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Show :'t If. WOMAN'S EXPONENT ner together on that (lav had -- one to '"hv Letter land". those who remained were the time of they had jK'iit together with the darling ..mifh,.r rs .iii'i tn UK; ft.wid gentle words she had 'stmken Rut we must not forget the dinner, i m was a most elaborate aiTairVand' served !he room decorated by the chi!d:en . earaSed. .ue l'.u- re-unded .., ' .! - it 1 1 V imt Iim CVCrtrr 1 dark and wima,,,, curjouslv ,..1 ii'iti .. Chrit ! i nen was weird enough. for V s and goobwill. Hut vii ierrie . no-,- ib. Ai-.ie- g n in o,r' ,.t V .mi ! went he attracted the .ut him. an,; mik-ive'he ch.-- e to was a ' i; ait ..j -- irv.i! tor the sake of o remembrances ; there will never be any water that will seem so "Ueet and pure in all the ears to come, I Kv.k vflumVv in ! nen'v.T oi thoH w a:tem:-- , ti www - ?p,--- eert tr.-i g VV! to hi" Ti'tlit- his i O, , to-,,:fe- have drunk from that obi well, with that we can see undignified uch a distance away." The new fangled punu.s .J4.11 t com are with it in my opinion, till, in new houses prefer them, hut in this place like things just asjliey are." 'l am glad. Mdward. that you have such a reverence for the home of your childhood, and 'I hope you mny be able to take it and to me sufficient ready monev for mv in the m that van go to the rights take and the ounger chlidren, and West, vi t it gr;r es me verv much that I must part t onl with friends, endeared to bv teniler ties of affection, but that more than half my children must be left behind. I kn.-whowever, that in this matter I am right, and mv views u?Mn the subject can-- r a it- i, .,ucr. d de ,l5 , t - ' 'vmv tiivuiui nun unlive with savory dressing, oung ( m i, i : pi-wh- ole, : , -- 1 ; ' th (.' s ai : !: -- i 1'lt ' ' - -- orma-niental- l I well-balanc- tempted the already sharpei'ed .mpethvs ,,( 'he children. Ixng they lingered at table, this inpr.v family, on that day which eemed forever after to mark an era in th eir lives ine mke after another was told and nw nf tlem had a very practical application, but all was in good nature and jollity, and the da light faded into eventide ere the .company had realized its approach. The lamps were lighted, the table- - cleared-anput back, the shining hearth clean wept, a fresh supply of cragge-high jn the great open up-the heaw s : and the pastimes ..f he evening commenced. Each one was tn 'o sumething, tell a story, sing a s,,ng. relate an anecdote, or give some pleasing rec( be The changed." arrangement of leaving the homestead in Edward's hands 'to Ik disposed of afterwards was partially decided upon, and mother and son sat talking of this and other tilings into the wee sma' hours of morning, the rain beating against the win- dow panes, the fierce wind howling and vhriekinu without, the old creak ing, while, in the ball, at intervals, the pine w !s signed m a minor kev like a rc- ouiem. as it wi re, for the parting of that ' haonv familv from each other and the home of their childhood. Thev had soent the Christmas time to gether without auv partfcnlar event of im- nortance transniring. some gloomy prescnti- - - tnd china dishes, made tin table .mite ; too from Florida added t oranges the beauty of the sumptuous feast, an. ; -- t d w-nl- "lev.j'-ie- i '': 1 e . s, gen-oiend- 1 tt-.i- .ow-ian.s- 'i s..e i 1 old-tim- ) I'll Were . :i'me to partake or- strong drink ." . :i i ...,i.-.. 1,... iiumu ipne. jMicu mgn in . i . mMrc$ strongly objected. "My b i .''All ';rkc i i puddings, pies, cakeand with" a variety of condiments iihe. No wine or sweet cider ever served to the guests in th.a; always said, "shall never he , ; -- it .urj. e-ta- - forty persons, including children, - 1 j r 1 -- te.ii; an a viie' and he: 'e rests. in many relucts the motlnr and Min were ery e ha i been ac- s::i;:ir .custonn,! :,.get r on tmancial , matter-a .Mr-no tamily v.rtis Sn.i tUi-- , v. a s .n- ;i, V!r H v was foivl jounu r.dwaia; i "i oi nime m n:; ( w n w.y. and verv fond of his tocrat:e v," ther. a- - well as nf ..v.. ner ev :v ananagen'ent ! the with it- - fine, broad acres r.f . eara paures. hillsides and wo.,t "Mv moth-er.he hat! often aid to lenu manage an estate as Wi her executive ability is uit e:nal t of any man in our trv. and I am make a good he has that 'r of judicial m.Tiner iudge if ,i. eighin g thing- an uvnu icr otMmon when he has looked on all sides." In fact. Edward Curtis ln-- said, on one r tw o occasion if he could find a young' w t'uau with s: a head a l:e bad him.itber would ask her to be his wife. On this Christmas night, wben'm-th- er and so:i were left alone for a few moments, at first a sort of restraint seemed to hinder the freedom felt in times past. Edward felt he must break the spell, and looking up with his great, fathomless Jdue eves, in- nuiringlv said. "What alwit the homestead, mother, if vou are determined to eo West' 1 was in hopes it was not true, but on coming' to the village T find it is omite understood h the neighbors. We've