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Show 01 WOMA-WS2EXPONENT.- 3ad gone far away and everything seemed to of humanity is wrapped in sleep. Tbia night e was a dismal one, and the young people grew Trent here and . change from that time,-on7 another there, and by and- bye the cruel war of rirrvnus from- - the Radnf ss that - brooded over the rebellion cam(t and eadxragcdies followed, their Christmas greetings. It was as though a but we forbear to name these things now and presentiment came mat sometning was anout come back to'tho Christmas Eveafid for this to hannen! and vrar Teaea evpn thon Ordi-a- llyI once weTT watch these festive merry makers. quietness within and no knowledge of any evil It was a numerous family and the older tuuuuvy jurying auuut or uruuuu imu cau;uu ' married ones who lived at a distance came one this melancholy foreboding. a j after another during the day before Christmas Life was rich with promise to all tho houseeach with their little ones;, there were three hold, and rsneeiallv so to tha littla maiden daughter?, married whoso husbands camo with who was just bursting into womanhood; her : i them and one son with his wife, and another l mannpr anni r.np.prini n snniinnn wprfi amianm unmarried son whose" employment- - took him r the very life of the old home, nothing could be t r t away from his native village. Late , in the ongnter or more nopeiui man tne luture afternoon all had arrived,and the old home renrosDecta ot this yvouni?o ocrirl. The world to her sounded with heartfelt rejoicing. All these was so full of beauty and sweetness and she dino were to at the old homestead and jpend a had been a favorite with all the household. two or or more after , at the dear place . It sometimes hannens that the child bursts day loved so well, and late that night when they suddenly as by Irevelation into a knowledge of.1 " r the very little ones were sleeping, the younger luu lurcts iL.i !! iJ rmani in i.np m n LiiiiL cave lain -- - - pit . . . 1 - - . EtronglyJobjected; "My boys she always tafd shall never be tempted at homo to partake of stroup' drink." but high in elegant glass and china dishes, made i,he table quite ornamental, oranges too from. Florida added to the beauty of the sumptuous feast, and tempted the already sharpened appetites of the children. Long they lingered at table this happy family on that day which seemed forever after to mark an crania their livs; one joke after another wa3 told and some of them had a very ' practical application, but all was in good 7 nature and jollity, and the daylight faded into eventide ere the company, had realized its " -- The lamps were lighted, the tables aDd sisters talk over the days when they wtro at home, and try to recall incidents and : cir- - fire-plac- cumstances and repeat over old stories, each one in turn filling iu a part that another, had forgotten. After the story telling, songs' were supg and every one was required to add something to the evening's amusement. Theetories and songs were mostly of a legendary character; and later on a sort of dullness fell upon the party that none of them were willing to acknowledge yet all felt more or Jess, and-aiributed it in a measure to the natUreTof the pastime with which they had passed the hours . away. Finally' after a lull in the conversation, and the fire wa3 beginning to burn low, one of the company suggested it was almost twelve o'clock and soon they could wish each other "a merry ' Christmai," and retke, - for i t seemed to be silently conceded that nil were tired; and just when a sort of quiet reigned, another broke in U : - . ujon the wonder what will happen before . another Christmas Eve" and quick as .answers often come- - without thought, two-o- r three: v once burst forth with the exclamation Edward will be married,and we shall have another sister aided to our number instead of missing one. But do one of all assembled there thought that ere another year had flown, the girl who eat there on that niirht so nalfi unH thoughtful like one in a dream, would be gone from their midst into a new and very ' ' different linVr HZ; 7IT 7''"T IZZZl. As is often the case alter very lively and rather gay enjoyments a sort of solemnity fell upon the party, and the merry Christmas, a3 it resounded through the rooms seemed to leave a hollow echo in .1 the npa r tm en tat that was more like a f arewell than the tone of glad greeting such as itwas meant to be. half-grow- n fw-pve- r The wiiKi wahbwnng-outside-nothough tho day bnd been rather a placid one with only a light fall of snow at intervals. The evening had passed quickly and the-- e naa oeen so muen sparkle ana brilliancy Jn tide that the sounds withou them in the least, but when quiet settled down w, 1 and the family separated for the night, the pemed in great commotion; the wind - was fairly shriek ing and the great elm trees in the yard, swayed to and fro and crackled and the sighs and moans of the pine woods in the distance were piteous to listen to. To one full of sentiment thce melancholy dinres ppeciall-)- on a wintry night havgomethm inexpressibly tender and significant in them and the voices in the wind are full of. the ele-incn- ts : ;swtpathp3; emotions that it omy dawns upon them. through peruap3 i i Biuw processes oi reasoning or Ditter .'' . But . we were of Christmas festivities, talking . ana