OCR Text |
Show “THE on the floor in front of the great’ fireplace. “So Peter, you’re here, io you? It *pears your gettin mighty frequent hereabouts. What do you come fur, anyway ?” said Cub, looking up at Peter with familiar impudence. “Why, yeunmannerly lout! Oicomes because Oi feels to, and I shant.” his left Peg doun’t soi Here Peter looked shyly over spectacle lense to observe how his remark was taken on the opposite side of the fireplace. “T see,” said Cub, observing this last maneuver, “you can’t fool me. But when you get there you won’t go back on your friend, will you?” All this was lost to Peg, and Peter was not half so much displeased with the boy’s chatter as he affected to be. | “Stop, now, your foolery and tell weuns what ye have heerd about Joe!” he said, adjusting his spectacles which, being a recent addition to his regular attire, gave him a fastidious look so unusual that Cub could not help noticing it. He looked him up and down for some moment,. “Yes,oh yes! but how about them are specks?” “Doun’t ye mind the specks, they be all right !” “Cub, if I’d o’ know’d ye was agoin to be sae mean I wod no’ let ye come in,” said Peg, “now jest stop your prattle and say what the folk are sayin’ about Joe!” oF will, Peg,” and the urchin winked knowingly at Peter. “They say they’re goin to tie her up toa horse post on menor something, and the next her snipe this time. \ She’ll never see me around there agaiu, nor I won't tell Brown; that’s whac’s the matter!’ and coming to the corner he bounced off in an opposite direction from which he was sent. “I'll fix their little game,” he said as he strolled on, ‘‘we’ll see if they catch me around these parts for a good hong time.” What Cub had said touching the sub- resounding of a fog bell right in Peter’s Peggy with a sort of side-long glance as if to say, “Do you say so, too?” “Won’t you, like a good boy, Cub, run He looked up at its solemn tongue. “Thank e, Peg, thanke. Oi thought the night baint so far gone. Will ye tell I who it was as bought e the clock ? It be afoin one,” and he rose and in- spected the large base on the instrument floor to its cap from its ornament against the ceiling. Peg said nothing till his eyes wandered to tho mantle where hung the pictures in water color of poor Phelix and Frank, which the latter had painted for her years before, when they were together in New York. “He it was, poor soul; and wod you think,” said Peggy, “my Phelix has been low in his grave these fifteen years, poor dear.” ‘There was just one shining little drop in Peg’s eye as she said this. must have been a happy Peg, a moighty happy man,” Peter, raising his elbow to the and gazing with a look of man, replied mantle profound gravity down upon Peg, who had dropped her knitting on the floor and was making her blue gingham apron perform the service of a handkerchief. “He was, oh! he was, poor man.” Peg rubbed down her face and reached for her knitting but the cat had pawed it quite beyond her reach, and stood ata respectful distance enjoying her confusion. Peter scanned her with a look of very near anticipation sparkling from his gray eyes, then, taking his seat. once more and burying his gaze fixedly in the curling smoke, he ventured the opinion that she be very lonely now that Phelix was gone, (Peggy looked also into the fire) and Joe, too, was taken away, (she heaved an audible sigh) and winter was coming on, (her apron once more came to her eyes) and she had no one round to talk to, (a sob) and what if something should happen to Joe, that she should never come back?—” “Oh, my! Oh, my! Oh, my poor Joe!” the little woman cried and Peter request. and volunteered the consolation of mussing her clean, frilled cap with one hand while the other wandered about with a want of him, Peg?” moved his chair over by the side of hers “T want to say something to him. Now run along! that’s a guid boy, then you can come in some other time.” Cub looked thoughtfully into the fire for some minutes and then picked himself up and went slowly out. “What the thunder does she want o’ Brown?” he distressed muttered baint got no friend—” Peggy’s head to himself several times as he moped on down the street. “I know. She’s goin to tell him what I said about yearning to do a number of things which it durst not. “My stroking not the ye baint ye want good Peg,” whimpered THE NORSE TRANSLATED OF BY C. TISCHENDORF, LEO H#FELI. to “You need no’ heed the ould clock,” said she, “an hour afore the time it is, and more. Just make yourself easy, sir; ye are quite at home to stay so long as it please ye.” This unsolicited remark was quite the proper thing to loosen old Peter’s “He OLD JACOBS. face, then over to Mr. Brown’s tonight and say that Peg would like to see