The age-herald., 1899-12-17
CriStnnaS. . Eve
...WisiOn1. . :. . |.
s.: ,s;

It was late Christmas eve when my ball dress was sent home, and Marie, my dainty fingered French maid, had finished braid ing my heavy black hair and adjusted my new headdress, an exquisite diamond ban deau. Nora brought up the dress nicely folded and Marie sprang to take it from its wrappngs and lay it out on the bed.
 As Marie lifted the dress and shook it's rich folds, slip of paper fell to the carpet. It was madames bill, and I was little star tied as my eyes ran over 1.-two hundred dollars! But then the trimmings rich lace and cord dor, were perfect. It was an expensive dress, but didn't think it would be quite that, and Mir. Gordon had said that money had been getting tight for some time back. l wouldn't show him the bill just yet, so l thrust it into q drawer of my dresser and turned to Marie, who stood waiting to dress me.
 I was contemplating my reflection in the mirror with much complacency when the door opened and Mr. Gordon came in For a moment l was half frightened at his pale face and grave air, but he said: "I only stopped for moment Mrs. Gordon, to say that l shall not be able to join you at madame's tonight. Business affairs will keep me down town late."
 Before I could ask him what he thought of my dress he passed out of the room and presently I heard the street door close. It was nothing new for me to attend parties without the escort of my husband, for somehow he was always immersed in busi- mess, neither was it new for MT. Gordon to look grave or pale; for he had lost his fresh color these late years.
 At length l was ready, and was driven to the home of Madame Stapleton.
 One ball is so similar to another in the world of fa SbiOn that to recount how the hours passed in Madame's drawing rooms would be to tax your patience. Sufficient to say that it was long after the midnight chimes had rung when I was handed from my carriage to my own door by the most distinguished gentleman of my set
 The atmosphere of the drawing-room was deliciously warm in contrast with the tenn perature of the sharp December night with out. It was pleasant to sit there with my dainty slippered feet over the register, and the waves of lustrous silk bathing the carpet and reflect that I swan on the top most wave of the sea of fashion in the city around me, and the Christmas chimes ring ing out from the church towers and the warm air stealing up from the register soothed my senses to delicious calmness.
 Suddenly while I sat thinking, from the dim corners of the drawing-room seemed to glide out train of figures, each dressed ar unfashionable garments of by-gone dovs. and vet. strange to say, each gar went was recognized by me as something +bat I had worn in those days; and in the face of each figure turned toward me I beheld my own! The hgures Snded around me then seated themselves on the onnosite side of the apartment, each look inc at me steadily and with my own dark eyes Gradually the figure nearest my right seemed to invest itself with the accessories of a nicture and thin mist hid the others from my sight.
 A child of ten summers stood in the yard of an old brown farm house, with the Vestering light of the sunset streaming over the building and bathing her tiny fingers in a flood of gold. I did not speak even in a whisper, while the picture of my entire childhood was unrolled before me; but thoughts like these glided athwart my brain: "Was I once that happy -hearted, wild, romping child, whose greatest care was to please her parents, and whose greatest grief the loss of some woodland pet?'
 Even while sat gazing, the scene slowly faded and put from the dim mists that had enfolded the figure nearest the child rose fair and clear the second picture be- fore me.
 A slender, beautiful maiden stood in the moonlight beneath the rustic porch draped with honeysuckles that climbed over the farmhouse door. It was Daisy, but a child no longer. She wore neat but simple dress of pale pink muslin, and a single white rose plucked from the bush beside the doorstep adorned her hair. Suddenly firm step came up the walk leading to the farm house. It was a young and frank-faced man who joined her; and Daisy blushed and they went In and sat down together in the moonlight by the west room window Elo- uuence was not necessary to love in those days and Daisy and Charles Gordon sat long in the moonlight and talked together. Charles always thought he must leave at g, but he is in no haste tonight. Ten, half past 10, Il goes by, and there they stand Tn the moonlight. When they part a tender kiss burns on Daisy's cheek and slender gold ring gleams on her finger She and Charles are betrothed and she goes to her chambr to sleep the first dream of happy plighted love.
 For a moment stretch out my hands to- ward the maiden In the farmhouse but the scene grows dim, the figures fade and another picture unfolds before my view.
 It was bridal scene. Charles had grown mere grave-looking. for he was a business man now and three years had added lustre to Daisys fuller figure. Both were trusting