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THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION. ATLANTA, GA-, TUESDAY DECEMBER 22 1880.
5
MRS. TRENCH AND CHRISTMAS.
By Harriet Prescott Spofford.
(Copyrighted 1885.)
???It???s a swindle, a confounded swindle!??? said
Mr, Trench, setting down his coffee cup un
tasted. ???It beggars people. First its Christ
mas presents, and then its New Years, and
then ith"Easter, and its birthdays all the time!
What a way it is to keep a festival! Stirring
up all the covetousuess wc have, appealing to
our lowest nature, as if we could not be glal
without receiving tribute! As for wedding
presents, they add a horror to life???first wed
dings arc bad enough, but glass, tin, leather,
linen, silver???perfect vulgarity! If wc live to
be married a hundred years we shall not have
any of that.???
"I don't want any of that, Harry,??? said his
wife, gazing up at him in bis tirade out of a
pair of limpid gray eyes that just now looked
like two tears or two great jewels glittering in
dew. ???I only want money enough for my
Christmas presents. A hundred dollars will
get the whole of them, and I???m sure that???s
good management when you thiuk of this
family.???
???A hundred dollars!"
???Why, I always spent that.???
???To waste on Christmas folderuls, and people
starving all arouud us!???
???I???m sure it???s not my fault if people arc
starving???? cried the wife. ???They wouldn't
starve if I ruled tho universe. I should
. portion things out equally to ??very one alike.
There wouldn't be any Queen Victorias then
with a million dollars u year, and shop girls
With a half dollar a day.???
???There wouldn't he any shop girly, 1 sup
pose,??? tald her husband quietly.
Airs. Trench looked un again and the color
mounted her cheek No shop girls???no shop
ping???the idea was perhaps appalling; her lips
quivered. ???I suppose,??? said the lovely littlo
imbecile hesitatingly, ???that men could take
their places.???
Ilcr husband laughed in spite of the right
??ous indignation under which he was labor
ing. ' ???You see,??? he said, ???If tho world is up
side down it can't ho righted all at once. Yon
can only do your best in your own little corner.
And one tiling to do in your little comer is to
discourage this promiscuous Christmas gift
enterprise. It is the discomfort of every head
of a house in Christendom who can???t spare tho
mom y, and it half mins young men, beginning
life, who earn pittances and have to remember
everybody in tneir boarding houses because its
expec ted of them. For my part, I wish tho
olu rilgrim Fathers who forbade mlnco pies
and Christmas carolsand all the rest, had their
way now??????
???I should think you would ho ashamed,
Harry .Trench!" cried his wifo slowly, hut with
gathering strength. ???Christmas! Tho one day
in the year! The sweetest, heavonliest festi
val, full of green boughs in winter, and chil
dren, niul bells, and crisp snow, aud hoiue-
eoining, full of all sorts of nappiuess aud good-
feeling! And you want to abolish Christ*
xnns??????
???I never said I wanted to abolish Christmas!
T only say that, if this sort of thing is to he
kcpFup, I wish it wero a inovablo mast and
tool; pfueo at some other season, not when all
the half-yearly hills como in aud a man is dead
broke anyway.???
???Why don???t you abolish the half-yearly
hills,??? c ried his wife, ???if you want to abolish
anything!??? .
???You begin l??? said Mr. Trench.
???I begin! 1 mast say, Harry Trench! I
wcudt r if Conroy dcSpenser talks so to hiswifo!
1 .should think it was I who spent iny money
in clpbs and went to raoss and hired yachts,-
and had a suit for ever}' occasion and a neck
tie for everyday in tho year, and took cham
pagne with my lunch and went to tho theater
ggrfcTflft., 1-Ij.who turn^m^dressej
???Why shouldn't you turn your Presses if
thtf cun stand it? Many things aro all tho
better for turning???a new leaf, for instance,
i'ra going to turn one today. And I shan't
furnish anyone with n single dollar to buy a
Christmas gift, and that ends tho matter!???
And Mr. Trench, rather indignantut >this re
capitulation of his shcrt-comiugs, or long go
ings rather, threw down his napkin and shut
the door behind him with a gentle vehemence
that could not be called a slum, but yet was
certainly jnoro than ajar.
All.'.. Trench, of course, hurst into tears???
Josephine, tho maid, not being present. Hut
it always hurt her to cry* and Indeed she was
so angry that her tears were more like sparks
of fire. No money for her Christmas! want
ing to abolish her Christmas! Wanting to
change Christmas from its season of snows and
frosts and evergreens into paltry, warm, life
less summer weather! ??ach allegation was a
S uImj of flame, aud of courso her tears were
ried almost beforo they fell. Thero always
had been a streak of meanness iu Harry, her
rcffei lions ran on, for all lie spent money so
freely and tossed it away to the ilrst nskor; ho
never had any to toss away to her, she never
had nu allowance like other wives; Airs.