him?” Cub looked very grave when Pegey made this “YJ dunno, what did you [For the Western Weekly. } FROM Peggy reached for her broom which stood behind her in the corner. “Now, ye miserable scamp, you stop and be more civil!” which he immediately did. “Allright, Peg, I will now for earnest. But you n.ust cross your heart you won’t never tell, nor you, Peter, fur this yher’s sub rosy.” “Go on, bless ye, Peter and I will no’ tell !” “Ts I wus comin down the field road,” Cub went onto say, “you know just at the forks, I heerd some one a talkin behind me aways. Sol sidled into the weeds and hid. I could hear they wus talkin about Joe. There wus three of em, and one says—now you won’t say nothin, will you, cause I aint going to tell nobody but just you—one says he liked -Joe so well he’d a give all he was “And what, Cub, be they guine to do?” said Peter. “Oh, something you’d like em for if you knew.” “Tell us what it was, that’s a_ real guid boy !” said Peg, coaxingly. ‘H’m-m’! J can’t. But: say, Dll tell you suthen else. I heerd a man talkin about you at the hotel today. His name’s Dilworth. Peter knows him. He’s goin to come and see you he said. Oh, he’s a fine feller, Peg, aint he, Peter?” Peter looked into the fire and pretended not to hear. “And what do ye say, Peter?” inquired Peg, curiously. “He be talkin foolish, Peg, you doun’t want to heed em at all.” “That’s all right, Peter,but you remember, Peg, that feller’s comin to see you tomorrow, fur I heerd him say so to Mr. Brown.” in <Q ear, whilst it peered down from its ancient pedestal upon his bald head, seemed to say to him go-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 home-m-m-m-m! home-m-m-m-m! home- back into the white smoke, then over “But ye didn’t say who was the men, Cub, that was a goin todo all this ye speak about,” said Peg with a doubt in her eye. “Oh, they wus someone Iknow. They wus mean old devils, both of em, but I aint goin to tell on em if they'll do some‘thing fur Joe.” piece, perceiving the ~<tip << hangin.” TI tell you, Joe she’s all right, she is.” narrow wood lane which led to the parish, whether the bowed-down, venerable form of the genial old Jew with the m-m-m-m-m! home-m-m-m-m-m! home- pack of wares would not soon make his m-m-m-m-m-m! appearance. “He is coming, he must come.” [TO BE’ CONTINUED.| “T guess the |in the parish detained him.” [Written for the Western Weekly. | “At any rate he’ll come between IN THE MORNING. Christmas and New Year’s, a enough | before the dance.” Thus the lasses consoled one another If I had but known in the morning, and themselves. When I carelessly went away, Of the cruel thoughts locked up in your heart Suddenly a sharp gust of wind blew with the words you were loath to say, through the glade. The slender firs on I would not have been so thoughtless, the top of the rock rampart behind the I would not have left you there, huts trembled and shook their snowy Till the cruel thoughts had been banished far, the watchful time ject that was weightiest on Peter’s mind that night was not so very wise, nor yet remarkable, but it seemed to have set Peter’s thoughts to whirling into very remarkable channels for him. Long af- And the bitter words made fair. ter Cub had left he sat dreaming over If [had but known in the morning the glowing cinders, and there’s no tell- The path that my feet would tread, ing the quaint scenes that rose before I had not waited till evening to any him in those passing moments. Peg was The words that I left unsaid; And my heart had not been closed to you yet on the side of the fire-place rocking Nor yours have been closed to me, thoughtfully in her little low chair, with If we had but known in the morning, dear, her feet crossed upon a rustic stool. She What now seems so easy to see. would look at Peter awhile and then into Oh, those little things in the morning, the fire, then back at Peter again. Rut So easily left undone, all the time his eyes were transfixed upon How they oft outweigh in the batance of life the smouldéring embers as they spit The greatest things ever begun; And a cloud that a word, in the morning, forth their white wreaths of smoke into Or asmile, or a-kiss, could dispel, the huge throat of the rustic chimney. May grow to a storm, by the eventide, Three quarters of an hour had passed That nothing will ever quell. oe Hee as they sat thus in their silent meditation, till the old fashioned clock sent forth eleven successive groans like the m-m-m-m! a whole pile o’ money to the other fellers for something they wus goin to do. WEEKLY. thing they’l] make me git up in the court situation, cried again with sepulchral like I’ve seenem. No sir-ee, she’s lost solemnity, ‘go-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 