Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-12-19

4
mother could see aim now-that
mother whose patient, loving face was
pictured on canvas in the quaint old
fashioned frame hanging on the parlor
| wall
Ills nephew, Alex. handsome lad.
led him up to the same room in the old
fashioned house which he had occupied
when . boy, furnished with the same
high backed rush seated chair, and the
low bed, with tall, carved corner posts;
4 the old prints and knicknaoks and
books And over the fireplace was
photograph OF Eleanor Kent!
! lie threw himself into d chair, ova.-
come with emotion at the many men,
cries Of his young days that arose be-
tore him like ghosts from The past.
In the afternoon he went out with
I his two eldest nephews, Alex and Sam.
10 see the shop windows and when
they returned all three had their arms
filled with presents Hie was very
happy, II some OF those married fell
lows In 81. Louis could see him nowl
The sense Of loneliness which had
haunted him for years was gone. ana
1 YET Tin week he would be back again
IN that quiet house of his in st. Louis,
with no other occupant save the faith
full Sarah Burns.
II was Christmas eve. All the lights
were burning brightly in the McCray
mansion Uncle Dick and the chill
dren-- he had never realized before
what good companions children were
had been busy all afternoon decorating
/ the hugo Christmas tree. Against
4 evening II was glorious sight TO be.
hold. The children had never been so
I happy. All of them had gotten an
unusually large number Of presents.
/ Uncle Dick alone had bought three and
/ four each, even the baby In the big
sitting room the presents we're dis
I played on an old mahogany table that
/ reminded you of some wild beast OF
the forest when you gazed down at
/ the formidable looking claws which
\ served for It's feet But the table
could not contain them all. so several
chairs We're placed on either side OF It
to hold the overflow exhibition
AS the evening waned Uncle Dick
and Papa MeCray III their cigars and
went out for walk. They had been
gone but i few minutes when there
was a ring at the doorbell, and Flea
nor Kent and her aged mother en-
tered, both bringing presents for the
children.
| Although dressed very plainly. Flea
nor never looked handsomer. The II
years which had passed since her early
and only love affair had touched ncr
| lightly. She was now 35, but looked
much younger
She was great favorite with he
children, 20 Gale, her Aunt Flea
nor" They showed her the tree, the
, presents and then"uncle Dicks
home" thc2 said watching her face to
| see reflection there OF their own de-
| light at the return Of one whom she
had SO often told them about But
only a little nervous smile trembled on
her lips and died. And very soon
afterward she must return home.
She must write the names Of her Sum
day school scholars In the pretty.
cheap books she had bought for them
and practice the offertory she was to
sing on the morrow, and, and
But the children would not hear ~
1t. They dragged her 10 the piano AID
forced her to play for them as hey
sang Jolly Old St Nicholas They
shouted the rolllching song with such
lusty chorus that old Mrs Kent was
/ afraid they would awaken the baby,
whose wrath when angefed was terri
BILE, but Mrs McCrey treasured her
and begged Eleanor to sing the Offer
tory she was TO sing at st. Brides,
while Shepherds Watched Their
Flocks by Night But Eleanor didn't
know it without music. Her hands
strayed over the keys, making little
/ impromptu chords and cadences and
then struck the prelude to Tostl's
Memories" one Of those songs that
may upon the human heart strings,
Many d time when alone she sang It.
j but II was not song for Christmas
, eve; II was too sad.
AS Richard Jennings and his brother
in-law re-entered the house, the sound
OF her rich, sweet voice reached their
ears.
"Who Is singing2" asked Richard.
TITS Eleanor Kent was the reply.
! Low and clear and sweet the words.
molten into music, reached their ears:
There is no note OF all your songs Of
yore
That does not speak to me Of you once
more.
There is no place we two have ever
seen
That does not whisper Of the might
! have been.
\ There Is no path Of all that once We
knew
That does not hold some memories Of
! you.
Still though they call the wild tears
to mine eyes.
would not yield them for a paradise.
The two men entered the room