Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-08-25

the year Of which l write, reuuestina
him TO make his arrangements conform.
ably TO his return to England for the
ensuing Christmas (which tho baronet
particularly desired his godson would
spend as a guest beneath his roof, the
young man once again prepared TO ac-
cord unqrestioning obedience TO what
many would have held the
able caprice Of arbitrary old age.
Greta was home ''for good now,u in
schoolgirl ve%rnacular; for although
her education was by no means COM
p!ete, she mad taken her place perma-
nently at Bleak House at the conclu-
OF the present term as mistress OF
her grandfather'S house, where eminent
masters would in future attend to per-
feet her in various branches of instruc-
ton.
Next spring she was to be Intro
duced" in town, and after that, Sir Jas
per wac wont to say, gazing admiringly
into the girls lovely radiant face:
After that, Greta. ! suppose | must
prepare myself TO lose the treasure
whose inestimable value I all too tardi-
Iy recognized
But the girl made ever the same re-
Spouse. q delicate blush mounting
meanwhile to her creamy cheek:
You have nothing to fear. believe
me, grandpapa, from the great folks
you tell me | shall meet in town. Gre.
Ia gave her heart ~away-Oh. a long
time ago: and unless-unless somebody.
who should be nameless. ever comes TO
claim il. your little granddaughter will
live and die in single blessedness in the
tranquil %obscurity of Bleak House"
"Ah, but Bleak House will be Dick
Carlisle's some day, Greta.' the baro-
net on one occasion had made answer;
what will you do when he arrives TO
take possession of his property
For n long moment then, indeed,
she hesitated; her eyelids dropped, her
sweet lips trembled. but looking up
with shy grace into the Old mans face,
with irresistible nairae finally she made
reply; :. 49,,
think | should ask him to let me stay
here too, and | don't believe he would
turn me out! lie was very good 10 me,
you know, that dreadful night long
ago when | took refuge on the doorstep
in ~Piccadilly, he gave me warmth and
shelter then. why in the future should
he prove less kind? But if he did,
which | will not believe-don't call me
little go0Sic. grandpapa"-here Greta
stole close TO the old mans side. and
slipped her warm slender fingers within
his bOny hand-''I almost fancy IL
should sit down on the doorstep again
just 10 see him pass in and out. rather
than take my place on a satin couch by
the hearth Of any other: becauSe-weil,
j suppose because he was so good 10 me
long ago.
That he will be no less good to yOu,'
child. in the DAYS still ahead is my fer
vent hope and prayer Sir Jasper muir
INJURED somewhat huskily As he pressed
his lips to the girls soft flushed cheek.
pray Heaven Dick will come home 10
us unchanged. heart-whOle-the same
brave, true lad We parted from in
tears
"Grandpapa. a you doubt it?' the
little maiden questioned quickly, flash
ing a swift upward glance of momenta-
~ indignation into the old mans eyes.
Nay. hardly, Greta, when ! look
down into your sweet fair face and
then the baronet pressed his lips TO
hers. his heart full of a me~asureless
trust and content.
But now-alas. for the inconsistency
of woman,-as the carriage containing
the long-looked-for traveller swept sud-
denly round the angle Of the drive. and
drew up before the entrance doors.
Greta retreated precipitately from the
window, burying her face with sudden
trepidation in her small trembling
hands.
Come. dearest" Sir Jasper urged
gently. "let US descend together, and
welcome u guest!'
But the girl remained silent. motion
less, for one long momert-then. draw
ing nearer TO him, she whispered
shyly:
"Ycu 90 alone, II dare not come.
Suppose Dick should be-changed?''
But Dick himself Enthusiastically
proved a very few minutes later that,
albeit years of travel and experience
had bronzed his brow. added manliness
to his voice and bearing, dignity and
self-possession to his carriage, they had
In no wise served 10 affect his heart.
saving IN that il beat perhaps more fer
vently even than in days Of yore with
love FOR 1.-THE dear one at home"
Which generic term presumably in
Guided the girl To whom one pitiless
night he had accorded sheltcr-the girl
who. in her turn, had rescued him from
the very jaws OF a cruel death.
So. at any rate, the baronet saw rea-
sch 10 conclude, as, a few hours later.
with tranquil JOY at his OWN heart and
n suspicious moisture IN his eyes. he
watched two young heads-one dark.
the other golden-brown-bent very
close together as Greta sat before her
grand piano, and two fresh voices
clear soprano and dulcet tenor-harmo-
niously blending, rang out with strange
unwonted feryor the time-honored
Christmas carol of which English ears
shall never weary until, perchance, the
glad Millennium dawns.
Peace on earth, goodwill towards
men," soft and low the refrain ran; and
peace reigned paramount in each heart
within that spacious room: and good
will towards all humanity. the lOwly
and the suffering not less than towards
happier kindred souls. as the hungry
and the weary, the orphaned child, the
aged destitute, and the querulous in
firm for many a mile round Burnham
crossroads realized upon the morrow,
when two hundred famished souls as
sembled. responsive 70 the annual invi-
tatlon issued for years past by the mas
ter of Bleak House. to partake of the
historic fare-the roast beef and plum
pudding of Christmas Day, with a score
of other substantial dainties-provided
for their delectation at the local festi-
val held now each year in the baronet's
ample grounds. 'Greta's Feast"i it was
familiarly styled, though few, if any. of
those assembled guessed what good
cause for gratitude and rejoicing
swelled the hearts, on each recurring
Christmas Day, of grave Sir Jasper and
his lovely grandchild-aye. and of one
other likewise, whose identity the dis
eliminating reader surely needs no
garrulous historian To reveal.
III END.
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