The daily Alaskan., 1912-12-18
A LEGEND OF THE
 MISTLETOE BOUGH

X W $NNSS&$SSSS&SS%&& IT was an old legend now, a hun
 dred years old at least Genera
 tions had come and gone, and the
 weird of Barham Hall had never once given a sign of coming into full fllment, so what need was there for fear2 It was true that mistletoe was at last growing on the boughs of the old hawthorn in the Vote sward. But it was Christmas eve, and the bells Of Barham church were ringing Christ mas chimes.
 More than 100 years ago Roger Lyn- dale had done that which perhaps was not an honorable thing. Roger had wooed farmers daughter, but had not married her, and she had died at his gates. Across the grass levels now covered with snow, the old farm house could stlH be seen, mute with It's history.
 Not a soul of Druscilla Ives time was alive in the old homestead. Strangers were under its roof paying tribute to Barham Hall, as Druscilla's father had done.
 But the descendants of Roger Lyn- dale were stIll at the hall, with a link between them and the story of the old Vote farm.
 For. strangely enough, Druscilla had died on Christmas eve, and the legend of Barham Hall had come from her lips:
 When misuetoe grows on the old Vote
 thorn
 No ehnd to a Lyndale wIu eer be born.
 So she had prophesied, and the pre- diction meant that when the white berry could be plucked from the old hawthorn standing alone on the green sweep of the Vote sward of Barham park the race of Lyndale would be- come extinct,
 And now at last mlstletoe was grow ing on the old thornl
 Yet there were laughter and gayety in the hall The great open fireplace in the wainscot room was heaped up with glowing, cracking Yule logs, and all was a bright sparkle of merriment and good cheer,
 Yet there was some little awe after all. although it had been cast on Ike a cloak thrown into a corner, for the legend at its worst was not without qualification. It had a second couplet, which ran:
 But he that would nobly this curse undo Must lowIy maid wed and Co her be true,
 When that saving grace was attach ed to the legend and when the weird had been worn out by the passing of century what was there to fear2
 Good gracious! What Is thatT eN- claimed Lady Lyndale suddenly. Not the choir again surelyl They've been and gone"
 A voice was singing;
 when mlsuetoo grows on the old Vote
 thorn
 No chnd to a I.vndale win e'er be born. Put he that would nobly this curse undo Must Iowly maid wed and to her be true
 It was the weird, and 1t was being sung by a woman's voice Co the re- fraiu of "The Mlstletoe Bough.'
 What could it mean2
 "It must be somebody" said Roland Lyndale when It became certain that the voice had finished. 'Tn see who It is."
 With the words he crossed the room, drew aside the curtains of one of the windows and looked out upon the snow.
 "Its strange" murmured Roland, turning Co his father, who still sat be- side the hearth. There's no one here, sir"
 'No," replied Sir GeoTreyi q did not expect there would be, It was some lmpertlnent person from the vil- lage, that is evident"
 "Leo and Dorothy should be almost here now" said Lady Lyndale pres ently. CT wonder whether it is the snow that's made them late,n
 The butler appeared and handed Lyn- dale a telegram.
 "Is 1t bad news, Geoffrey7" asked Lady Lyndale.
 'Yes, Mllicent," he replied In a dry tone. "Leo has been taken m with pneumonia, a fearful thing at any time, and he's not strong. You can see" he added, handing the message to his wife. Dorothy says she'll wire at once if it becomes critical"
 The children still laughed and play ed, but the elders became grave.
 "Poor old Lionell hope he win pull through t." Lyndale murmured In an uneasy voice,
 Not many Lyndales were left The stricken Lionel was Sir Geoffrey's only brother. and Roland was his only son.
 Roland Lyndale had parted from his airy spirits. Ever since the incident of the voice he had been in a changed, subdued mood.
 And when dinner was over he found an opportunity to steal out into the snowy night
 There were footprints there. Only the shrubs had prevented hls seeing