The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1919-05-28
CHAPTER Nj
CHRISTMAS EVE

They were distributing the pres.
ents during this procedure and she
sat apart from all the other girls
scornful and mad, without speak.
ing. All. around her they were
laughing and talking in wild
ecstasy of happiness; but she sat in
complete isolation, like u cold arg
tic island in a foaming tropical
sea. She received very few pres
ents. only some small trinkets that
her parents had placed on the. tree
for her--a brooch small neck
lace, and a book or two. But Co
ra was given q beautiful little gold
ring with a sparkling diamond set
in it which glimmered and flashed
brightly in the. brilliant light of
the chandeliers. This she took
pains to exhibit to all the girls and
especially Samantha, who only
turned up her nose in contempt.
This evoked loud laugh from
those who sat near her, Cora join
ing in even more. heartily than the
rest.
AS soon as the affair came to an
end poor little chagrined Saman-
tina left before the rest of them and
walked unattended down the snowy
lane to her home. When she reach
ed there she hurried up to her room
and locking the door wept a deluge
of tears. Disconsolate and angry,
forsaken and sighted, she was the
picture of maidenly sorrow. Oh
how bitter SCENE life and love to
this little girl who had tasted only
the first drops from the fountain of
life. Her friends had deserted her,
and Oscar whom she had trusted
above all others had turied traitor
and sided with her enemy, and ev-
en- Merlin had not cared enough
for her to write. This was the
first time she had thought of him
for months but she could not doubt
his fidelity greatly. Perhaps she !
was accusing him falsely. Perhaps /
he had failed and would not write |
until he had made good, or he |
might be dead, killed and robbed |
by crooks in the city-She shudder .
ed to think of it, She went over to |
the Mahogany bureau and took
from it the lilac blossom. Holding
this to her cheek she sank back to
her couch and sobbed herself to
sleep.
And Merlin, over a thousand
miles away, was pining for sight .
of the old home and dreaming of
her at that moment. Christmas
eve had been a lonesome day for
him. Too proud to write to any of
his former friends until he had
amounted to something more than
a mere reporter, no one knew
where he was, and consequently he
received no presents. AS for COM
he had none except, Pedro
who was unfortunately on a drunk
just now and had been abed most
OF the day. He had no friends
among the miners and moreover he
did not want any; they were a class
whose friendship he did not value
him, unarmed as he was, that night
in the saloon.
1t had been a rough day in
The streets were
-hronged with drunk men, several
lights had occurred, and one Next ,
IAN had been severely stabbed at ,
he saloon. Late in the evening ,
Merlin started far out of the town
% while away the dragging time,
'ut toward those snowy mountains ,
hat stood as white wall against ,
he western sky. Then as night ,
anne on he slowly retraced his foot -,
teps back to his boarding house, ,
While his mind wandered far away
o the little town of Devondale and I,
Iwelt there, rehearsing the glad ,
Genes of the past. !,
He heard loud voices as he pass !,
d the saloon, curses and filthy =,
pithets such as are uttered only at :,
runken brawls. 1t brought a ;
ang to the heart of Merlin for IL
allied his thoughts away from his
ender memories and brought him
ack to his present surroundings. >
hen with tear filled eyes he looked a
pward to the clear starry sky and .
hanked God that in spite of all !,
he still remained pure :,
nd untouched
(To be continued) !,
LBANIA BEGS