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Huron Record, 1881-11-25, Page 2tir 0 Kg ARUNDEL ENO, BY MARY CEGiI, HAVe inaltAr' of ��"Old tlitnkitetonb; Abney,' "Hidden Perin, 7'1 S ItLeong,' Vtietor ani Pangccieheci ;" we'a ; " Nora's Lure Test ; ' " , hallow on the Threehoid;" "Back to the OGt ifu:ne;' eto..,•oto.. CHAPTER XXXI.-^Cendinued, Ppor Hester 1 The speech she had been making was stifled,and she tried in vain to gain her gravity, But Molly only thought she was laughing over her stories, and took it as a com- pliment rather than otherwise ;, and presently Molly, too, was talking cheer- fully to the earl, Mrs. Goldsmith rather, shyly began to speak of prayers again,and requested Hugh to take her place. Then they a,11 settled themselves in their seats with a rustle, as people do in church after finding the text. Then followed the hot supper, over wined' the five months. watered 1useiouely, and on which whispered praises were. lavishly bestowed': • The Christmas presents of new warm 'garments were given quietly, one at a time, in the kitchen, by Mrs. Goldsmith alone ; then the•lrearby and heart -felt New -year's wishes were ex. dianged...again with a good deal of gratitude accompanying diem. Yoffie -- held the front door open, andl Hester stood in the little hall, rearranging some of the shawls with an eye to com- fort, and finding umbrellas for the owners; and owners for the umbrellas, -he last good -night was said; and Pollie slipped into Chodsan's hand;• as site passedr'ar little parcel of cold beef for her sickly husband-" the poor old piece." It Will bees supper. ter :•him' " said Polite, almost, apologetically, ".but it not much."' " Well, thank ye, miss," erepfied' Choosan; politely,. " it'll do."' Pollie, smiling at the reception ' of her little surreptitious present, watch- ed her down the street,. then turned to Heater with a fanny little hiss. that Aunt Phyllis might adjust to her own satisfaction then silver filagree comb whichcrowned• the dainty little head; laughingly prolonging tbeproeesa because Aunt Phyllis seamed to enjoy it. Mrs. Goldsnrith,was giving her good- bye Hiss to Pollie who looked very pretty andyofing with the happy ex- citement on her face, though her high - white grenadine had seen his best days. At the cabby's .summons there was a grand commotion. Anne ran sown the steps, escorting each young lady separately to the cab, under an um- brella, Another good -night :was call- ed, and they were off—two of the brightest, happiest, least critical listen- ers whom Sims Reeves had that night. When the concert was over, Pollie stood in her seat, 'letting . the people - flock pant her. "If we wait for the crowd to disperse a little," she said, "it will be better. And yet if •we do, Hessie,, we shall perhaps lose our ,cab ; the man promised to be there for us, lint of course he will go if hegets hir- ed. Ob, I hope he. won't." " Never mind, Pollie, if he does," said Hester, gazing about her and en- joying herself very much." " Don't be nen-mete H' ow beautiful it has been I long to try wheather I remember 'that one Italian air: Would the peo' ple stare if I sung it now 7" 'Come," said Pollie, abstraobedly. " Conte, now, dear." _ With rapid change in her lowered voice, Heater whispered, "Not yet—not just at this moment—please, Pollie:" Miss Goldsmith, turning to ask why, saw the 'Earl of. Leaholme coming down -the room, in the crush, leading'a resplendent old lady, and looking back to answer the remark of a young lady behind 'them. At that- moment . he aaw the girls -he might have been looking at them all the evening, for any surprise there was in the recog- nition—and bowed) low and pleasantly, while' a, few heads turnedinquisitively to see whpm' he greeted. Then his party passed .on, and' the girls hesitated before following. But they need 'not have done so ; the crowd ' shut them from each other se' effeettlly as the walls of the hall could lisp done. • By dint of much patience and more perseverance, they steered their way -to. the door, and here was confusion and clatter, •indeed, teethe .carriages rolled Annie had made such good use of the last ten minutes that sire •was carrying the supper -tray in the drawing -room when the girls shut the outer doors: Pollie blushed a little my they.follow-. ed it in—but, then; her blushes seemed" to have it all their: own 'way that night. • •. " May we stop to. supper,' Mrs: Goldsmith 7" asked the earl, with great respect, just as Aunt Phyllis was thinking how stupid it was. of Anne to bring it in before -Lord Leaholme.. We are -tether' vagbondish . to -night, and as Delahoyde is my guest , over Sunday, I ought to try to promote his. etitoyment.. He has promised to preach' at teaholme•. in ' the morning, and perhaps will,ibv: careless if :•L do' not oblige him by askingyou to let us stay. For myself, it will. be an' intense pleasure.' For him-justs look 1 Did, you ever see so much suppressed anx- iety in one human countenance before1 Do let us stay:"" •-= •. " Miss Roberts," - he said, as they drew up to the table, " wasit not coin- ical to notice how eagerly your, guests pocketed, the mince -pies to -night when Mrs. Goldsmith gave them permission 7 Ho* easy to see that their hearts were with the hungry ones at •homes:" a Do they ever attempt to do it with- out permission 7" inquired. IIugh; . ." It has happend only, two or three. ' times. Only two or three times among. OA many as twenty guests. at a time, for more than thlrty year's." • Hugth looked a little.' increcluletrs: Clergyman though hewas, there Were souse simple truthe•-wliich he had yet to learn among the ppor.. "'It will be very pli;asarit always to remember these nights,ilS•rts Goldsmith, I should think," said Ifentete. her voice very thoughtful, while • she. raised her eyes,full of a: quick, bright hope,. to Mrs. Goldsmith's face.; " Very," she answered witha smile, " even when the old faces. have -faded from our lives=as they will .never do trent our remembrance=or• when bur place here shall knoweis no. more :save .--ben. w loving hearts. ' Then .I trust that some one else willperfect what we have been attempting.. • ,:Some one else will give a little ° dine, a ' little trouble, and a great, great deal • of pleas: urc to the.i q who • have v .e to bear :the burdena and heat .of the day." - ,•- PIER XXXII. co.roEiiT. The music hall was crowding rapid le next might, whenth•s cabman gave quick, heavy .rap at Mrs. Goldsmith' " Cab, please, ladies," he . said, rub Hing' his hand and shakin, the snow Troni tie s eeves of. his white greatthe-doorcoat, as Anne opened- the -door ate disclosed to hitn the group of ladies i the hail. • Hester, in her black.net dregs •an scarlett opera cloak,was. stooping down OHA TF a s v' ale n d unusual. clattering might mean, and. and stood within the door gasping dangerously. " Cinderella and one of her uncom- fortable shaking thMiss snow flakes ,said wflakes from r:ltit and make it look like Sunday often, Susan," o "Whee 1 eeattetl'at hei this mornin'' in it r des'late room," Eusan went on,, "an knew she 'adn't broke her fast alln it to tidy u day, and adn;�..�pe�Y _ P a. her hair on the steps ; "and, inder- ells objects to ging her gid'=in-other's chariot." The cause of which little assertion was the long time Pollie .took to per- form the decent of the steps, guided and .supported by the arm of an imp posing footman. How awkwardly during supper Pei- lie's oilie's description of her drive interfered with Nester's description of the singing and the small sketches she gave of her favorite song I,, And how .they would interrupt each other's tales, until Hes- ter broke off suddenly, and sung a verse of Martha Jonp's song. from memory, 'chorus all, giving it its true originality ; "�' Ere's the rock, the. broo-oo-ook, the tree, Ark 1 Ark 1 a voice, ° Do you thi.+i-ink 'tis eel It ia•not tee, and the night is, comiug:•gon,, Oh,• where's my lovelly wandreer gone 1 • It is not tee, and the night is coming gon, Oh, where's say 'ovally wandreer gone 1 Oh, where's my levelly waudreer gone 7 Wtwnclreer gone 7 Dreer gone 7' " And Pollie could tell nothing more for the peals of laughter, which drew abundant tears from Aunt Phyllis,who always laughed, till as she expressed it, "ahe 'cried again." Though. why,, When she had. not cried before, she. should call it 'crying again, no one quite knew. CHAPTER XXXIII. - "THE STERN TO -DAY.' " Whose carriage, ladies;"'shouted a ' policeman, • noticing Pollie''s ,anxious look taut into ;the; street. " Oh ! it.dees not :Matter, think ,ori;" stammered. Pollie, feeling very much sina'ler than she need ,have .donee s'' we only want our cab." T,he roan did not seem •to'think this quite such . an . important ;matter, as others he had onshni l. - •"'I'll .hail it. `.presently,:' miss,"- he said, shouting another narne almost be- fo'n the words were . over. " If I could -see out there, .I : should recognize our•cabby in a moment, said Hester, " and any man would retch " This the worst of being alone," sighed 'Pollie;," is it not. tiresome . i" • ct I'.like it,_" , said elleSter, merrily. ".I -think it fun, fie se6, the rush ' and. crush.". • " Do