idol Of both her
parents, the heiress of great plantation and
tho pet and darling Of three or four hundred
slaves. her lie was one uninterrupted day OF
sunshine until the completion OF her sixth
yeal. Then the gus at Fort Sumter sum
moned her father 30 the war. AZ bis de-
parture he gave her miniature of himself
enclosed in a diamond locket. saving, My
darling. keep this always for papas sake, and
If | am killed You will not forget me
CAPTAIN Mention never came back. His
name was printed III "A list of those killed at
Nicksburg, and his young wife, completely
crushed bv grief died before the close OF the
war which had swept away ali her husbands
property, leaving her ten-year-old daughter
Kena. penuiless. For time the child WAS
cared for by her aunt, bat sine, too, died, and
nt sixteen the girl who had developed into "a
magnificent Southern beauty. was thrown
completely upon her own resources. Making
her way to New York she found employment
as governess, ana it WAS IN that capacity
that she had been engaged by Mrs. lenlOck
and had accompanied her 20 her New En8-
land home
When dinner was announced on that Christ
mas day Colonel FenlOck had entirely recoy-
cred his cOmposure and greeted the rural
guests who had been hidden to his hOspltab.e
board with his accustomed courtesy. To Miss
Mention he was particularly kind, explaining
his strange conduct OF the morning by saying
that be had been overcome 10y sudden dlzli-
ness He assured her that she should be IN
all respects O daughter OF the household and
said that nothing should be lett undOne TO
make her happy IA her new home.
And he more than kept his word. The
young Southern girl marveied at his fatherly
interest and kindness. Often She would find
him looking at her with tears in his owes. and
when he spoke to her his manner seemed even
more gentle than when he addressed hls own
daughters.
No one save Rena herself knew the meas
ilre of his affection Tor her lie seemed TO
keelsa certain secrecy IN II and % hoard it IN
his heart lie delighted T. anticipate her
every wish. lie could not bear osee q cloud
rpOn her iace lie could not bear 90 SOC her
Ait apart. lie seemed TO fancy that she felt a
slight when there was none.
Once his attention was attracted by the dia-
mOnd lOcket 10 which she had chung through
Ill viz tfia ,.f l..r il nov. },
showed him the picture it contained telling
him 1t was a picture OF her father his whole
frame shook with emotion and he hurried
from the room without word.
keuas hie was thus a very happy one
Mrs tenlock was as kind as the colonel
treating her as "a cherished daughter while
between herself and her young charges there
spreng up strong mutual affection.
AZ length year had passed away. Another
Christmas morning had como and Colonel
fenlock lny dying. An insidious disease
against which his iron constitution had
struggled long, was about 10 prove fatal az
ia O. When tie doctors told him that no had
but few more hours-perhaps only a few
more minutes Of lic-he desired that Mss
Mention be summoned % bis bedside
As She approached tears fell from his eyes
and IN broken voice he said. Ny poor
child, can you forgive the murderer OF your
father, Can you clasp again the hand that
Slew hm III the pride and yigor 81 bis noble
manhood We fought hand-to-hand ut Yicks-
burg. and no fell Can you forgive ne, as
trust God has done. for having made a widow
nnd an orphan, y on are silent Oh. IL You
VIII but say 4 forgive you this viii be- 70 me
the most blessed Christmas / have ever
known. for your words will lift dreadful
burden from my heart shall feel more than
over mat blessed peace and good Will which
he who was born on this day brought into
tne world and my soul will 20 out IN thank
iulhess 10 God for having answered tho
nlALer MhLNL -aa Lnan hn--r nd ho...l.. IN