The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-12-24
A CHRISTMAS PRESENT
That Brought "Peace and Goodwill "
- Fisher Folk


BIZ HARRIET PREsCOTT SPoFFoRD.
Copyright, 1891. by Globe Press Association.
You promised to-" she said.
You promised when We were mar
Tied that you'd take me up to moth
er's, whenever / wanted to go!" and
The color went and came on her rose
leaf skin. and her eyes glowed with
something very unlike the pathetic
expression which the lifting Of their
Dropping lids was won't to give their
darkness. / don't see no reason
az do" he said very busy with the
hinge Of his big pocket knife.
"There isn't any reason, except
that I amt dressed out in silks and
saflns."
"What the deuce do care for silks
and satins!''
"You'd orter."
Joe looked up with q flash of blue
lire in his eyes, and one strong word
on his lips.
ooh, yes" she cried, then, "you
can swear at your wife,
But the bride was on again, and Joe
said no more
"At any rate" she cried, with exas-
peration, "Pd keep my world"
"Oh, it isn't good enough to keep"
he answered, with a laugh. eff I
must keep anything, I'd rather keep
my temper.
"Well temper or no temper, amt
a-goin' to stay down here and keep
Christmas with your folks. I dom
believe in keeping Christmas. I
20 -
nothing would make me give or take
4 Christmas present, its just popish-
nass, just n part Of low ring down to
idols. l don no. what my mother'd
say to see me hopping an moving in
your mothers church -
You let my mothers church
alonew
Pm sure I'm willin' to let it alone. "
Then do, >" and he went on rubbing
the rust from the hinge of his knife,
a he sat with one foot swinging over
the corner of the table
/ should have il real good time if
/ went up 10 Mothers" she began
again. They're all to home now.
An you jest want me stay here an
slave an git up 4 dinner for your
folks"
Ills kinder strange, L know, that
L should like to hevmy mother an the
rest of 'em come an see what a home,
an what wife I've got"
can have me pulled to pieces with
their talk afterward. I amt agoin' to
stand it. I'm goin' up home this az
ternoon."
"This is your home.''
"ThiSi" she said. "Thisi with
nothing but that great dreary river
and bay to look at from day to dark,
dazzled to death when the sun shines
and chilled to the soul when it's grey
MOI my homes up there in the pine
woods on the mountains and allus
will be-"
Il thought a woman's homo was
with her husband" said Joe; and his
voice trembled ever so little with the
trouble that came into his handsome,
bright face You married a fisher
man. and his home has to be by the
water"
L haze the waterr'
Come, come, Sally. You know the
doctor said you wasn't to git into a
temper"
Then what do YOU put me in a
YOU let me gn,to my mother who'll
take car" of NEE"
Because the doctor said" Joe an
sw"rrd. slowly and distinctly. that
the Journey wouldn't do, for one
thing. An ! Thought we'd hev a good
tim" to home together our first
Christmas. An | can't 90 with you,
for there : an order to fill that'll keep
IN" looking to my travis all the week. -
Then I'll go alonev she ex-
claimed.
Then 90 alone!" he Numbered,
all control giving away.
An if do. I'll stay"
STAY forever for all O. me!' and he
dashed out of the house ard banged
the door behind him. And Sally,
looking after him moment wide
eyed, saw him stride down to the slip,
with his oars on his shoulder, and
loose his boat and make off over the
grey water to the harbor- mouth where
the white breakers curled beyond the
long horns OF sand. And then he dis
appeared into the greyer mist beyond,
where his travis had been set over
night.
Stay forever for all O mel" she
was repeating like the tick of clock,
while she watched him; for his own
burst Of anger had in some measure
recalled her to herself. Stay forever
for all O mel'
And then, "Oh, he don't care q
thing about mel He don't care a
thing about mel" she walled, sinking
IL 4 little heap beneath the window
He WON'T take the trouble to take
me up 10 mothers, when I'm Just per
ishing to see her, when he knows
can't he sick down here away from
'eiu all. He's tired of inches left
OF caring oh. | didn't think he'd Git
tired in one years time! An he
wants mo to git a dinner to-morrel
for his mother and the girls aiH't
got no feelin' for me- And then she
started up to look for his boat again
but il had gone out into the mist; and
she sank back with her sobs and bel
complaints.
BY and by the little creature rose
and went out into the other room anG
bathed her eyes at the sink there. u
don't care, she said, to herself HE
told me to go. an l will. He Won
find me here when he comes back. He
told me to go. He jest as good q:
turned me outdoors" And she went
upstairs to put her things into the boz
in which she had brought them.
How differently Sally Ross had fell
when she packed that box before
What shy, glad bushes bending ovel
it as she folded away her slight ward
robe and the linen Of her mother.
weaving enough then to leav.
the little starved farm in the pine
forest on the mountain and come t.
this house by the riverside, where tn,
sturdy young fisherman had made he
home, with such Joy in the making
Al 4, NJ