you,, dear -1 ` Itis only for yeti. that T dislike it." ' The crowd in front made way for a tall gentleman who•:came in from the snowy streets; :the light flakes lying; thick on his opera -hat. . '. " Miss Goldsmith,- do not you know thata carriage is waiting for'you, and that others calrnot•come np until ithas passed 1" "' Oh, is it,'t cried .Pollie. ' ". Tl at's our. cab, -Oh, thank. you, Lord. Lea- holme, thank you 1 We shall soar,. find it." " It: is first. on ' the line, . and the way is covered ; you need not fear the• snow." �°. • • She took the arm lie offered, really too much bewildered' to., refuse, ; aid Hester followed them 'through the crowd, thanking him'in her heart °for taking Polite, • Ho handed Miss Goldsmithin; turn- ed and helped Hester; closed 'the door rather hastily; raised hie hat a Mom- ent, and they were off, ' " Ol,Hessie 1" began Pollie, in real• alarm; but Hester laughed outright. 't What carriage is it, Pollie 1 It ie very comfortable."' • - " Lord Leaholruo's. How did he Manage it 1" " I ''thought he had been beyond the portico on account of the snow • on his hat. I see now that he had been to bring this tip. We might have known by the servants." "But he kept them out of •. sight. No one was at the door but. himself." " I would rather have -had -the ci h," said fleeter, with such sudden giayity that j'ollie laughed.. 'r'hee horses dashed`. along the quiet street and were pulled up suddenly at Mrs; Goldsmith's door. Aunt Phyllis came out with .Annie to see what the " If you would not mind, Hessie," Pollie said, next morning, " we will call off our way to church • this after- noon, and see sonie of our• New -year's guests.". •. And •Neste consented very gladty. Their first visit was to Miss Jemima Kimble, who was suffering from a complaint she called the sinking, but which, in spite of its•name, seemed to cause her to sit oven moreupright than ever. While they sat in the • bare lit- tle.room, Susan Breeze brought In a 4nysterious concoction in a bowl, on the - top of which reposed a slice of pallid pudding, dotted spairingly withlittle oases of .raisins. Susan did' not' see the '.girls'until the • present was good as, given, else, judging •by the, bright, shamefaced blush of the giver, it would, not have been presented. Then. Jenii-: ma lookedat it•and' put ie'aside. •." I snppoeteyou' have tasted it yourself," she said ; •`•'you know whether it's good, without my opinion.." , •ea' liked it very :well,"•returtned.Sus an,looking. modestly conscions ofshcr excellency in the culinary art, and- €or- Betting: to make.lierself heard, and when I saw the gay big, parties comm 'on ie from: church to their plen- tiful 'et, dinners,: and when I `thought,, too, of all, $rww,itin' me at 'Dale, I was ,'mast tee 'shamed to give her :tee bit I took ; for surely, I thought, there's semethin' •a deal better as I ought to tell her off and can t worth more than meat to the poor soul that's gone so far in poverty that she can't digest the bit she . gens. It's just starvin' in mind and body as she is Mies Mary." "But she hardly ever tete me read' to. her, •Susan ; she often tells me to stop. And she refused an alms -houses you. know." ' "Likely, enough, miss ;.: but maybe her poor mind: is more empty and wrong than• we know, anu she's but all the•niore to•be pitied for that. temper. - Cheeriness greatly'elp, us when we're poor;" As- they walked quietly together, Hester', thoughts ran on from, Susan's words to the music of the Sunday belle, sand softened all' her feelings for poor J,.,eminia.. There was'the•home offered to every one; to herselfi' it had peer, offered all •her life; year after year, and she had turned from it mildly,. and in- differently, as-emirna had' turned from hisoffered home of hers, So, -was she to wonder ' and blame her, Hester thought, , she who knew that a Father's hand had: prepared a place for her, which she was maying no effort to win,. from which she kept- so far, in unheeding- coldness.• Halving a little present for Susan's lame bey,. the girls went in with her to her • warrin, crowded kitchen, where everyone' was digesting the wonderful weekly pudding, and . where. Susan's. husbandi• with a baby on each knee, was smoking what he called ." a quiet pipe;" while Hester curiously , won• dered, if. this was :a quiet one, what: a noisy one could -be. He' •turned to. Susan after the greeting with a' queer, almost crying look on his hard,: brown. face. Like Peter - Bell, t' he • had a hardness in his cheek ;" but•he had not the •hardness 'of -eye of that estimable peasant: . .