tnougii tlie winu howls and the woods take up the echo, the great logs burn brightly ajd happy faces light up, the Christmas morn. Snow had fallen very, deep and when the hall door was opened the izreatbank of liVht enow fell in upon the floor to the delight of the cnnuren wno were not permitted to go out in mich weather. The rnorniug 'sun shining in dispelled the gloom of the previous nii?ht and in the exercises of praver and readini? of passages from the Bible, which was customarr m inn nousej tne meiancnoJy died away and the breakfast was partaken of in the most ' ft ft - i - ' cheerful mood by all. "During the day while visiting with each omer me aaugmers roamed through the house . styles and sufrestintr modern imnrnvpmpntQ The mother objected to and affirmed that the old home was detirer to her:frora association thaii any other could ever ue uowever elegantly luted up, or modernized. "I am loth to leave this dear old place where I have been so many wife years a and mother, or to part with happy any portion of my household furniture for all your derision and making fun antiquated notions. urmture is not made ot such rich wood nowadays, much of it i3 sham, and on a with the rude brusque manners of somepar of our youDg people." "But girls" said the mother continuing "you may each . of vou select a piece of furniture today to taW With Vftll in your own home, and remember- - whatever' imwvua you urnst not part with it, let it be a a memento of your childhood home. and of this Christmas visit-- " And so they did, and when many oTtfiose who ate their Christmas dinner together on that day. had gone to.Hhat better land" those whd remained were reminded of the time: tW kQ ns of-ra- y " rter, FtoearliUrmother sweet and gentle words she r hadspoken; But we must.not forget the dinner which was a most elaborate affair, and served in the room decorated by , the children with natural evergreens and red berries, but so onlr dark and .curiously Novell that together weird enough for a cinsv'a amn nu it was ees were unknown in that . primitive nkca " mat were bestowed were generally those ot love and good-wil- l But the dinner was delicious, and about f "J7u: "-gu- esprctsiuii to the soul m its deepest distress.' Yea, even human in the agony that is beyond cxpricm. ThPy iee-n MtJbr oJxASJhe night Ume w Kile the glad world tLufibin;and foaa gether aroundthaT festive board. Turkevs pnddipgv pies, cakes and preserves with a wine or sweet chhr . n, . ever . ; ta tl, -- strveu cleared e, J 1 i The hours sped as on th8 wings of the wind, and ere the half was told the midnight bell pealed out in the frosty air. Mr?. Curtis never enoouraged sitting u p after midnight not r even for company. One by one the visitors and the family departod to their rooms with a formal goodnight, except the unmarried son, who had won something of a reputation as a practical business man, and who during his occasional" vUit3 tathe home of hi3 childhood, always took the opportunity to advise with hia mnthor nn . his own account, as well S3 hers. So far since his arrival there had really been no good chance of their speakiriz anarL and ho. had . gun to feeI, e 1 . Ua i If A J.i?. uis .mother uc urn, ucicuuiucu 1iu ueiam airer the rest had retired: there was Will" hUScr and it seemed :to inYitethe4jonfidence of those who?e hearts need warmth nnd svmnnlKv Bachelors ever do and Edward had Ver married and his life was a sort ofBohemian kind,that pleased him well,but that his exem plary mother, thought was simply dreadful. He had been a ereat favorite vcith Tifa'mnti.ai. if O UlVkUU serious steady ; boy and now, always, such-such a finely nronortirmPfl nandsomeiyoung man withrigreat blue eyes' that seemprl fn nrfolr rrT twiumca lu ugiance. ine village eirls made no secret nf ihui. 0a m r o tion lor him,and wherever he went he attracted ine attention ot those about him, and influenced them much - as he.--- wished rwKnexerthis powers. He was a man of emotions and devotedly attarlipH a !,;, strong very-oBcomfortabiT- r.-- - C 1 . hn ..A--- a hr..uAA " 1 - . and-he- r -- mterestsria-man- v . -- royr n0 - J "i"-t-tut; uiukuci and son were very similar. They had beeu tomer together on financial iamily matters, and M r?; nni.V;a- u j "-- V'" v o - wi.--.- w home m bis own way ahd very fond of his aristocratic looking mother B e D excellent economy and management of the homestead with its firm hmAVar, c a landrpastures, hillsides and woods, mom he had often said to friends can manage an estate as wellgentlemen as most men: her executive nhn;,w ;a . that of any man: m our and I am county, sure-sh- e would makA a that sort of judicial manner of weighinV things and givms her oninhm vahon cw k r..ur,i , 4 cn-a- ll sides." : In fact Edward Curtis Karl . two occasions if he ni d finri . -- t l ta l. :r-- - n-- had be would ask her to he hi. uw.,c,t mtJ : : . ment. -- pve . and put back, the shiniog heartK clean- - swept a fresh supply of cragged pine knots piled high in the great open upon the heavy dogjrpjj commenced. Each one was to do something, tell a story, sing a song, relato an anecdote,' or givesorae pleasing recitation; the progamme was an impromptu one,yet mostly they agreed, no one differing with another as to .how or why they should render due regard to the appoint- - -th- rtroghH-thrtemlOT -- - approach. , i . ;r.. 'vr. a lew moments at h n, son . |