The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-02-24

junior, was species Of FORMULATING
smile. He loved everybody and every
thing, and his lines always fell in easy
places. His wife was one of those pudgy
little women who are always in a fuss
until some emergency turns up and then
become as cool as clans. Her two child
rem favored the father and were al
ways grinning under their merry little
turned up noses.
In fact they were all dear, good people,
and as fond of each other as fond could
be.
"And why didn't your friend, the ma
jor, come along?" asked pudgy little
Mrs. Hartley as the dinner got under way.
Yes, my boy you should have iusis-
ted upon his cOmeing," added Grand
papa Hartley from the head of the table.
We're all SO matter of fact, you know.
little of his nonsense would have been
novelty"
Then as the questions came thick and
fast Cyril told the story of Christmas Eve
with unadorned simplicity. He told
aoout everything down TO the leaky boots.
And when he had finished his story
the little girl at his side leaned over.
sid" said she, Couldn't we do any
thing for him? Couldn't we all go and
call on him after dinner and make him
come down and spend the crest of the
Christmas here?"
That's just what was going to sug-
gest myself, Louise" interjected Mrs.
Hartley. "We'll all start right down i'm
mediately after dinner My husband
will take me and you, Helen" and she
pointed to Mrs. Wingfield, ''can pilot
Mr.. Thompson. Sid, you can lead the
way with Louise"
In that manner the entire matter was
settled satisfactorily, and, as Mrs. Hart
ley explained with great fussiness as
they started, it was their bounden duty
to go and see the old gentleman who
seemed to have no friends save Cyril to
think of him on Christmas day.
81 don't know that it was right of us to
bring Helen" suggested Mrs. Hartley to
her smiling husband as they drove
through the snow. "You know it was
on Christmas day that Charles proposed
to her, and it was the next Christmas
day that they were married, and =
"Yes, and it was on Christmas day
that the blackguard leVanted!" said Mr..
Hartley emphatically.
81 believe So" sighed his wife.
"Charles was weak, very weak; he could
never face misfortune. But Helen must
have gotten over it years ago. Ten years
is long time, my dear-a very long
time indeed"
The party drew up at 263. Never be-
fore had the maid of all work seen two
real private carriages stopping at the
lodging house door, and she peeked
through the window whereat she was
washing the dishes she guessed that
there must be a mistake.
But when she opened the door and
saw Cyril she knew for whom the visit
ors had called.
"The major, sir, Lor' sir, the majors
nearly dyin'. He's in bed, sir. l think
they'll be takin' him to the hospital. He
was lynn all of heap on his floor this
morning, an Mrs. Gales-that's he land
lady, sir-says as how he hadn't nOthin'
to eat in a week or more"
"You had better let me go up alone"
said Cyril. but Louise ran up after him,
and Mrs. Hartley pulled and painted still
farther in the rear.
Wien Cyril entered the room the ma
jor was lying pale and faint looking in
his bed. His gray face looked awfully
haggard on the white pillow; his eyes
were sunken in his head.
you're a brick, Sid, my boy; but
what are you here for?" he gasped.
"WhOse that with you? The little one,
ell? God bless her! Stand back and let
nae Loeb 80 NOR Uoy
All, my God--God bless you, Sid!
God bless you'll"
He sank back exhausted with his hand
in that of his friend. At the same time
pair of soft arms clasped Cyrils neck.
Don't let mamma come up, Sid. It's
him, it's him! Don't let mamma come
up"
The girl knelt down by the major and
kissed him.
"Father!" she called to him, don't
you know your baby Lou?''
Well. it was bit late to stop the two
older ladies. Even as Cyril stopped
down over his kneeling sweetheart Mrs.
Hartley pulled in through the door, aud
Helen Wingfield was with her.
Later that evening the major sat prop
ped up in pillowed chair in the Hart
ley's drawing room and a pale faced
woman stood over him.
Somehow nobody spoke, and there was
something glistening in the wrinkled
corners of the sick mans eyes.
Nervously pretending to forget the
lost past he glanced at his battered shoes.
They leaked, Sid, my boy: they
leakedI You know they did,"
The pale faced woman bent nearer him.
That's all over now, DEAR" she whis-
pered. Forget; forget"
Silently the Others stole away from the
room.
Listen to the chimes, Lou" said Cy-
ril as they stood in the gloom of the
outer lobby. The vesper bells of Christ
mas were ringing through the town, but
Louise Wingfield never heard them.
With her arms around his neck she was
sObbing like a child on his bosom.
Whether it was from love or gladness one
really cannot tell; but the Christmas
chimes were ringing outside, and the