` "You've done it ag'in, Site," he be- • gau; a and you promised: to. eat all "' .. • • She: laid her hand' tightly,. with. a quieting touch, .upon:bis arm. "I'd enough. Trust me for takin' enough." a" I wvouldn't trust .yeno .fu'rther nor could, 4i, see 'ye. pyou'd• take it out fust, .1 wouldn't mind; 'S'ue: .Cut • it out of: everybody's dinner, and the old girl's welcome to it. Biti when ye take' it from yer own, rtrs a different thing en-tirely ; and I event have it, my girl; so• long 'as I'm maister here!". "That'll be :a long tare," she:said, smiling at. his man-liktj,rebuke, "and' all that• time you'll be the very one to want: the poor thing to have a: bit of somethin' on a Sunday, that'll do her. instead of allthese things- that make you sand me so 'appy." Pollie' began to talk to Beeezeof his first: two grand-childrens. whom be was nursing. ' .• "Their father gets but 1'iratle' work lobe- poor .tact,''. he .said, "and. Site would have us take to these Erbiil:and very putty little. comfits toey arein th''Ouse, too.": , E'reeze: did not intend to repiesent them as sweet -meats, Fester fancied, but aa small comforts.; yet it required. an•.iimaginatiun more lively even than hers to picture 'n comfort these two atoms could- brdri'g Into that overflow- ing' household. "He's as foncil'of .'em, Miss Bruce," said Susan, glancing admiringly. at the'' three,. "as if . herd never nursed sloven of"'is own:" .• "It is curious;" murmurmed Bree e, With deep rellectioe ."as we never gut tired of 'ehi, the more we have.: When Bailie: and ;Hester .loft that. house, theyacertainly did not -feel as if they took the Christmas with thein. 'No, 'truly. With its .wealth of love .t'eal--bretherly 16ve-of pity, of ,the charity that seeketh not her own, they left. it there, in the. wee, bright house, where ten hungry 'people lived onten ehilliras a week,: and one was lame, andcould not stir from his little bed in the corner of the kitchen ; and -one was an imbecile otci man who had come, ten years before to lodge with them,, and -who had not been able to' pay his few pence of weekly rent for four of 'those years, yet who would live on with them so until; at God's touch, there should be light, and the poor dim spirit should perhaps know all that had been done for it, and be another .testimony, even 'there,. to the • wisdom of .'One who bath 'chosen the poor le ;anti: world, rich in faith. "There wasn't Bruch . flavor.. in that, tea you brought ane last, . Miss Gold- smith," said Jereima, turning to Pollie.. "Hadn't you better tell pour ma she'll get >t' letter at Clay's? Johnson's' netre-r'aTreees with anybody=particul- arlywitli tree.." "And ivewant a good cap of tea to cheer us.'this.Ohristnias time, don't we7"' said. Pollie, • kindly:. "Christmas - or • no' Christmas, a bad cupof..tea's always -a bad thing," she answered,: sententiously. • Poor Jeannie. As the ' gii;ls turned out of her small, bleak•room with Sus-. an, it seemed 'as' if . they were taking away from her•the only Christmasthat could ever .reach. her. o - "We .are pretty.. well used to her -odd.ways. now; Massie," said Pollie, -quietly,-"and know how little account-. able she is for her ingratitude and dis- content., And when I ' go from some small bright 'house; with' :its atmos-• phere of love and content,' to her bare apartment, where the air is laden with complaint; .I feel that she has 'brought ;her bitterest punishment upon herself, - Yet who can tell, after all, whatglimp- ses of ,good may' -not find their way into those •long dreams which the•poor crea- ture must fall into, *luring the many, hours she sits Miero-along,edependent for all she needs on the charity which angers heel" "A. cheerless hearth;" saki Hester, sadly.; "and yet, would it count. for less to our tender Father in Heaven than the lonliest little nest in the lora Best mountain tree in the world 1' And that we know He guards." But Pollie,' glancing into Susan's face,, and thinking of the dinner in the basin;'began to regret 'Teatime's ingra titude "Miss Mary," said 'Susan,' her kind eyes growing a. little moist, ''maybe it's only the blessin' 'of our 'ones as makes• us different. We might all of us be like that, if we'd lived for thirty- years our lone ' :life.'; doubly lone, because deafness is so lonesome. "But it is not always so; • not oven they. email 'send snptber :Sunday kt► i- pily together,as they were spending this one which was so nearly over. They entered the warm little draw. ing-room, expecting to find the two old- ladies shakingoff, with, supernu• tural liveliness, all traces of the forty