home-m Washington Square and have all the boys in town Ixiss her to death to save worth to git her out ; and he Was to give a them WESTERN Peter, and caressing the arm that was most convenient to him, “when got a friend as ye knows of and some one who, just like yourself was working its way very rapidly in the direction of Peter’s coat buttons, when In the very centre of the large, deso- late, wild Roedsjoe-Skog (“skog”—forest) in Norway there are two saw mills around which are nestling a few low, red-painted log huts. The inhabitants are poor, very poor. But they never complained. Whyshould they? Did not they have every evening their warm oat porridge? But the proprietor, the wholesale merchant in Christiania, was grumbling about the bad conjunctures. At a dinner party which he lately arranged he remarked that in order to “exist” he was compelled to reduce the wages of his workmen in the forest, and he was sorry forit. Hoping for better days the frothing ea glass was duly emptied. But never mind about this. It was Christmas Eve. Deep snow was lying over Roedsjoe Skog. The rugged rocks surrounding the glade assumed soft, rounded shapes. had Humbly the weaker trees,bent their branches to the ground, while the ancient giant firs and gray-bearded pines bore the heavy load on their outstretched arms without a quiver. The lowly log huts were almost entirely snowed under, so.that only little of the red-brown walls was to be seen. But within the fires were blazing» gaily under the large, round stone blocks on the open fire place where the Jule broed (Christmas bread) was being baked. Earlier than usual the tired men had this day returned from their arduous task of felling, barking and piling up trees, and they were now engaged in their preparations for the Jule festival. In front of every hut they fastened a sheaf on a long pole, for the poor little. birds were not forgotten on the sacred occasion, they had to have their share. The women had prepared the lutefisk (codfish) and roasted the coffee. There had also been provision made for some whisky and tobacco, and everything appeared in ship-shape, but still—— In the huts there were living young girls in whose hearts were throbbing wishes that had nothing to do with meat and drink, but a good mings and trappings. deal with trim- Be she beggar or princess, seamstress or Amazon, a woman is always a woman. How would they fare on church-going on the first Christmas day, or still more at the dance on Sylvester and New Year’s days, were it not for Old Jacob with his bundle of goods, with his many-colored heads above one of the consulting female clusters. The girls screamed, laughed and shook the flakes out of their hair. And it soon started in to snow heavily. The increasing storm drove the large and shining flakes transversely through the night. Outdoors was no longer a comfortable abiding place and the girls soon disappeared in all directions. * * 7 7s * word, a single word! With renewed strength the old following the voice, spectres there were man while snow flakes whirled up by the storm dancing ahead of him in all possible forms, to disappear shrieking among the bare trees. “Are evil spirits mocking me?” asked the old man and went on mumbling his prayers. — Hark! This time quite softly but distinctly, and not There, there! A dark Only a few Anarm! dead! Had the even then night to seen that on earth cast from at all far from him. object is seen in the snow. more steps. Aninfant! An infant! and him all his wealth, But paths and ways and lanes are all snowed over. Old Jacob did not lose courage. The roar of the wind sounded to him as the clangor of David’s harp of jubilee and the big, brilliant snow fiakes looked to him‘as the white wings of Cherubim showand pushing straight forward he believed he was following Jehovah’s finger. Had a miracle taken place? Of a he finds himself tie on “Tell him standing — be- him. First he knocked only softly, not wishthe inmates; then gharder, till a pale face appeared at the little window. “In the name of God, who’s ea ?”