The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1919-12-12

dow In the old brick house
the mellow light of innumer-
IN able candles glimmered out
into the night. and soft
voices and llght-hearted laughter min
gled with the vibrant notes Of a violin
as 1t scared above the deeper tones
of the piano.
In my secluded room the music
reached me as / turned the leaves Of
yellow. time-stained book. My own
name was written in furnished letters
upon the cover. The date was 1865.
One hundred years before girlish
hand had traced the faded words.
and l, the great-great- grandniece and
namesake, glanced with tenderness at
the little story therein written.
1t was love story. sweet and whole
some. The spelling and peculiar use
OF capital letters made 1t difficult to
read, but soon accustomed myself to
the writing and my interest grew with
every word.
1T Is white Christmas, the first
l have ever known, and have slipped
away to look once more upon the Won
derful outside world. For hours the
snow has been coming down in great
flakes, covering the pansies, the crocus
and the hyacinths blooming in the shell
ter Of the box hedge. l am wearing
4 cluster of heartsease, picked by-nO
matter whom. Not even to you. my
diary, who knows my dearest thoughts.
can whisper the happiness that is in
my heart. But we picked them to-
gether under the hedge, as the snow
was hiding them from sight. and
Charles-dear me! could not help 1t.
He so fills my thoughts that l have
thought for little else, and before me
Is his beautiful miniature, his first gift.
"'Tis pretty fancy-gift giving and
how proud will be to wear his be-
fore our world. Yet tits strange
custom, that all young maids must
wear the miniature of their betrothed
when they appear in public. do not
think maids more tickle than those
charming gentlemen who swear eter-
nal devotion upon their knees, but tits
disgraceful to be not wed before eight
cen, and when love comes all the world
must know. TITS full young to be 0
wife, but Charles begs for an early
wedding day; yet l know not-still-
perhaps
, christmas day. The slaves awak
ened us at daybreak, their soft voices
. ringing clear in the old songs so dea
, to them, and, shivering l crept iron
my warm bed into the clothes MANN,
had ready for me. There was roar
ing fire in the dining room, and out
. side our people waited for papa ant
for me. 1t is good to be loved as the
a love us, and twas a pleasure to Sc
, their black faces as my hand went int
q my reticule to papa's into his waist
!, coat pocket. But none were so gla
!. as old Uncle Phil when he opened tn
), package that had come all the wa
q from England for him. 1t was fit
die. A beautiful, shining fiddle, ths
\ papa had ordered after hearing hi
!. play on the long-necked gourd wit
g horsehair strings that he had mad
In very Joy the old man danced a ho'
=, down, with the tears streaming dow
:, his wrinkled face. thought once /
- would hug papa, but instead he caugl
= his hand and thanked him over ar
;, - Over again. He will play for us
: ANce tonight.
,e "Such a day as it has been. kne
ii MT l had so many kinfolk. l felt
m sorry for the tired and hungry lit
9 children that took them into the u
" per hall, where Uncle Alec had mat
splendid fire, and they played bin
mans buff and hunt the slipper UNI
worn out. Then Charles told them Il
u drollest stories. He must have be,
mischievous boy, and he certain
eli is good to look at. Jack Rogers al
not he, too, Is full Of old nick.
e December &c.: There Is somethi
in the air that keeps us all aquIy
40 With interest. The gentlemen are gra
as and there is talk of war. In one
&c the towns the people carried bla
j" coffin through the streets to show I
ep king they despised his comman
~ about the stamp act. But we you
70 folk still make merry. Yet my he,
aS Is filed with fear. What II the
~ should be war, and Charles!
II told him of my lack of coura
- and he but laughed and pinched
cheek and took me in his arms. us
=. to ward off all danger and unhappin,