Courcyde Spenser had her own hank account;
for her part, she had had to ent hcraelfabort iu
everything her heart longed for, In order to
give her Christmas presents, every year siuco
she had married 1 ???I don't core*,??? she cried
aloud. ???I shall make ray Christmas presents
all the famo. But as lie disapproves of them
so strongly I shall make none to him !??? And,
very much pleased with her first determina
tion, ni.d strengthened and invigorated with
her last one, she wont upstairs and took her
diamond earrings from their hiding place and
put tlx m in the sun to look at. ???It's a shame!???
she cried. ???Mrs. Conroy do Spenser doesn't
have to sell her earrings, just to bo detent!???
How splendid they were! Not very large, but
of dear water, like two great sixirkliug* con
crete sunbeams themselves. Ilow site hid longed
for thi iu liefore she bail them; how she had
thanked her father when he gavo them to her,
and pitied him for tho sacrifice, in his slender
circumstances, that he made to do it, and hated
herself afterwards for letting him do it, and
coaxed her mother to dismiss the second girl
and allow her to do tho parior work herself for
a whole year till she had nearly made it up,
before her father noticed what was going on.
Now father and mother were gone, and tho lit
tle hateful stones were only symbols ol her own
selfishness; she didn???t want to sec them any
sucre. All tho same, the idea that she was
forced to part with them whether or not, was
bitter. Hut she could have a hundred dollars
for them cosily. She knew Atr. Sparkler very
well, end so did Harry, and ho would bo glad
togint ; f:y her and make a good bargain for
himeclf. And she put on her hat and buttoned
her Jacket with emphasis on her way down to
the Jeweler???s. She hurried, for if she did uot
do it at once sho might not have tlio impetus to
do it at all. Harry liked to see her dressed and
wearing the earrings. Very well; if he wanted
to sec her wearing diamond earrings, he might
give her some. They wero her???s before she
married him, and she had earned them Herself,
as she might say. Slw had a; good at bought
their., and she had as good a right to tell them.
And it was not an hour, having boon detained
on her way by a succession of delightful shop
window before she came out of Sparkler &
just or. . ....
it, thinking how nice it was that now she could
do nil l.er Christum* shopping before tho rush.
It w:-s very une?? mfortable that, jast at this
Instant, she should run against Harry with a
violence that set her hat all awry. But he said
???Hallo!??? and she said ???Good gracious, tliero
goes my hat!??? And with the impatient concern
tbst anything at fault In her hat always gave
her, she stopped, in momentary forgetfulness
of all r !ee, to set the hat right by the aid of the
wonderful Venetian mirror in the adjacent
window; and she gave a glance after Harry
and the tight how angry she was with him, and
what a superb-looking fellow he was, in spite
of his Icing so unkind to her, and half wished
she hadn't sold the earring?. Bat if she hadn???t
cold them all the world who got no presents
from them would only think he was as stingy
as he was good-looking, and it was nearly as
much to prevent such thinking as anything
else that she wishud to make her gifts. And
. she turned to go her way-*nd hcr^pocketbook
ws?? gone.
The passers on tbst crowded thoroughfare
might have thought there was a little mad
woman scurrying around there for the next five
minutes; aud so many of thorn assisted her in
tie sc arch that, as a bee gets wind of sweets, a
policeman presently came bearing down upon
them and scattered them by his appeamneo. It
wuh nowhere on tiie sidewalk, or the grating,
or the gutter. If it had flown out of her baud
iu her graspiug for hor bonnet, it had been
swept along by the crowd. If a purse-snatcher
had it lie had made off with it. She had lost
her money and she had lost her earriugs.
Her first impulse was to rush iuto the jewel
er's*hop and demand her earrings hack. Hut,
of course, they wouldn???t give them back: and
Air. Sparkler might speak of it flu Harry. And
if she told the policeman, again it might get to
Harry's ears. And at last, the tears pouring
down her face, oblivious ?f all sho saw, she
hurried home and wept herself into bed with a
sick headache. Her earrings, her money, and
all possibility of her Christ mating we re gone???
for what could she do without a ceut. and with
all the brothers a ml sisters, nephews and uiocc*
to be provided for; and between the pings of
bead and stomach her mind rummaged her
drawers and wardrobe shelves for things that
might bo transformed into gifts. A message
had come from Harry that he should not dine
at home and she need uot sit up for him, but
could spend her evening speculating tin to
whether he was detained at the club or at a
champagne lunch, or by a yatching or a racing
or a theater party. Of course, sho only cried
the harder, and Josephine bathed her head till
midnight: and when Airs. Trench woke in tho
morning and found Harry beside her. sho shut
her eyes again in a twinkling, meaning t<> keep
them shut till he was up and gone. She was
far too deeply hurt to have anything whatever
to say to him. And she did not descend to tho
breakfast table till site thought lie wras well out
of the house.
