Year: 1873




You have known me-1et me see
something like dozen years /; and you
must have known Tuftsboro' and it's
neighborhood for about the same length
of time. It has changed very much,
however, in the few years preceding.
Twelve'or fifteen years ago the whole
region was wild, rough, bleak, and in
hospitable.


The house which I now occupy had
been inhabited by my father and grand
father. Where it stands was then q
to rise toward Holdane and there was
not then a single other house within
two miles on the Holdane side, and
something like mile and half on the
other, toward Burn.


I courted and won wife at Holdane.
I had my wedding day, or rather we'd
ding night, fixed, after two years of
engagement. 1 suppose that I must
have been madly in love with Milly Col
den. She was very young even
younger than myself; I thought her
very handsome. and quite worthy of
even all the affection that could bestow
upon her; certainly thought could
give more of that security for welded
happiness than most men of my age.


Milly Golden was the eldest daughter
of partially y-invalid widow lady, living
at Holdane, pinching along a little, 1
was often afraid (though I did not dare
insult them by limiting at assistance, or
even making a direct inquiry, on a
small life annuity left her by~her de-
ceased husband, clergyman and
something of habitual sadness being
connected with the family history and
traditions, through the loss at sea, many
years before, of no less than three of
4I,a H-oA nf I've oil
faring men, and more or less scape-
graces, perhaps remembered but the
more fondly on the latter account. 1t
is necessary again to be particular in
saying that Mrs. Golden was not an old
resident, but had accompanied her hus-
band, some years after marriage, from
the coast line, her family history being
far less known, and her circle of visiting
acquaintance much more limited, than
they might have been in the event of
her original residence in the neighbor-
hood.


How it was that my wedding night
was set for Christmas, I forget, if l
ever really knew.


At all events, the marriage was fixed
for Christmas night, in the room in her
mothers house where we had so often
sat hand-in-hand to talk over the love OF
the present and the hopes of the future.
And never did expectant bridegroom
look forward to any one period with such
certainty of happiness, as L to that
Christmas evening.


Nature, meanwhile, was as gay as my
hopes, and as pure as those of my bride
for the snow lay deep over all the
region, shrouding everything that NIGH
have been ugly or offensive. Then s
long period of clear cold weather seemed
to have set in, lasting for many days
with only the change of its gradual,
growing keener and keener, until at til,
verge of Christmas the atmosphere mns
have touched zero and gone far below it


What was cold weather-nay, freezing
weather, however, to heart as young
as warm, and impetuous as mine? Wa
not Milly to be mine on Christina
night, and comfort my life thereafter
I well remember the warm, blushin,
kiss she gave me as left her on Tues
day morning, after making the excus
of carrying hcr up pair of shoes an
some ribbons, while the fact was, sup
pose, that I felt the impossibility Q
waiting two whole days without sight @
her, the properties necessarily keepin
me absent on the last night of unmarrie
life.


How fearfully cold that last night shu
down remember it's chill as if it ha
been but yesterday. The snow crunche
under the foot with that peculiar me
tallic sound indicative of every flax
being frozen anew the stars winke
with chill glitter that seemed steel
and pitiless and the northwest win