Smyrna times., 1900-12-19

Merrily, cheerily, rang out the
chimes on the cold frosty air, telling
to all the glad tidings of another
Christmas morn with its good will and
bounteous cheer.
To the heart of one listener it seemed
as though all the elves of fairy land
had come forth and invaded the old
belfry, and with those tiny silver ham
mers were making the bells ring as
they never had rung before. No one
would have suspected Eleanor Cope
land of having a romantic side to her
nature.
She always seemed to her friends
very calm and sweet, but not easily
moved or carried away by emotion.
She did not know why her heart was
attuned to glad songs this bright morn
ing any more than the bird knows
why he sings his Joyous song.
But as she drew aside the curtain
and threw open the window to let in
the pure, invigorating air, she felt that
Joy and gladness had come into her
life like a flood, filling corners she had
supposed sealed up long ago.
She remembered one other Christ
mas morning that had been like this,
when she was younger by seven years
than now, when with eager ears she
had listened to other Ginning bells and
thought the whole earth one roseate
cloud of bliss.
How fresh it seemed to her now; she
had resolutely put it out of her mind
for so long, but for this once fancy and
memory must have their way. How
carefully she had dressed that other
Christmas morning. A smile lights
up her features as she recalls it all.
Her dark blue dress with the dainty
trimmings and the hat to match, her
mirror had told her what a charming
picture she made, and after the morn
ing service at the church, a manly
voice had told her the same story even
more emphatically.
What happy day that as-she can
recall every tone of his voice and the
expression of his eyes as they looked
with loving fondness into hers.
She revels in the memory of it all as
she stands there, so wrapped in her
thoughts as to be oblivious ofthe flight
of time, but a sober look comes Ovel
her face as she thinks of the separa-
ton that followed so soon after. Fol
the next morning Frank had left fol
the West to build a home for then
both.
But how often the best placed plani
fail. A bundle of well-worn letters
testify to a faithful correspondence for
a year, and the last ones speak of 6
hope of soon claiming his bride. But
alas, their date only extended over the
first year of his absence. After thai
there was a total silence, an uncertain.
ty so much harder to bear than GER
tainty.
He had no relatives to whom sh'
could go for information and as day
and months crept by with still M
word from him, she settled herself il
the belief that he was dead. The mis-
cry and wretchedness of those day
were craven on her heart with sucl
a deep pressure that the intervenin;
years had no power to efface it. Blu
to all Outw ard appearance she was tn
same cheerful, helpful Eleanor she ha
ever been; and this morning sh
lifted her heart to God in grateful
prayer for the many blessings bestowe
upon her, not the least of which sh
counted the memory of having love,
and been loved by a good man.
No shadow of another love had eve
come into her heart and she locke
upon the memory of her lost love a
upon the grave of a loved one.
The bells of passing sleigh arouse
her from her day dream, and sent hC
down stairs with bright face to pou
the breakfast coffee for her mothe
Mrs. Copeland was widow with q
ample fortune and only one chile
whose tender care of her delicat
mother made life JOY.
She had liked Frank Brown so muC
and had cheerfully given her consel
to his marriage to Eleanor, and 81
felt deeply her daughters noble cou
age in bearing so bravely the years
sorrow that had come since that 9th
bright Christmas tide.
She sat at the cherry breakfast tab
waiting for her and as she entered Il
room, the mother love noticed the ne
look of happiness and conquered 81
which shone in her face. Rising 81
laid one thin white hand on her shoI
der, and through mist said softly;
have been thinking of Frank ii
morning, dear and am sure you ha
been too, and that the angel of pea
has been guest in your heart, c
read liz your face"
For an instant Eleanor's face "
filed with an intense, wistful longir