Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-12-30
Ga One xse
New Years Eve

III
breath of viclets, as in passing, and
Ii he felt rather than saw Marie Sum
0lerheld go by.
4 Standing a little apart from the knots
n merry young people thronging the pleas
. pt rooms. he was conscious of thread OF
Sair running through the last night OF the
tld year, touching only Miss Summerheid
had himself.
I3v he. l mean Leigh Reyburn, the owner
the old-fashioned, low-roomed grange be
ath whose roof the young people CT Glad
rook had gathered to keep merry watch
Hieht. With music and laughter and gay
epartee they meant TO dance welcome
NJ the JOYOUS New Year without much
.|houpht for the staid old twelve month {
2hich had served them so faithfully.
But Leigh moved uneasily, sending i'm !
ing glances after the blue gown, all TO /
klrpose. Marie was absorbed with the i
ting company of Maurice Davenport, |
bs smiling her sweetest-and Marie
mile diyinely-and entertaining him
bly,.
burn was thinking hard, and, it must
afessed, uncharitaby. Had he wor-
y. and petted and lived for Miss Sum
6eld these two blessed sunlit years, to
Re hope and happiness 60 into the grave
the frail old year leaving nothing but
memories?
What was that Marie was singing to the
sweet-toned guitar she held so dalntliy'
strapped in place with blue rloand!
'.Ring out the old. ring in the new;
The year is dying, let it go:
Ring In the new; ring in the new"
Fer voice seemed to falter little on
the repeat as it fell to a soft cadence. Was
1T possible she was thinking Of the old so
tenderly-the old love. for instance! An.
well, he did not know
The yule log had burned out a week ago,
but he had not the heart to take up the
silvery ashes from the old, red brick hearth
as yet. Ever since that other night he had
kept his vow and closed his doors to al
nerriment for two long years. But some
| how the lads and lassies of Gladbrook had
lain their sympathies on his door-stone and
worked themselves into his good graces
once more, and before he realized what he
was doing he had given up the silent rooms
again to a Christmas party. But NO more New
Year frolics under his roof, he said; not until
well, maybe He stopped short in his
musings; still the remnant of the mistletoS
hung in the bracket work of the old chan
deher and he remembered now, as he looked
at il. how pure and fair Alicia Merrill
looked when Herman MontroSe kissed hel
beneath its potent spell week ago. She
put him in mind, o, so much, of her. Gov
ering his eyes for moment with trembling
hand, he went TO the window and lookeS
out White and glistening as an angel
wing lay the snow on the intervening fields
Over there was her house, but she had beer
away now for long time studying music
and he had heard, for she did not write Z
him, that her voice was simply divine, am
as a musician she was wonderful.
Nevertheless, ii was a night like this
nodding toward the flooding moonlight out
side. that thcy-he and she-had thei
misunderstanding. A spasm Of pain crosse
his fine face and he caught his breath
little. He could net tell just how it cam
about, never clearly understanding, but tina
might so much like this, and New Year
Eve, too, marked the beginning of their d
: --verxing paths And he had heard of d
verging paths which came together agai
after awhie
Tomorrow was the glad New Year agail
Would its happy greetings be only moe
cry to himi
Suddenly a thought, which had smou
dered in his mind for days, flashed up Ill
gleam OF heavenly light, radiating h
whole being
She was coming home tonight on the la