The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-01-04
The Peoples Journal.
sPICkENS 8. 9.
ONE New YEARS EVE.

The swish or Dluc dress, 1alnC
breath of violcts, as in passing, and he
felt rather than saw Marie Summer
field go by.
Standing little apart from the knots
of merry young people tlronging the
pleasant rooms, he was conscious or q
thread of pain running through the last
night of the old year, touching only
Miss Summcrfcld and himself.
BY he, mean Leigh Rcyburn, the
owner of the old fashioned, loW-rOomcd
grange beneath whose roof the young
people of Gladbrook had gathered to
keep a merry watchnight. With music
and laughter and gay rcpartee they
meant to dance a welcome to the joyous
New Year without much thought for
the staid old twelvc-mOnth which had
served them so faithfully.
But Leigh moved uncasily, sending
implorlng glances after the blue grown,
all to no purpose. Marie was absorbed
with the fascinating company of Mau-
rice Davenport, and was smiling her
sweerest--and Marie could smile di-
vinely. and entertaining him admira.
bly,.
Reyburn was thinking hard, and, il
must be confessed, mchartably. Had
he worshiped and pcttcd and lived for
Miss Summcrtield these two blessed
sunIit years, TO have hope and happi-
ness go into the gaavc of the fraiI old
year leaving nothing but memories?
What was that Mnic was singing to
the sweet toned guitar she held SO dain-
tily, strapped in place with a blue RIB
and?
"Ring out the Old, ring in the new;
The year is dying, let it 90;
Ring in the new; ring in the ncw.'
Her voice seemed to faltcr little on
the repeat as it fell to a soft cadence
Was it possible she was thinking of tho
old 50 tendcrly-thc old love, for in
stance? All! well, he did not know.
\
The yulc log had burned out Il week
ago, but he had not the heart to take
up the slvcry ashes from the old, red
brick hearth as yet. Ever since that
other night he had kept his VOW anc
closed his doors to all mcrlimcnt iol
two long years. But sninchow the lads
and lassics of Gla:,Drook had lain thcil
sympathics IN his door-stonc and work
ed themselves into his good graccs
r. once more, and before he realized what
he was doing he had given up the silent
rooms again to il Christmas party. But
no more New Year frolics under his
roof, he said not unlil-wcll, maybe
He stopped short i'm his musings: still
the remnant Of the mistlctOc hung III
the bracket wO! k of the old chandelier
and he remembered now, as he looked
at it, how pare and fair Alicia Merrill
looked when Herman MOntroSc kissed
\ her beneath its potent spell 4 week ago
" She put him in mind, q, SO much, of
her. Covering his eyes for moment
with trembling hand, lie went TO the
wlndow and looked out. White and
glistcning rs an angels wing lay the
snow on the intcrvcnln" fields. Owe
there was her house, but she had been
away now for 4 long time studying
music, and he had heard, for she did
not write to him, that her voice was
simply divine, and rs Il musician she
was wonderful.
Nevertheless, il WAS Il night like
this, noddiny toward the flooding moon
had their misunderstanding. "A spasm
Of pain crossed his fine face and he
caught his breath a little. He could
not tell Just how il came about, never
clearly understanding, but that night
so much like this, and New Years
Eve, too, marked the beginning of thcil
diverging paths. And he had heard
of diveryiny paths which came togrth.
CT again after awhile.
Tomorrow MAS the glad New Year
again. Would lis happy greetings be
only mockcry to him?
Suddenly a thought, winch hat
smouldcrcd III his mind for days, flash
cd up like gleam of heavenly hight
radiatny his whole being.
She was coming home tonight or
the late train; and he was SO hungry I,
see her; only God knew how famishct
of heart he was!
lie would take the down train, uc
off at Rockland where she changed cars
for Gladbrook. No one could prcvcn
him from riding home in The sam,
coach with her; and even That would b,
blessed comfort. Then, maybe
llcllllllS NoilN COlIC VI II. " nc
lcw?
In Is minutes he was inside his great
at aud locking the hall door, with
a nervous, glad excitement stealing
over him, like the coming of new day.
A tcn-minmcs' walk brought him ic
the station.
"Going away for the New Ycar?"
qucricd the agent, pleasantly, handing
Rcyburn the required pastcboard
90, a little way" he replied, absent
ly, pulling on his gloves.
Scarcely had he settled himself in tho
outward-bound train than Joe Antrim
thumpcd him ON the shoulder and sane
out: "llullo! gong away on blow
out, suppose? Well, SO am /. Some
are going away, and some are coming
home"
In the awkward silence which fol-
lowed Joe's voluble introduction, he
led to read Rcyburn's thoughts
hout looking further for reply
"Miss Summeriield is
;nhi tlou ,,,, a., -