Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-05-15

{ + t + i + / ls

eyes!
you have had long, cold journey,
Miss Forster" she said. 1T is eight
o'clock, and we are just going to take
tea. Mrs Harper shall show you to
your room, and then you can join us"
Not to save my life could I have re-
Trained, as I raised my eyes, filled with
tears, to her face, from saying:
This is not much like Christmas"
And. if the words had been SO many
barbed arrows that pierced her heart,
she could not have started more. 1t
was as though some long-lost voice had
spoken to her.
rs it Christmas Eve?" she replied.
Il had forgotten it."
you forgot that it was Christmas
Eve?' [ cried, wondering to myself
what manner of woman this was.
why" [ continued, "the whole world
remembers and loves Christmas!7
81 loved it once" she remarked.
"And why not now?" l asked, with
out thinking that perhaps my words
were abrupt.
'ENow?" she answered, duly. ooh,
now is quite different" She looked
confused, as though she hardly knew
how to answer me. Then, seeing the
tears ran down my face, she added,
you must try to be happy. 1t was
kind of you to come. You viii find
Ullamere a beautiful place, but very
dull"
She shuddered as she spoke: and
noticed that her voice was sweet and
clear, but sadly deficient in the sweet
intonations that speak of hope and
love. I believe that I was almost
frightened by her.
'YOu are fatigued with your long
Journey" she said, seeing that my
tears still fell.
Yes; but it is not that" [ replied.
81 thought Christmas was SO beauti-
full in England"
$50 it is" she replied; and she
clasped her white hands together. "But
not here-not here; we forget it. It
must seem strange to you"
Il had read such beautiful stories
Of Christmas Eve in England-of the
holly and mistletoe, and of Christmas
decorations. l rendered my prayer
at the stile under the snow-fringed
trees.
q have asked for a Christmas gift
l said, impulsively.
what have you asked for?" she in.
CURED
Il was looking at the blue sky
watching the stars and [ asked that
heaven as my christmas gift, might
give me some one to love me-
Some one to love you'll" she echoed
Her face flushed, her eyes sparkIed
her hands trembled. ''Ask for a sword
to pierce your heart, for a deadly
serpent to poison you, for lightning to
strike you dead, if you will; but never
for any one whom you can love!"
And the next minute she was gone
A kindly comely woman, whom !
knew afterward as Mrs. Harper, the
housekeeper, came to me a few min
utes later.
viii you go to your room, miss ?''
she asked. you must be tired and
cold"
| Yet, though the wintry wind had
pierced me, and the frost had seized
my hands, my heart was colder still;
and I longed for the happy, sunny
France that I had left.
We went through long winding pas
sages. Mrs. Harper carried a wax
taper, which made the darkness seem
all the more profound. The wind
moaned ftfully.
What dreary house," I cried in
voluntarily. why do you not have it
hghted?"
There is no gas nearer than UlIa-
dale" she replied, "and that is quite
five miles away. Besides no one cares
about having the place lighted up"
mo one cares!" repeated. what
an extraordinary thing I thought
every one liked to make a house cheer
full"
'All the gas that could be made in
the world would not render this house
cheerful, said Mrs. Harper. There is
a shadow over it."
The shadow of what?" asked, with
a pale face and fast-beating heart.
NO one knows. l can see the shad-
ow and feel it, but I cannot tell what
it is. You are young. Miss Forster,
and you must try to be cheerful. Do
not let the gloom Cypress you. That
is the bell for tea"
| looked at my few plain and simple
dresses.
= am ashamed to so down in one OF
these" I said. Are there any Wis
itors?"
She laughed a dreary laugh.
Visitors! No; they seldom come
here"
But Lady Culmore was so superbIy
dressed" l cried.
The housekeeper looked at me ear
nestly.
In all the country" she replied,
there is no one who dresses so mag
niicently as my lady; but she will
never get that which she dresses for
never"
l took out dress of plain black silk
and some holly-berries.
/ will not forget it is Christmas, if
every one else in the house does!" I
cried, as 1 placed a spray of red Der
ried holly in my hair and one in the
bodice Of my dress.
A few minutes afterward l stood at
the drawingroom door with a beating
heart. There was a deathIike silence
within; the wind was wailing outside,
the shadows were deepening and gath
ering around me. l took courage,