To her amazement Air. Trench sat there with
his morning Paper, in the sun, having break
fasted, but wishing apparently for tho privilege
of another cup of coffee with her. "Do you
suppose I didn???t see yoii open your eye and
???hut it???? ho cried quite gayly. ???I never knew
how bright your eyes were before. That was
really done like a flash. Hurt because 1 stayed
late at tho club? Well, I wasn???t at the club. 1
made 11 ten-strike yesterday, and 1 think a lit
tle ojtera to-night would be rather in order.
IIow do you like that???? And he took aeouplo
of tickets from his waistcoat-pocket, magic
talismans that opened the gates of music and
joy to the little being opposite, whose ribltons
fluttered and whose eyes sparkled, whoso
blushes came and whose dimples deepened, till
???he had to laugh with him and say to herself
that bygones must lie bygones between hus
bands and wives, and run round tho table, and
kiss him, and shed two or three tears sacred
to the memory of anger, grief, remorse, agi
tation, and tho far off, unattained mid
dim. Poor, pretty Airs. Trench! After
dinucr sho came down ready for the
fray, in her white fur opera cloak with its
rcsc-colorcd satin linings, aud her rose-colored
bit of a hat, tremulous with whito marabouts
Slid goldriippcd sprays and spires over her
lovely rosy face. ???Pressed for the warpath????
said her hurimtid gaily, pulling on his gloves.
???Fit for conquest. That???s the way I liko to see
my wife look! And that's a pretty hat, by the
way.???
???I made it myself today!??? she cried tri
umphantly.
???it???s a work of art," he said. ???And you luivo
a genius for iiiilUncryf'nndHfo 11 ho looked her
over from head to foot. ???There won???t ho such
a little beauty in the whole house,??? he said.
???Where aro your diamonds ? Yon???ve forgotten
ygur earrings. Hun and put them in; aud
jnake haste???we???re a little iato ns it it.???
Airs. Trench turned so polo that the powder
stood on her face like a blue bloom. ???Oh.
people don???t wear earrings now/' sho managed
to say, although hor lips seomed too much to
move.
???Don???t wear earrings? How long since?"
???Oh. they're quite gone out,??? sho said,
gathering heart.
???Gone out???? Half the women I moct liavo
them in. .('omc, make Inute!???
???Von???ra^cry mucU.,??tat*ken,???> aried Atr*
Trench then. -???Nobody thinks of such a thilig.
Am] I should think I ought to know as much
???bout the fashions as a man. And noboijy
pretends to wear diamonds at all now, any
way. They???re all given up for colored
stones.???
???1 don???t care if they have!??? exclaimed Air,
Trench hotly. ???1 thought women wero &up-
f msed to dross to release their husbands, and I
ike to see you with your diamonds??????
???I couldn???t wear them any way, you know,???
sho raid, sure that she had hit on the right
reason at last; ???if you see it???s so loug sinco I
wore them that my earn ought to ho quite
grown un??????
???Now look here, Mal>e], I saw you with some
Bouinn pearls iu your ears night before last. So
what's tho use of tiDkiug? If you don???t hurry
wc shall lose this car aud have to go to tho cx-
of a hack.???
l* needn???t wait another moment???,??? mid
Alabci. ???I'm quite ready. Aud I???m uot going
to wear (lie earrings, so there???s 110 nood of de
laying.
???Now, Mabel, why do you want to make
sueii a fuss about nothing? It???s absolutely es
sential to iny credit timt you shnll he seen well
dressed. And if you can't oblige mo by wear
ing these diamonds, you can just go up stairs
???ml take off your thing* nud we won???t gout
all. Ho do iis you please,??? and'ho waited half
u moment. ???What ??lo you think???? ho said
pleasantly.
???I think you???re a terrible tyrant!??? she cried
K ssionately, ???and you rob every pleasuro of
1 honey! Ami I don???t care whetyer I go or
not!??? And she fluttcnfl up stairs and Hung
bersolf down in dazed bewilderment.
What was there for her to do? she asked her
self. And what must her husband -think of
her, so stubborn and wayward that sho would
rather keep him at home from the opera, their
rare and costly pleasure, than give un her way
about a trifle. What did she care what such si
husband thought! And yet, if she did, and she
n turned on the vicious ctrclo, what was there
for her to do? And at once a bright and evil
thought smetc her. Josephine!???the second
girl; she remembered that no great while ago
sho had seen in Jorepliinc???s car?? two hits of
gloss or paste, Alaska diaraouds, may lie, that
imd cost seventy-five cents; and she hod
wondered why u girl in Josephine???s position
wanted to make believe site had diamonds in
her cars, which, if they were real diamonds,.
would only lie a disgrace to her, and how she
could spend a cent for finery, anyway, when
all the family were trying to save every doll.1t
for the operation on the blind mother's eyes.
