Evening star., 1900-11-17
Copyright. 1900, by q. w. Dillingham; Coz
CHAPTER 1.


Christmastide in Old Kentucky.
Mcrrily squeaked the fiddes. Merrily
rang the rafters with quip and jest and joy
Gus mirth, with the stamp and swing and
go of the dance. Right han across-now
de lef'-dosydo-swing yo' pahdnuhs-all
hans roun.' " shouted Harkless, black ma
jor domo of BelIeview, the doctors famous
homestead and there at the sideboard la
ding out eggnog of his own inimitable COM
position, from the huge silver bowl that
had borne for three generations the arms
of the Holts of Surrey-there in dark bue
clawhammer with fiat gilt buttons. in waist
goat of buff nankeen and in snowy-frilied
choker, there stood the genial, jovial host
himself. In two long lines the dancers ad-
yanced, retired. balanced and swung-fair,
winsome girls the one hand. bold. stall
wart young gallants upon the other Along
the walls, on divans. sofas and chairs gos-
Siped dozen smiling matronS, sprlnk ing
of elder beauX. At every door and window
were kinky. curly or turbaned heads ana
wide-opened eyes of dozens of darky re-
tainers. whose nimble feet beat time inces.
sanity to the stirring music or u nc
POmpS' black orchestra. Three nddleS,
viola, tambo and bones. all in expert
harGs threw into the old tunes Of Money
Musk and the NiTS mia reel VerVe ana
vim and spirit that time and again set even
gray heads to bObbing-eyen veteran. equity
toes to tapping IN irresistible sympathy.
FestCUuS. garlandS and wTeathS of ever
green draped the walls, windows and the
heavily framed portraits of bygone Hoits
Silver hagons and Iankards cleaned on
martnl and buffet: silver sCOnces and can
dclaa5u with crystal pendent prismS, and
bristling with wax candles. shone and jim
gleG On mantel wall and Sideboard; coiored,
opaioScent lights glOved in dim recesStS
among the greens, glass ana SouFd poii
furnishing the inclosing spheres. toXes
masks gTinHed above the broad hreplaceS.
where the Goals of famous hickory logs
were still alive. Foxes brushes. hunting
caps crops. whips and spurs hung here ana
tLrra uuou the wall Red-berr.ed sharp
SIined dark-leaved holly stood pert and
pi.m in every nook and corner, While from
H., rross-beams overhead III the very center
OF tne big bay-wndowed room hung sin
gle .,rray of paler, aSnen green, amid whose
curling leaves peeped tiny globes OF creamy
white. Spfig that vested the place pe-
r,a1h with strange and thrilling interest
supt to be Coyly shurned by every maid
and eagerly sought by every man who knew
the saving grace Of the thrice blessed mis-,
fl-rr". and brilliant were the device and
StrrrIEem by which each sought TO iuFe
dnth.rAIng damsels within the enchanted
limits there to claim and take forfeit for
her Gurgvtfulness. for these were the ante
hcIiy.r1 DAYS in the borderland of the sunny
south. this was evening in the blthe
Chris mas holiday season and in an Ola
kentucky home.
Ami ~ long after II at night, only once
h. Ismsel been fairly caught. and for
rl-s., two Lorna Walton. brilliant belle
from Louisville, was rightly Ghargeaoie, 1oF
f,r gown was creation Kate Kay OF Lex
tu-.tru gave more thought 10 than any man
IA -I, room could claim. She was gazing
q. this, thinking only OF this. when SUD
denly swung beneath the enabling parasite
and ,Immarily kissed by Henry Holt, the
DOCTORS eldest son. That she was shdmed,
sJri,i,s and startled, for the room resounded
with applause aid laughter helped her not
on. whit. She flew at him with blazing
Checks ani eyes and furiuusly threatening
ItrI,. hands hut he was long and 1.-the ana
an t.rpar- iodger. "AhH pay You some
DAY Misih Harry Clay Holt had to be
her Sple satisfaction for the time being. Nor
was she uOlitied Wnen. hard4y t"eht! HILL
ute, later and possibly through the same
cav-e pretty Lou Ward was trapped and
pinioned and, despite frantic struggles, falr-
ly kissed by very good-!oohlns young
g.IeSf from Ohio, a comparative stranger al
Bee wv 1t wouldn't have been SO bad,
saiG Miss Lou. had it been one of their own
set because Kentuckians are always. or
nearly ALWAYS, cousins, and II not, nave
known each other so long and well they
arr lust as good as related. But this Mr..
Nallny" said Lou, isn't one Of US at all
Besides; ANYBODY could see, zee any p.gdltoa gLri al
wa M Kentucky girl. 1t was Miss Lane
fINn across the Ohio"
And Miss Lane was damsel many
ran would have followed further a maid
mar!y a man would be pardoned for sin
Cling out even in the midst Of a bevy of
kentucky women on ther native meath.
She was above the middle height. slender,
vet with rarely rounded form. Her hands
aud feet We're long and slim and exquisitely
mClitd. Her hair was almost chestnut
brown soft, shimmering and gloriously
ab-ud4nt, but her face was one no man
Cr>id look at and forget-oVal delicately
,ri-.-Tet with the sOftest curves and mer-
M. diulples. Her eyes We're radiant, of
deepest blue. shaded by long, dark. curvine
la-aeS and overarched by thick heavy
Ir.,Na Of deeper brown than her glossy hair
Tur nrsr. stra ight and small, one never
s, ,l.eI 10 see simply because of the beauty
N witching beauty-of the soft, sweet
r,.rr;h. between whose red portals cleaned
tvu ruws Of snowy, faultless teeth Set
81. 70 q head on full, rounded neck, above
pIer.5- sIoping shoulders, all dazzling white.