Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-12
PEACE OF CHRISTMAS
STEALS into HER SOUL
Miss Emmel:ne Faces .Dreariness OF
Cold Yuletide, Harsh In
Its Loncsomencss.
THEN HIS LETTER ARRIVES
Message Brings Remembrance OF
Old Love, and Ghost OF Seasons
Merriment Becomes Living JOY
When He Comes Back to Her.
by LOUISE MEILGERs.

bf IsOSloFS
The bells were ringing. for II was
christmas Day. Outside upon the
rozcn path u robin hoped. the sky
vas clear, cold and blue. The tall
'hrysanthemums fringins the lawn
stood stiffiy at attention like scntinels.
pale December sun lay like a ghost
ipon the grass.
But Miss Emmelne Barton. staring
tut Of the window. had no eye for
he beauty of it all. Because il was
christmas Day, she was dressed in
sVendcr silk. and her mothers rings
fparkled coldly upon her fingers. The
orthodox holly and mistletoe were scat"
cred In vases and behind picture
frames about the room. Miss Emmeline
iertelf had but recently returned from
tarly morning service IN the little
|hurch tucked cozily away In tho
But Of the Christmas peace and beau
y there was no trace in Miss Emme-
ine's heart Instead she noticed with
annoyance. as She stared out of the
window. that some Of the shrubs want
I'd cutting. and that one OF the gard
fners had left pair of shears on .hc
Fround. And when her gaze, wander
ng beyond. found shadow marks on
he snow that bound them. to her they
frere merely the stains left by leaf
ess trees. instead Of as perhaps they
were. the footprints of the Christ Child
fh He had come softly down into the
world that morning.
How insistently the call of the bells
'ame. BE happy. be happy be hap
I,y." they seemed to say. as a friendly
Eind carried their message far and
wide. with an impatient movement
Miss Emmeline turned from the win
pow. AS she did so. her glance fell
pm tho mornings mail. lying. ny was
customary. awaiting her attention in
|, neat pile on her desk
disdainful smile curved her lips as
pen long, thin fingers turned over the
envelope. Then suddenly her face
.hanEed. 1t was as II Il summer wind
pad blown little pink into It's cold
E1css-for moment only. The old
FROSTY look came back into her face
as she ripped open the envelope. Two
letters fell from It into her lap. one
sealed. the other a folded piece of note
paper. Miss Emmeline picked up the
oneh letter without CHANGING nj the
|'ealed one. In her heart she said cold
Hy: From his wife. I suppose"
Dear Aunt Emmeline." her nephew
wrote. In his big sprawline handwrit-
tns. II expect you viii be awfuily wild
Rt my writing TO you after your having
told me you never wished 10 hear from
mo again. but ! am merely sending
along the Enclosed. And thought.
with the explanation about 1t, you
might forgive Christmas wish or
two slipping in as we'll
Here is tho explanations You know
Anne and arc living now In your old
homo. II is such a beautiful old house
by the t~ay--tnnc simply dotcs on the
spinole-leggcd furniture In the draw
inG-ro but ] had 10 have some re-
pairs done. The roof leaked. Incl
dentally. and tho dragons or the hail
paper made me feel like Il 81. George
whenever looked at them. The work.
men were doing something TO the aer-
ttrbox when they found the letter l. am
sending you. You know what an ante
affair the box was One of the
panels was loose. and tho letter in
some amazing way. had slipped behind
II. IL LOOKS hi; yellow. and no Won
der. considering the time IL must have
been there. Anne will persist the ad-
dress Is in her fathers handwriting.
but I tell her it is nonsense | don't
beNeHe you ever met the old chap"
Miss Enmclne read no further
with trembling hands she picked up
the second letter. Two little spots
nared suddenly in her cheeks ms she
stared at the envelope. Yes. i, was the
handwriting of the man she had loved
hat stared back at her. She had not
cried for years. but now she felt the
sharp sting of tears behind he- eve
ids. The brassy olane or bells turned
into the droning of bees She
vas walking in q garden. n spring gar
len. golden with daffodils and sunshine
md youth. with Il man young and dark
rs she was young and fair: n little
stream ran bubbling at the end OF the
,arden.
It was just here he had taken her
INTO his arms and kissed her swiftly,
md Miss Emmeline's soul had drowned
n the kiss az the shadows of the bud
,inE trees overhead drowned In the
water OF the stream. He had smoke
10 word. There had been no time. In
eruption by others had followed I'm
nediately on the kiss, but as they
separated he had said TO her. To-
light"
And the night had come. dressing the
April sky In pale stars. and Miss EN-