And now, to ask 11 favor of Josephine, to whom
that very morning she had liccn obliged to
piece of her mind???Hut she must put
her dignity behind her, and???oh, heavens, if
Josephine had gone out with her Alaska* in
her cars! But Josephine had not gone outpind
it was only tho work of a moment, but tho
dreadfully hard work of a moment, to color
like a poppy, and feel iicr voice somewhere In
the depths among the lower tones of a tram-
bone, and then in clear, brazen tones to say:
???Josephine, I want you to lend mo yonr new
earrings, quick, and never on any account to
pay a wont about it to anyone!??? And the de
lighted Josephine hastened to obey; and Airs.
Trench crept down stairs with two bright
points glittering in her can under the hall
lamp, and her cheeks rosier than ever. Hut a*
site Flood there at the newel-post, if she had
dared to raise hor eyes, it would have struck
her that anything like the way in which Air.
Trench Ftartcd luck and looked aghast and
struck bis hand on his breast pocket os if to
make sore that his heart was beating niuler it,
she had never seen off the stage. Bat lie com
manded himself immediately, although lie did
not succeed in getting out of sight at once the
look of amuzement and of puzzled wonder.
???That's right,??? he said. ???And now you???ve
.ridded your point, I???ll bo lair and yield mine.
Yon needn't wear them if you don???t want to.
No, no, now, I???ll insist npon it. Take them out,
iny dear. I won???t have you mortify yonr
pretty vanity by not being iu the fashion,??? it
wasn't ???hat, she knew' in her guilty little souf,
but she hated to wear her servant girl's mock
finery, ar.d she knew that every woman in the
audience would know the sham at a glance. In
her desperation she had preferred that to the
encounter with her husband's wrath and con-
tempt???hat now???she hesitated. Ami then
rajpc the tinkling of the car bell*
They ran' hurriedly oat of the door
aud down the steps and were fn the cars, add
there was Mrs. Conrcy de Spenser going to the
opera, too. Before Mrs. Trench knew it those
earrings, those hateful bits of glass anil brass,
bad been snatched from her ears and were slip
ping into the pocket of her black silk skirt,
while a pair of great white earrings, ns big a:
peas, were flashing and milking and rainbow
ing in Aire, ( ourcy de Spencer???s cars for Mr.
Trench to see. Apparently ho didn???t sec them;
nor had he noticed that tho bits of Alaska crys
tal wero larger than her own earrings. Sho
was over the trouble for this time???but what
was she to do ou the next! At last in the midst
of the lights and dresses and flowers and
music she forgot her sorrows and abandoned
herself to the gcuer.il glory nud ineffable pleas
ure of the opera.
Mr. Trench was very quiet all through tho
opera; and on the way home he appeared to lie
in deep thought. Two or three times ho look
ed at his wife with a pnzzled air; but he
was very tender and gentle with her, for him,
like one who would invite confidence, in tho
few moments that they sat in tho little draw
ing room before going up stairs; and the next
morning as he went to business ho kissed her
and asked her if she were sure she loved him
and nobodv else, in spite of his tempers. "Why,
who else should I Jove? laughed Mrs. Trelich,
heedless of gra'mmer. ???I don???t know another
man fn the world to speak freely with, except
J our brothers and iny sisters??? husbands; and
in sure I don???t love them!???
???Then will you tell mo why you wanted to
give them Christmas presents to the extent of
getting angry with your husband about it????
???Because 1 always have, aud they always
have, and I like things to go on the way
they've been going on, and I don't want to mar
the harmony and put an end to our old pleas
ant way*, and they???ll give us something, they
always have, and they always have como over
here, cvenr one of them, to breakfast on Christ
mas mornings, and 1 don't waut them to think
we???re mean, and??????
???Well,??? said Air. Trench, ???why didn???t yon
j so. instead of blowing 1110 up the other day?
Now, 1 can???t hcln you. 1 drew my salary ahead
till the dose of the year to make the last pay
ment on the bouse, you know. I had a partic
ular use for a hundred dollars, and F borrowed
it, and I've spent it, and I don't know where
to borrow any more, and if I did I doubt if it
would be right to borrow money and run in
debt just for Christmas presents???do you thiuk
it would be????
???N???no,??? said Mrs. Trench, tearfully. And
then he kissed her again mid said, sacrificing
his last scrap of principle: ???We'll have to cx-
E lain it to them and muko it right next year.???
ut as he went up tho street there was a hesi
tation in liis gait and munnor which showed
his raiud to bo very muck divided about some
thing.