been so haonv here thee many years, and it's such a delightful place, might be marie a charming summer resort, everything- to make it attractive in that wav. ifwe choce to do it. There is not a more picturenue spot in all this part of New England, and it abounds in sequestered yales and nooks among the hills. Oh. T can't think of its being sold to strangers T like the English idea of ances- i , ht to-et- the dinner was de!:eimi. -- ie V:i oi ! were unburn that pH itive place in those and the -- in' ! day, were hestowed were generaHv th.."v mas-tree- ' 'A : .' lhal kerned to - glance. - vcun 'Z man hand-som- 31 ed wcll-swee- n j ments. that mjsrht.hc caused bv the 'knowl was to be sold and the edge that household broken urn that was all. Tomorrow some of them must return to their own homes, and that alone produced a sort of sadness;, such as we have all of us felt, per-hadog-ironafter some specially hapov occasion, when the reaction conies, as it is almost alw ays sure to do. n No sorrow, not the lightest, had ever itation; the programme was an 'impromptu m "i Deborah Curtis, vet she had been one. yet mostlv.they agreed, no one differpensive and thoughtful during the Christing with another as to how or "why thev mas festivities: to her. perhaps more than hould render due regard to the 'appointtral inheritance." to anv one elce. the cloud that hung, over tender-hearted ment. mother heard him. the gathering had seemed dark and threatThe ' The hours sped as. on, the wings f the through, and with characteristic firmness ening. "Edw ard. I have thought all this ov-wind, and ere the half was told the midnight That dismal Christmas night when the and made no mv mind that if vnu would, wind, was shrieking as if in mortal agonv. bell pealed out in the frosly air. Mrs. Turhome from going and as she thought all the household were' n's never encouraged sitting up after mid- you could keep the old. " ' fast aleen. she lav tossing and moaning on ' night, not even for company. One by one. into the bands of strangers the visitors; and the family departed to their her flown v. nillow's, sobbing out every now ""Why. mother, what do you mean?" "T mean simnlv this: Marrv. and settle rooms with." a formal goodnight, except the tlvn. "Tf he comes tomorrow, what ad ball T do? Rut T am' not to blame: T did unmarried son. who had won something of down, here not one of vour citv belk-s-. ' a reputation as a 'practical business man. Thev might onlv fariicv the place, beautiful not iv he mirht conic here. Reside what will Ered say? JTe Ins always been mv and who, during his occasional visits to the as its surroundings, are. for a summer reaiiome of his childhood.' always took the opson, but one of our own villagers, and after rbamion. mv olavmate ever since we went T portunity to advise with "His mother on his awhile you mav cee things a I do. and Join to srbool together, and have been so nroud Then vou would be more nf b:m. too. and the other girls so iealous, the We-t- . "wn account, as well as hers. So far since "S.-i. a id vnw 'Frank' is conu'n"-- nnd declares irv his arrival therd had really been no good reconciled to the parting." that he will take no refusal." chance of their speaking apart, and he had "Well, mother. I'll think about buving the tbTt .hst letter "let me see." and climbing out of bed as for the village irls. thev are begun to feel very uncomfortable. This eve- nlace. and innocent doubtless, and she lit her candle, onened her drawer, and ning he felt determined to detain his jnother all pure-mindbeg-ato read titer the rest had retired: there was still a that should be an inducement, but. T shall between her tears and sobs, letter "tint was causing such a blazing fire, and it seemed to inyite. the con- not marrv vet awhile., Ed like this strong this terrible in . hfr feelinrs.;. fidence of those whose hearts need warmth bttachment for the' home and its belongings Ves. here it is." and she read "T am nd sympathy. Bachelors, ever do. and Ed- - j to wear off a little before we nart vith it. if ominf the dav aftr Christmas when all .of the land is eu-v- a ward had never been married t. and jiis li fe; f itever' will ; even-.foo- t vr.nr bir.bjbers and sicters arl- there; even Vieared to me bv some memory or other : the 2. soft of ..'Bohemian.- ldndthaf. pleased T vou Jhink will frjehten. me Edward' him. well, but that his exemplary mother Vdfl ..love to hear it creak as ont of asking for you; and T shall storm 4he. . simply dreadful, viv choolbov (la ' vvhen the wind blew nld ard for aimht T rasfle Tormv ladv-brrHe had been a great favorite witH his ) f?Om the hendock grove vonder, thoudvitV T 'waft b'r'awav on the wings of "the ;notbpr ntnvc curb a serious stead v bo v. not a think of beantv lw auv means. have T f J sly vM meet- with any resistance eeiV J 'nd now such a finely proportionecj. broyn-- : m -- pine-knot-"ile- I fire-plac- d e. the-hom- n, - fal-lt-- : -- re-olie- d: -- I -- ed n 'ro'-motio- . 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