The Globe-republican., 1892-12-30
MAJOR PENDALLAS.
A Christmas Love Story.
BY FRANK r. STOCKTON.

more enjoyment than had counted on
for this Christmas.
A young man and q young woman,
both of lively disposition, good friends.
fellow-workers, and nothing more, are
much more likely to have a merry time
in a case like this than if they were a
pair of lovers, or even il one Of them
were a lover. True love implies GER
tain seriousness, and is not infreQuent-
ly conducive to occurrences.
| The snow was deep on the road and
sometimes drifted, but the sleigh went
through it well enough. The horse,
however. probably not very good trav-
eler on the best Of roads, made but slow
progress. But although he was an ami
NAL of deliberate action. possessing, as
Miss Weldon thought, an aesthetic turn
| of mind, which made him object to de-
stroy the virgin smoothness Of the snow
with his great hoofs, he was strong,
and that was the main point. With rea-
son to believe that We should safely
reach our journeys end, it did not trou-
BILE me that we were making that jour-
ney slowly, and my companion appeared
to be Of my way of thinking. The beauty
of the snow-decorated forests, fields,
and hills was enough to make our ar
tist hearts satisfied, even if the horse
should decline to do more than walk.
1t began to grow dark, and we had not
reached the hospitable mansion to which
We were bound, but there was beauti-
full weirdness in the snow scenes, soft
ened by the dusky light, and our hearts
and the bells were still merry. But as
it grew darker and darker we both be-
gan to wish that we stood in the light
and the warmth of the Dolliver house.
1 whipped the horse, who made few
bounds through the snow and then re-
lapsed into his former trot. It was no
use to try to hurry him.
Several times Miss Weldon had as
sured me that she was not in the least
anxious, and that she was sure we
should now reach the house in a very
short time. think she was about to
say something of the kind again, when
suddenly she exclaimed In voice that
had ring of hearty cheerfulness in it,
very different from her previous express
sions of thoughtful encouragement:
Here it is. Didn't 1 tell you? We
are at the very gate.
Sure enough, there was the gate with
lamp on one Of the posts, and there in
the midst Of its whItened grounds was
the house, its windows lighted and a
lamp on the piazza.
When pulled up to the door, I at
tempted to bound from the sleigh, but
my bound was poor one, for found
that my legs were somewhat stiffened
by the cold. AS helped Miss Weldon
to alight, could perceive that she was
not nearly 80 active as had generally
known her. The door opened before we
had time to reach it, and an elderly
woman. with Christmas look about
her, which was absolutely warming,
stood In the broad portals.
We stopped on the piazza before en-
tering, stamping and shaking ourselves,
for we were two figures of snow.
Our valises are in the back of the
Sleigh" said, and, to my surprise, my
teeth chartered little as spoke. Il
one takes him."
We then went in. Suddenly Miss
Weldon stopped and looked from right
to left. and, turning to the good wom-
an, she exclaimed:
"Of course not, said the other; did
you think it was? Major Pendallas
lives here"
Miss Weldon and I looked at each
other in dismay.
We have made a mistake" I said.
How much further on is it to the DOL
liver placer"
1T isn't farther on at all," the
woman replied; 1t is not on this road
at all"
1T is too bad," said. They told
US at Boynton it was q straight road,
and we could not miss it.
so it is; but three miles below here
there is fork that anybody might mis-
take, especially at night, with the roads
unbroken. But come in and get warm;
you must be half frozen. I'll have