Airs. Trench saw it ns sho looked after him
according to her usual fashion when she was
rot injured or angered; and she found herself
asking if she supposed ho really had not a hun
dred dollars lie could have handed her at that
mcmcnt, if there were not somo other plan in
his head for using it that lie found it hard to
give up. But it wits idlo to spcculato, and she
went up to overhaul her boxes and drawers,
making by the closoof the day n contented ar
rangement of her possibilities. "A perfect rag
bug of a Christmas,??? she said, ???but 1 guess it
will do, considering they know Harry is pay
ing for the house. There???s my laco shawl???I
hate them, aud Harry???s mother loves thorn and
I???ll give that to her. And there???s tho silk rem
nants; they will make John two neckties???
beauties; and sister Sally can have my French
Monde fichu, it???s fresh as snow. Thore???s throe.
And I???ll give Alargic my black Spanish lace
scarf???I declare I shan't have anything left!
And Lawrence???well, there???s tho silk socks I
knit for Harry???s birthday. I haven???t given
them to him yet???Lawrence can liavo tuoso.
And Janet???I know Janet would liko a crazy
quilt. I wonder If I could get It done? I don F t
care; I???ll try. Now, there???s only little Janet???
I???ll make her a rag doll???and Lolly, and Will
???let me see. There???s that embroidery on my
old satin flounce; I suppose It would make good
smoking cans against the time they???re grown
up, lined with ihoso bluo silk handkerchiefs.
But then there???s the servants???well, I ahall
have to make my bluo Shetland shawl do, nmV-
Ittlo money besides for them J??? And that
reminded her of Josephine's earrings, nnd she
went to the wardrobe-caso whero hung tho
dress she had worn on the previous evouing.
and put her baud iu tho pocket for tho car-
lings, nnd there were no earrings there. Jose
phine had taken them !>aok, of courso. And
yet, Joscpkino would not do such a thing. Sho
turned the pocket inside out, she searched tho
floor beneath, the room, the stairs, tho drawing
room, the street steps, and then sho wont for
Josephine, and wished slio had dono so in tho
* ' * ice. For Josephine did not value them
and giving the girl tho last whole dollar
she owned to buy some others, Airs. Trench sat
down at her crazy quilt, prepared to forget all
about It as soon as she hail said, ???Dear mo. it
seems as if there were an evil futo about ala-
mond earrings and me????
Airs. Treuch, iu tho following days, was al
most too busy to think. In tho first of thorn
sho was haunted by an uudcflncd fear of her
husband???s again asking for the Jewels; ami sho
resolved that tho first monoy sho had sho would
buy os good imitations os were to be found; and
then sho thought how much vexation and un
happiness she might have saved herself if sho
had but confided in her husband in the first
place, and .then she grew angry, thinking
what sorb of a husband was that in whom
???ou couldn???t confide for fear of an out-
???urst that set your heart beating und your
nerves trembling to the point you couldn???t
bear! And then sho wondered whether Janet
would like robin???s egg bluo with crimson bet
ter thnn pale sulphur; and then sho set tho
quiet Josephine at work on the crazy squares,
while she herself attended to the smoking-caps.
Aud up early, and in lied Iato, and snatching
her meals, Air. Trench declared that he had
double reason for disliking a holiday, prepara
tion for which eo entirely absorbed his wlto
away from him.
But Airs. Trench was far from happy in those
days???dark days they were to her. 8ho was
busy, busy with a sort of breathless haste, and
yet only as if going through tho forms, indif
ferent to the whole thing; her heart held but
one emotion then, and her miml kept ringing
the changes on ono theme. Sho had always
been interested in Josephine, the pale and
stately girl; and she bad meant to help J<*c*
pliine about her mother???s eyes. And now Jose
phine was in great trouble. Josephine in great
trouble? It was Mrs. Trench who was in great
trouble, tcrriblo trouble, and who did not know
which way to turn or whero to go. There was
no one to help her. Hhe could neither cat nor
sleep. Something sho must do???hut great
heavens, what? Those earrings, those Altai
earrings. Josephine, on tho night she bad
bought hers, had taken them to show to her
sister Isabel, who lived with Mrs. Courcy dc
Spenser, and the two girls were so pleased with
them that when Mrs. t'ourcydc Bponser came
into the sewing room Isabel showed them to
her, and that lady expressed great admiration
and surprise, and even condescended so far as
to go and get her own camogs and compare
the two. and for a momentJosephinc bad held
both pairs on the palm of her hand. Goiug to
see her sister again after Airs. Trench had lost
the earrings, she told that fact In confidence,
and Af re. Courcy de Hpenser, who was overlook
ing fome sewing work, went In greut baste aud
trepidation to her own room, and returning,
became very agitated. Aud it seemed that
Jotephinc had taken home Airs. Courcyde
Spenser???s earrings ???y mistake, and left her own
hits of glass. And Mrs. de Spenser had said
that of course she knew Josephine was
thoioughly. honest, she never doubted her, it
was til a mistake, and she would say nothing
about it if Josephine paid the difference???she
would say one hundred dollars. And Jose
phine had no hundred dollars; they had not
yet saved all of fifty dollars toward the opera
tion on their mother???s eyes. And then the
truth slowly dawned on Mrs. Trench???s timid
comprehension; it was Mrs, Trench who bad
lost Mrs. Conwy dc Spences???* earrings.