winks which usually --and especially on a Sitinday--visited them ' in thei'" gloaming, for they had been bonito from churchmore than an hour ; brit instead of this, they found them very wine awake, entertaining Lord Lea- holme and Mr. Delahoyde "We are leaving so early in the morning," said Leaholme,..as he shook hands with. Pollie, "that we ventured to disturb you to -day, and Mrs. Gold- smith bas invited Delitboyde to tea ;, she did not mention me," Hester was greeting Hugh,,.. andi1. looking into his laughing face. Ries ,noticedthe change in him. Hb•hadt :lost the worn, desponding look whiohi liad clouded his epees and he wes,.a • she afterward reniarked:to Pollie with, a shade of - hyperbole,. half as broiadt again at least:. Pollie had by this time merrily Or - ranged the matter of theinvitation; and went away to order and superin- ' tend. the preparations for tea, Hester hesitated, not liking.: to follow i¢n- mediately; "We are 'late, , are we not, Mrs. , - Goldsmith 1" .!lie said; glancing at the: timepiece;rand, in, her new nervous- ness,. not quite knowing what, to'say. "We did' net expect' you before, dear, knowing yon were calling on our • New -year's guests." ' • "How was . Mrs. Choosan 1" asked Leaholme, easily. • "Enjoyingpleasant reminiscences of -. the party, only she says she laughed so much that her eyes ewole. Mr. Dela- hoyde, take. care 1 Is it not a warn - ins. to you 7" • ' "Had she any of her usual request to make 1" asked, Mrs. Goldsmith; :look- ing as serious as"ahe could. "Wants 7 oh, no, she never men tioned one," replied Hester, looking seriously", at her •;. "but, a strange dream had been visiting; her. ' She dreamed .. that Pollie and 1: ,:sok her a new •el'oalr.' - Being superstitions, this has taken a. great hold upon—ttsall three:." "Very -curious," said the "cart, with comical deliberation,,as -he.lielf .snit upon: the table looking at her. - She was leaning :against the chine • ney-piece, as pretty and graceful a fig- lira as Byes could, rest ' upon. Her -beantitil-hair, was all put neatly. Up to- " day, below. the .small:blaek velvetbop- net; which had not a vestige of white or color about it, and. whieli seemed wonderfully • pretty to Hugh and the• 'earl, contrasted with the lofty fabi+iee,<,_ which.tbeir eyes had been perpetually • 'encountering during ':theclay. .,Her. cold' •cheeks werebright with a,' -soft pin'x' flush, and 'lier.eyes ,Bashed tiantly with a strange hope and excite- ment xcitement which no one understood. "Do your dreamsever come: true,: ' Mr. Delahoyde 1" She turned to ask it; as she left the room,: in a ,bright, -laughing voice,., Leaholme,. with A smile, half sad, half satirical,' listened, while Hugh ;an_ swered. "Mine never.do," she laughed, as' he opened the door for her; and then she ran upstairs. Throwing' her walking: •thingsupon the bed,she fell; upon her kiness for a. few silent -moments. No word* .came. to her lipq,but she rose quite still and calm, no shadow then of.disappintment on the bright face, . • -''-+r- •r"Mrs. Goldsmith," she said, as idle' sat at- table, "we went. to see Mise' • Jemima, you .know, 'and you never 1 asked after her," "Pray, how;is^she 9". • "Not at all well. She is aufftring- from the Sinking, a.nrost painful' com- plaint, from all accounts, for she says it werrits her even -to see the nice run- ning past her by the wall, "Oh, Hessie, do hush !"' cried Pollie, putting.down-the teapot in treopair. ' "The door seemed barred when we got-there,Miss Rebuts," resumed Hes- ter, with deep graviby, "and we could - not force an entranae at first. - I was just going to cry,': `Liberi©i; Eat tie, Frateiniteleand Peliie was Suet going. • to run away,'when-with one renewed effort, we pushed' a great mat away from the inside,and burst in on 're- paints. e- r t: ,there, t Wei � u ere' shP . ' The: ma 'vr i ' mma. P > told' us, because at the bottom of the door there was a gap that oughtn't to be there, for •she had never, luift lrkeel draughts corning ^ straightupon h'er 7 ankle's. Indeed, ' Inded . where •she sa • ankles were always her between two y draughts, and she did not~ like it t thouseli doctors dict" tell you always to keep your feet . cold Band your head as hot as possible. M.r..D'iahoyde, wheit you have resumed a befr.ttinr gravity, I will trouble you to pais my cull,' What do, you think Choosan's litisband . told W17" (TO Dl.: r6INTz c lin)/' After "cervico -Molly and Choosan were called upon ; then the .girls wal• ked slowly and lovingly home along the frosty,: 'quiet stroe's, thinking it might be a Jong, long while before