? “T ! old Jacob.” “The Jew ?” “Yes, open quick.” “Open for you, in the night when He was born whom ye slew °”’ ey ieee “Or your people—” “Alas! in this bad night when would open the door to the dog hair, glittering to skip, this is Christmas day.” “Just see how he hugs that pack to as if he thought some one was going to rob him. Here, old: chap, come on and show what you have got to peddle.” With these words she stepped up to the still form and only then saw the glassy, dead eyes of the frozen peddler. With ascream of appalled despair she shuddered back. Her husband rushed up and he too, screamed. Almighty God! On the dead man’s breast lay Ragna, their only child, with her little stiff-frozen arms tightly wound around the Jew’s neck—a corpse, dead as the old man. Since autumn, the little girl had been staying with her grandparents, had obtained leave to go and visit father and mother on Christmas Eve for a few days’ visit and had been overtaken by the wild snow storm. Now she clung pale and cold to the bosom of poor old Jacob and above both the dead forms stood the deeply moved parents. “We must separate the child from him,” said the unhappy mother, “she only can supplicate for us before the throne of the Almighty, where old Jacob will accuse usjustly;” and she laid the little hands of the child still more tightly around the neck of the Jew. “Oh Ragna, dear little Ragna, pray, do for mercy for your poor parents whose hearts had been so hardened the stern law of the church!” by <i. <Q ON HER BROAD BY SNOW-WHITE WILLIAM BOSOM. you ROSS WALLACE. Mighty Seer, we know And most beautiful skies; But as you look on it, So profound and so we ne’er saw the light joyous as now in your eyes. My children, itis not All my soul and my While a deep, tender Every chord, and I the bright arch that makes frame in this ecstasy thrill, music of Paradise takes know ’tis of Prophecy still. that the rainbow is bright, there in the laughing blue On the top of that glorious A tall Shape from the birth; In her hands is a red battle As rejoicing, she silently On her broad leaves That look snow-white arch I behold Heavens, of heavenly banner unrolled, leans over Earth. bosom are as if gathered from lilies every and earth clime, fore a small log hut nearly snowed in. In the sunburst of Only now he misses his pack; now he Eves, has nothing to offer the hospitable peo- | And I know that ing Time ple who would soon open their door for ing to scare your the next hut. ing him the way; to breast pins and bracelets. But tell me, where’s the little one I found out in ue woods?” “Here I am,” she cried and kissed him on his forehead. “Quick! He’s asleep. Come!” And they vanished into a bright space beyond. Only the little girl remained ; she went around and about him to lay closer and closer to the warm white pillows. It was the snow that was covering the dead man. * * nk “ * “See there, the old rascal is still sitting there,” said the woman when she came out of the hut in the morning. pray sky been iiocciics overcast, the star that led on sucha Bethlehem would have there is some good done —seen how Old Jacob pack, pulled off his coat, wrapped the little one in it and knelt down, laid it carefully on his bared breast and tried to warm the young being back to life. The child respired. Now quick for the sudden bons his bosom * Meanwhile a man, breathing hard, was following the difficult wood path. It was the anxiously expected old Hebrew peddler Jacob, with his pack on his stooping back. — Hark ! “Wasn't that a cry?” Old Jacob stopped his steps. “Another cry?” Painfully he pushed through the accumulating snow, in the direction where the strange sounds had emerged. All was quiet. Only the storm was howling. With his hand at his ear he was listening breathlessly for awhile. Now? Now again? But this time a pushed on, like white girls were standing around his couch, beckoning to him and _ asking him, “Don’t you know us, good Jacob ?” “Yes,” he said, nodding pleasantly, “certainly. Wait a bit, Ill unpack all my wares right away. Pretty red rib- Morns and they the moon-kiss of symbol When for ever, all over the This demon-rolled thunder O, such means the vision to And the Angel I see is the the quick com- war-accursed world, of hatred will cease: me there unfurled, Angel of Peace! Li ~<a [Written for the Western Weekly. ]| Sketches from English History. KING ALFRED AND THE INVASIONS. BY J. M. DANISE R. scratch- ing at the threshold ?” ribbons, his combs and his glittering We now arrive at a period in English “A dog, yes; but no Jew dare enter a pins? history similar in‘many respects to that ‘Christian house on this night.” Up to this season he had come every of the Saxon invasions. <A people of the He heard no more. year before Christmas as sure as ChristThe heartless words pierced him more same race, manners and customs as the mas itself. What was the matter with icily than the winter’s cold, and he sank Anglo-Saxons, pagans and barbarians as his staying away this time? they had been three centuries before, back into the snow. ' Thus queried the young lasses came down in overwhelming numbers * * * * * standing in groups'in’front of the huts, upon a Christianized and somewhat civA marvelous glow ran through his ilized country, spreading ruin and devasindulging in surmises and guesses. Anxiously they were glancing down the body. He was lying in soft down. Pretty tation throughits whole extent. |