???I don???t believe she ever had any diamond*!???
crird Mrs. Trench. "I lielicve hers were just
like your?, cut glass or crystal. Hhc???s the thief!
Bat that makes no odds. She's got to have her
hundred dollars. And???don't you cry, Jose
phine, dear???sho shall have it somehow???I
can't think how???unless I sell the spoons, too???
and they???re not mine. Or, I might raffle this
crazy quilt, ami say it???s for charity; and it it is!
Or, I could sell my sealskin, or???or ask Mr.
Trench, If I can't get ft any other way. But I
thall have it for yoy, Josephine, don???t fear,some
war. Only just keep her along; keep her off
awhile; wait till we get this Christmas off our
liaads. It may bring something in wc can use,
anyway;and Air. Trench will hare to baud mo
some money some time or other; and perhaps I
can get my courage up to tell him all about it.
I don???t know why I can???t???but I dou???tdarc???
I???m 60 afraid??????and then Airs. Trench broke
down and cried, and Josephine, who had be-
como in this stress something like au intimate
friend, cried too, and It was all very damp aud
unnlcarant. After this the days only dragged
ou heavily, and she expected something more
thnn had yet happened on every succeeding
one; sho grew thin and pale, and started at
every sound, was ready to cry at a word, aud
lived iu the atmosphere of a perpetual dread of
she knew not what.
???1 don't know what???s the matter with you,
Alabci,??? said Mr. Trench, with irritation. ???I'm
sure I shall lie glad when 1'hristmas is over.???
???I???m sure I shall!???
???The idea of turning wliat ought to lie a
happy tirno into a season of such work and
worry!???
???You haven???t helped make the season so
light to 1110 that you need to talk in that way!???
cried Airs. Trench, ouite beside herself, her
feelings rushing for tho first outlet.
???I don???t know what you want me to do! I've
explained my circumstances fully,??? exclaimed
her husband, ???and if you haven???t sense
enough??????
???You inusn???t tell me I haven't sense enough!
You musn???t!??? she cried. And in another in
stant she had thrown herself on ids breast,
clasping him convulsivcly.and had run from the
room, crying like a child.
???I???m sure I don???t know what to make of
her;??? said Air. Trench ruefully. ???Though she's
more like herself in this explosion than she lias
been for a fortnight. I don???t even know' if she???ll
lie pleased over Christmas morning???perhaps I
w as foolish not to end that matter up at unco
and give it all to her then. I don???t know what
to midse of her or any other, woman. Home-
times, nmiinured lie in Ids exasperation,
???sonii'tiniiH 1 wish there'd never been a woman
born!???
It wasa curious coincidence that in the fast
ness of her own room Ids wife was at tho sumo
moment exclaiming: ???Ob, I don???t sco what I
was made for! I wish I never had been horn!
I wish there???d never been any women horn!???
But iu the hist wish she was thinking of Mrs.
Courcy do Spenser.
But nil things come to au end; nnd nt lengt h
it nun ( hriitmas morning???such u hlno and
white sparkling morning, a sky like the
tent of the tabernacle, an earth snow-clod
with purity, every tree ami shrub wearing an
angel???s plumage, and n bright wind blowing
that seemed to shako the sunsldno out of
heaven. Such happy sounds there were lu tho
early Christ mas bells, such lmppy faces In the
street, too, and, insido tho house was all spicy
with the hemlock boughs and holly of Jose
phine???s handiwork, ???It???s as sweet as a forest,???
said Aire. Trench to herself. ???But I declare
these presents aro the shabbiest Christimwing I
over did ! I wish I had made something for
Harry after all. I guess 111 give lilin 0110 of
Johns neckties. Well, they???ll nil come over
to breakfast, and I???ll liavo a breakfast that
would make Dclmonico???a mouth water.??? And
hhe was as good ns her word, her table glittor*
ing w ith red oranges and black grapes and rus
set winter nears and marmalade lucent as jew
els, while tne kitchen of tho king of Franco
could have been no more savory with good odors
than hcr's that morning, from chicken not-pics,
steaks dono to a turn, slices of cold duck, broil
ed oysters quivering on their way from tho
gridiron to tho tonst, omelette slipping from
the pan liko a slice of gold, biscuit like snow
balls, turnovers for the children, and coffco that
might have made quo doubt If really that were
not the nectar of the gods.
