The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-12-26

There was q profound sensation. saAss.
1.-THE older ones will remember the cir.
cumstances" he went on. with furtive
glance at Squire Halliday. and that there
was more Of grief thnn indignation among
ua Would we not DO glad TO know that
he who did the deed, had lived down both
It and tho disgrace bravely, had made an
honorable place for himself among men
and had now come forward to repair the
wrongt"
There was one suspended breath around
him.
"If he were here, would You, could You
not even find 1t In your hearts to give him
frank and hearty hand Of fellowship"
Eyes, ycsl We would!" on all sides.
"Those in favor of Santa Claus unmask-
ing at once will say Aye"
One tremendous and unanimous HAyer'
resounded.
Santa Claus stepped forward from the
shelter Of the tall Christmas tree. He
threw off his fantastic garments The
grotesque mask of the evening fell to his
feet, carrying the white wig and beard
along with 1t, and man not over 80, with
square jaw and pathetic, dark eyes, which
held the shadow Of past suffering in them,
stood barred to these questioning chances,
with mingling of shrinking sensitive
ness and manly self possession that won
the hearts Of the entire crowd at once and
forever.
Everybody swayed toward him. The
older people were tracing the likeness of
the brown, manly face to the boyish one
they remembered before his life had suffer
cd eclipse.
"I'm blowed II isn't Dick Halliday him
selfP' was Captain Roundaway's sup
pressed comment.
"Dick. Halliday Why, It's Dick, sure
enough Wouldn't you have known him
anywherep" sounded over the church.
Squire Halliday and his wife had their
faces hidden.
II thought there was something all fired
familiar ABOUT him the day he rode on the
stage with me, said Caleb Dashahead In
deep disgust at his own stupidity.
He's fine fellow II be has worn prison
garb, was the comment Of DR.. Chalifoux
to Captain Roundaway. Comes OF good
stock, you see. Had the grit to live it
down."
EYES," assented the captain absently.
~ wish he had steered clear Of the rocks
in the first place" he added, with his eyes
on Milicent's face, now flooded with a
mild radiance as of moonlight. 1t was
plain she still loved him. II the broken
/ engagement was to be reversed, why them
Dick stood there silent 1t was trying
ordeal, this bidding publicly for the re-
spect and confidence Of his townspeople
with the faint of dishonor not yet outlived.
To one of Dicks nature sin brings its own
punishment But, seconded by Mr.. Mel
lsdew, he had dared all In this peculiar
fashion, because he longed, let 1t be whis-
pered, to be reinstated fully for the sake
of Milicent, whose life he had SO shame
fully clouded.
The murmur in the church swelled to q
round of heartfelt applause. What but
large, generous sentiments could have
been tho outcome of that EVENING"
my friends, thank you," Dick began
and broke down completely.
Squire Halliday and his wife were max
ing their way up the aisle. There were
few dry eyes in the church as the father,
whose proud heart had been bowed in
shame over his dishonored name, grasped
Dicks outstretched hand with trem-
bling "God bless you, my sonp' and the
mother, whose heart had yearned over her
Maynard boy all these years, drew his
head down upon her breast tenderly and
dropped tears Of Joy upon his face.
! "Makes me think Of the night she first
held him in her arms, 30 years ago." said
Dr.. Chalifoux In broken voice.
Halliday ought to be proud Of him.
rejoined Lawyer Winthrop, whose plead
ing had shortened Dicks sentence. at
isn't every young fellow who can recover
from slip SO thoroughly"
~ move we march round and give him
handshake," said Lawyer Winthrop.
Seconded and carried, and Dick, as they
filed up the aisle to welcome him, wonder
ed II IL was only last night he had lain
awake shrinking from imagined hisses
and epithets such an are apt to descend
upon sinners Of his stripe.
Up they came-Mr. Melladew beamine
over the unanimous and hearty reception
when he had feared deep seated prejudice
Rev. Mr.. Merrivale resting his hand or
Dicks head with hearty Happy Christ
mas" DR.. Chalifoux with hard grip tina,
spoke Volumes On and on they came
Billy Bowline and Ned, Deborah Tenny
In her armchair, with tears on her lashel
and a smile about her mouth; Milicent
with sweet flushed face and tremuloui
!, lips, still In her cloud Of drapsry, letting
her warm palm rest In his, frankly ant
,, tenderly even; Captain Roundaway, with
all reservations vanishing from his big
kindly nature, nurtured on old ocean
!. when he looked keen and close into Dick
half pleading, honest eyes; the orphans
!, too, bonbons in their cheeks and things
Rugged under their arms; everybody, il
fact Milicent's face had told tales.
At last scattering to the lower regions
where a spread awaited those who wer
left with an appetite.
, Dick was seated between his father ant
mother, who were flankcd by DR.. Chali
I foux, Lawyer Winthrop and the rest Of tn
"old stock, and MIR. Melladew took on
letters from Dicks friends in California
and passed them round, and Dick mus
needs recount how he worked his way on
to the Pacific coast as a hand before tn
mast and struck it rich in the goldflel'
after hand to hand tussle and afterwart
went into business in San Francisco
where he now had many friends, which h
? did with hating speech, modestly, for thi
: whole hearted ignoring of grave misdee,
by oil Of them quite overcame him.
So Dick came into the confidence of hi
q home friends on the crest of the Christina
wave.--New York Mercury.
Church Of the Nativity.
~, a,