The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-12-24
Selett Stnrp.
CHRISTMAS Is COMING.


every leafess tree that was in the woods
had been a New Year belle hung witt
diamonds, they couldn't have scintilatsd
more brightly in the blue radiance of the
purple cloudless sky, while the copse OF
dark. mysterious cedars, clinging together
like solemn old monks, tossed their taper
crests at every breath Of wind. The very
faces, rough and ragged enough even in
the golden summer tide had been touched
by the enchanter wand, and looked a.
if they were carved in glittering pearl,
while here and there clusters of scarlet
berries cleaned through the network of
the old woods like pendants of flame. And
there was something strangely harmonious
with this sweet rural landscape in the sill
very twang of the old stag horn, waking
all the echoes of the snowy hill and dying
away among the dusky-cedars, as the pom
derous relic of antique days rolled heavily
on the road.
HOh, ISM that beautiful = exclaimed
little Fanny Steward, leaning out of the
stage window to let the bracing breeze
blow her curls. See that lovely slope of
snow up among the black tree stems of
yonder glen-it looks like white velvet
and there goes flock Of snow birds ! o,
| can hardly breathe enough of this exhil-
Grating air Thank, God for Christmas
time p
The only other inside passenger
nervous looking old gentleman wrapped up
to the nose in costly furs, uttered an in
distinct grunt of dissent
'Don't you think it is a delightful sea-
son, sir?'' asked Fanny, modestly.
Every delightful" returned the old
gentleman, sarcastically. "Snow up to
your eyes-everything frozen stiff, blue
nosed boys bawling songs which they have
the assurance to call carols, through the
roads, and rheumatism and toothache in
every gust of wind y
Fanny could not help smiling-"Still, "
said she hesitating, II think we ought to
be very thankful"
~ tell you what young woman, said
her companion, dogmatically, 'when you
have lived to be as old as am-sixty- two
this very Christmas day-you Il probably
discover that we haven't many things to
be thankful for after all. y
Fanny Steward was silent. She was
very thankful for the brightness of that
Christmas morning and the blue smiling
heaven above. Yes, though she was only
a poor little dressmaker, and her father
worked for his daily bread, there was
something at her heart always warbling a
perpetual psalm of gratitude. And the
grim misanthropy of her chance compan-
ion was an inscruitable riddle to her simple
nature.
She ventured no more remarks until the
stage emerged from Il sort of hollow in the
road, revealing brilliant landscape, with
a superb mansion towering up on the dis
tant hill, and cozy looking village nest
ling near
"There it isl can see it through the
trees p exclaimed Fanny ioyously, forget
ting in her estacy the presence of her com
paniOn.
''See what p
MY fathers cottage-there, beyond
the tall cluster of pine trees He is Mr..
Melworth's gardner, sir, and Mr.. Mel
worth owns that tall house with the colo
made of pillars on the hill. They say he
is very singular gentleman. sir-he is
scarcely ever at home
'sShows his wisdom, should say, re-
marked the old gentleman.
''It is lovely place and cost Il great
deal of money to build pursued little
Fanny thoughtfully. ''Oh, if | were only
as rich as Mr. Melworth. y
"Well, what would you do p
"What wouldn' l do p said the young
girl, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks
tinged with varying color. ~ would
make every one about me happy on this
Christmas day would send fifty dol
lars to Mr.. Gray, the minister, who is
working himself to death on a salary of
just nothing at ALL would send pres
ent to poor Mr.. Higgins and his wife,
and
s'Go on, let hear what else you would
do if you were as rich as Mr.. Melworthr"
said the old gentleman. -
II would put hundred dollar bill into
blank envelope, and send it to Harry
Martyn!''
"And who is Harry Martyr p
He is-he is a very particular friend
of my mothers.
"Oh, thought so And of your own,
suppose, too. But what he going to
do with his hundred dollar bill, hey p
Nothing, sir p faltered Fanny, lit
tie abashed, "only he is teaching school
to earn money to go to college, and-and
it would help him so much o.
"Hum-m-m commented the old gen
tleman, under his breath. at would be
very fine thing, wouldn't it, if you were
rich 2
Fanny hung down her head, painfully
conscious of being the object of sneering
satire, but in few minutes, as she was
alighting in front of the little cottage
among the tall pine trees, he said kindly
noddiug to her.
Goodbye, my little girl-if all ricl
people made as sensible use of their for.
tunes as you will of yours-if you ever ge
1.-THE world would be considerably i'm
proved.
And Fanny Stewart watched the stag
disappear, with a curious uncertainty il
her mind as to whether she liked tn
strange old gentleman or not.
Half an hour later there was clear fir
burning in the library of Melworth Place
where the dark oaken panels rehecte,
every flicker of the dancing flames, an,
polished holly leaves tapped against tn
easement with the weird motion of tn
sighing wind.