Mrs ^French surveyed everything, and theu
hearing the arriving family uuuouncod by the
voices of Will and Lolly and littlo Janet, and
the gay greetings between tho elder Janet and
lawrcncc nnd Margie and Hally and Harry aud
the reft, she ran un to slip on her pretty brown
silk???she bad not nud U on since slio. went to
the opera???and sho put a geranium In lior hair
r&t tried to greet tbcnvail with a smiling face;
ar.d sho felt that tho houso was full of snnshlno
and music sod Christmas cheer, and uono of it
in her heart, whilo Josephine's pale .face and
swollen eyes smote, her with n sort of torror
every timo sho looked tlmt way.
Aud what an uproar the houso was in, and
how littlo Janet hugged her rag huhy with Us
pretty painted face, and how plcnscd the older
Jnnct was with her crazy quilt, nnd Ln
with his silk stockings, ono anil all cxcmiiiiuig
and thanking and kissing and laying her own
gifts in a yet unexplored heap and hoard bo-
side her chair. And sho was having hard work
not to cry, and Joscphlno was bringing in tho
dishes and Mr.Trcneh wan sharpening tho carv
ing knife, und uli were taking their scats in the
midst of tho jollity and clamor. And then
Mis. Trench was mechanically turning over
her pluto that had been reversed upon somo
trifle, ami Air. Trench???s knife was murderously
sinncndcd in the air as he watched her.
lor mild oily Airs. Trench???s eyes had grown
large nnd shilling, a color liko u wild roso???a be-
f an to spread over her wau fiico, she half rose
rom her elmlr, bending over, what she aaw
tin re before her??? two si??rkling, ablnini
erlug drops of luster, her earrings, her 1
rings that her father gavo her! And beddo
them???what else? A littlo, slippery, tortoise-
shell portcmonnaic, her own pocket-book, aud
as she adzed it nnd opened it, her own hun
dred dollar hill in it! And all in a flash of in
stinct???for her poor littlo mind could never
have compassed It???she sow timt her husband,
meeting her on Air. Hnarkler???s stops, bad gono
to inquire of Mr. Bparklcr what sue had been
ahout there, and hadbonght the gems back out
of band; and it was he who in mere mischief
bad snatched the pocket-book In tho crowd and
bad kept it for this moment. Joy nnd anger
swept across hor in force at ono breath, joy at
the recovery, auger at the delay.
???Oh, how could you, how could you f??? she
cried, flashing her eyes ut her husband, aud
???Oh, why did you, why did you!??? sho cried
again as the tears began to come, and sho ran
round tho tnblo to throw lior arms ubout him
and whisper the rest iu his car. As sho did so
Eomctli ing that glittered in her dress caught his
eye.
???What is this???? he said, as he stoopod to dis
engage it.
???On t??? she exclaimed. ???Let me see f It must
be??????and she nearly tore tho dress In her fev
erish haste to snatch tho thing into light??????no,
it can???t be*???it is! Oh, It is Josephine???s ear
rings, the ones she lent mo tho night of tho
opera, and that Airs. Courcy do Hucncer says
are hci???s, and I thought I slipped them into my
pocket nnd somebody stoic them in the opora
bouse. And I dipped them iuto this fold in
stead. Oh, isn???t this a lovely Christmas! Aud
oh, Josephine,??? turning, regardless of all the
rett, to the rtatily maid who hod Just come in
again, ???Air, Treuch has made me a present of
uy old cartings, you sec, and there???s a hundred
dollar hill in my purse, and it???s for your moth
er???s eyes, and os everybody???s Christinas was In
that bill, of course it???s a Christmas present to
her from ever}body in this room, isn???t it,
Harry ? I never had such u Christmas as this
in oil iny life!??? she cried then with a child???s
gojety. ???And I want to tell you???what do
yen think besides, Josephine? Here are Mrs.
Courcy dc Spencer???s earrings, her actual ear
rings, that she says were mistaken for those
you lent me. And I want you to run over to
her without losing a moment, breakfast or no
briwkfast, and tell her I seat them with my
compliments, and I found them exactly where
I put them, her own earrings, her real earrings
???no. you needn???t say her real earrings, be
muse they're not real, there???s nothing real
al>out them???or about her, either! They are
ju*t a )*ir of cut-glass brilliants like your???s.
Mrs. Courcy de Hpcnccr???s diamonds were never
any diamonds st all! And I???m sorry???I???m sorry
I'm so malicious,??? she cried, with Harry???s arm
still about her, and tie wholo family wonder
ing wliat the coil could be, ???T must lie Just as
wicked as anything! But I do declare???that
woman is such a cheat, swindling u poor
working girl of her hard-earned wages???that
I???m???I???m afraid this is the best part of my
Christmas!???
