The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-23

presentiments about what concerned
Larchin Trevor. This old man had been
a groom before feebleness had compell-
ed him. at more than four-sccre years
TO content himself with the trivial work
of minding the poultry. 1t was ne who,
already beginning to be too stin for
general stable duty, had first put
Larchin-the only boy in the
family-on the back Of the old donkey
that had carried many growing E.ris;
later he had taught him how to keep
his seat on a n and still later no
other n Joe a ever saddled the
horse on which Larchin rode away a
his visits to her who was the
of his youth. Many a time, when he
was in one Of his less severe humors,
Joe had pointed out to Eddie the spot
where his uncle Larchin got his first
tumble, the exact spot where he jump
ed the cactus fence and broke downAa
big piece Of its earth dixie. and, lastly,
where the bank of the gully had crum-
bled under his horse SO that the rider,
too. would have rolled down into the
torrent IL Joe himself had not managed
to snatch him from the saddle just in
time. That last was a recital on which
Father Joe always expended thrice as
many words as on n other Qor he
was sparing of words not borrowed
from the Good Book), and it always
ended with the evout ejaculation,
"Yea, though 1 walk through the Valley
Of the Shadow OF Deathi"
Now it must be remembered that in
these days when Mars Eddie was only
ten year old no submarine cable con-
nected Jamaica with any other piece Of
the earth's surface. Consequently, be-
tween the arrival of that surprising and
delightful letter from Mexico and the
next news from that quarter nearly one
pyanE 11nncnd At thn and of thn 4 yyaak
within a month Of Christmas-came
news of a revolution in the Citv
of Mexico. and Larchin Trevor, accord
ing to the last previous advices, must
have been there when the revolution
broke out.
Eddie listened with wide eyes when he
heard this possible cause OF delay dis
cussed by his elders. II do hope, it
won't keep him from being here by
Christmas. 1 told Father Joe he would
be, and he believes me now-I think"
1t was not many days before the ne
groes guessed Mars Eddie's uneasy
state of mind about this Mexican revu-
luton, and they found in it an oppor-
tunity to tease him-which, after all,
was only their fair chance of retalia-
ton.
EFF yo' uncle don't come befo' Christ
mas, Fahder Joe will die for true. Mars
-0AASs 20 OAa AoA y lACoA L q
de '~spointment." said the youthful dep
uty keeper of the poultry.
Eddie made no answer, but turned his
face away and gaZed at Long Noun
tain, where the myriad-howered
christmas Bop" creeper grew in grea-
ter than anywhere elsa
wild creeper that always bursts into
flower in the earlier half Of December.
1t blossoms SO thickly hat the white
| Matches ON I.nn0 Mn1nfoin oon ha can-
miles away, and northern-born men and
women who live there hail it as a gra-
cious and seaSonable message to recall
their native SHOWS. In other years
Mars Eddie, Jamaica born, and as yet
unacquainted with the appearance Of
real snow, had rejoiced at the first show
Of christmas pop" because like the
first breath of the soft, fresh Christmas
breeze, it announced the quick cominp
of the years brightest time; but this
year it only tormented him. The boy
would really have liked this Christmas
to be postponed, for everybody even
his mother, was saying what a terrible
and even dangerous disappointment to
Door old Joe Christmas without Larchin
would be-.
Presently Eddie thought that he
might find comfort in a little private
conversation with old Joe himself. He
turned away from the threatening Wis
ion Of Long Mountain and Wake slow
ly westward. not stopping at the duck
pond to sling ever a single stone at the
sailing birds, ignoring the gobbling
challenge of the turkeys. astonishing a
brood of half-grown chickens by his
~peaceable and detected behaviour. The
window of Father Joe's room was
reached by a detour, for Eddie did not
want this to be a public visit.
Father Joe"
The black bald head rolled YEARLY,
| but there was no audible answer.
Father Joe, do you hear me
There's a revolution in Mexico. Sun
pose-suppose Uncle Larchin can't get
here by Christmas, don't o think
think"
Joe looked patiently. and, for once,
eve without severity at the child, un-
derstanding il his white old heart. Ed
die returned the look in breathless
fright, for he noticed-what he had
heard his elders whisper-that both the
old mans arms instead Of only the left
were stiff. The shrivelled lips moved
but no sound. Then again, with q little
more effort. and, IF 1 will-if 1 will
dat he tarry-tell 1 come-what is dat
to de?" And he sigher heavily.
This, with the accompanying flicker
of a smile. only conveyed to Eddie 9
vague n of comfort.
But even that vague comfort was
spoiled by the Tampico letter that came
two days later-a hurried scribble;-
May be delayed weeks. Trouble about
transfer of titles and passport" AnG
so the Christmas pop" spread on LoEs
Mountain like a pallid horror for poor
Eddie, and when the breeze at evening
made stats of the ~jalousies tremblt
gently, and everyone else smiled and
said. THE Christmas breeze," Eddie
only bit his lip and thought, Hes get,
ting so stiff he'll die for sure, and they
all say it's because I disappointed him.
And SO. in spite Of mothers and faith.
er's words of comfort-for they saw
how he brooded over it-E Idle ssdden
ed more and more until that never-to,
be forgotten twenty-fourth Of Deem
Der, which dawned in gloom and ended
in brightness beyond that Of any other
Christmas Eve.
For on that day Eddie's papa sent
home by a messenger from the office &
note which said, Am off to meet the
lad" Enclosed in the note was a tele-
gram-from Port Antonio, of all places
Even Eddie's mamma seemed unaple &c
make it ali out quite clearly, but 1t had
to do with a tramp steamer that hap.