The Professors of Oxford
rnd Cambridge univcrsltie??are ai imperative
that the students of these universities should
read the ???Science of Life??? as any of the
standard works which their collegiate courses
requires. 1 The young English me 11 arc great
athletes, and are instructed in their schools
how Co maintain good health. This famous
medical book is advertised in another column
of this paper.
[ml. It i* called after Its inventor, who Is a Rita-
Butter, Cream, Cheese, Milk.
0 lit the productiondf cheese.
opening for legitimate trade
slues. Wo offer youuK stock of both sexes at low
price*. Needing n few native
mttibh milk for calves wo will
Hflnnicatt???s Rheumatic Cure!
h. r. c.
TheiGreatcst???Known Rem
edy for
RHEUMATISM!
???A GREAT BLOOD rURUTER???-
Address, for Treatise and testimonials,
J. M. HUNNICUTT & CO., Prop???r*.
Atlanta, at;
Price???50 cents a bottle. For sale by Druggists,
JaniSwRm
Jersey Belle of
- pa. Pansy, Vlctoi
ettry, Bt. Hi ller. Tot mentor, Top>awy??r and Signal.
Thom Ic e bull* arc four, tnwlt: Leonidas, aoio,
son of the great .signal. 1170, dam (icnuiitttn,
it cord M Hi butler week. Iiouldas???s get are
uniformly latgc, handsome and heavy
milker-. Very few have been tested for
butter. Ills daughter*. Celeste Cox, made 20 lbs 8
nnd Grace Pansy 2d, liefore two yours old made
Mia*
Cutter.
daily 20 lt?? milk nnd 1 lit II oz butter. Ills
daughter. Atlanta's Beauty, made 21 lbs 3 os
lllsrull sister, Geranium 3d, tnndo 20 Ita t ; .j oa
seven day*. Signal lvtro, 11,078, out of Optima,
6,717, a daughter of Signal. 1.170, by Leonidas,
Optima made 24 lb* Dos lit eight day*, with only
three teats yielding milk. King Kotl'or, Jr., 12.31?.
an Inbred grandson of Coomasdc, Inheriting 40Ji
of her blood. Ills dam. Island Star, making 22;$
quarts milk daily and 2J V.x :i ox butter a week
without being forced. Pansy Boy. H.7W),
by Puke, 76, intp., sin* of six cows in 14 th
Class, out Wierli, 6,222, ft great cow,
inbred to the early (Importations tracing 0 times to
Pansy N lmptd. her natural yield when fresh is 6
gallons milk nnd 2 1 , It s buttern day. Wcdouot
wish any unnecessary correspondence, but always
'tend promptly to business, visitors always wel
come. Freight* cheap. Cattle acclimated. No
diseases. Woodwa un, McC'i.i:u.ani> A Co..
11112m East Point. (U.
C. W. Dyer, No. 45 Fulton Market, New
York,a gentleman of seventy-tyro years of ago,
has been using-Brand reth's Fills, for upward
of thirty years. He says they have cured him
of imflidumatory rheumatism three time* when
physician'* prescriptions were in vain. He took
one or t wo pflii every night fot a fortnight.
plVEilOLLAlUf WOUTff FOB 92,
TO EVERY NEW SUBSCRIBER RENDING S3
???FOR Till ???
NEW YORK FIUKHIDK COMPANION
FQH 1886,
WE WILL BEND FREE A COMPLETE SET OF
MACAULAY'S HISTORY OF UNO LAND,
Seaside Liorakv Edition, (Price*!.)
The Fmi???jiiDK Companion Is the most interesting
tuelfly paper putriiAihcd iu the Putted States, em
bracing in its contents the best Stories, the beet
Hkitcliea, the l??ct<t Humorous Mutter, Richest Read
ing for Little Folk*, Random Talks. Fashion Arti
cles, Pcnonol*, Anecdote*, nud Answers to Corres
pondent*, etc., etc. No expenro is spared to get
the test matter.
A FKEBH KERMON BY REV. T. DlWlTT TAt.-
MAUK18 PUBLISHED IN KVKUY NUMBER.
Among the contributors to Tiie Fiiifjupe Com
panion arc Air*. Alary K. Bryan, Lucy Randall Com
fort, Alts, Alex. Alevcifh AUllcr, Laura Jean Mb
Ley, etc.
Cut this Advertisement out and send with ordor.*
Address
(ICOKGi: AItTNRO,
MTNRO* PI JILIftHIKO HOl/HH,
P. O. Pox 8751. 17 to 27 Vandowater Bt., N. V.
DAVIDSON COLLEGE,
NORTH CAROLINA.
T7ULL FACULTY, THOROUGH INSTRUCTION,
J; well equipped laboratories, best moral and rail-
Sous influence*, flexible curriculum, lioalthy loca
tion, economical. Boarions begin in Wptotnber and
January. ,
Htudcnti received at any Umo.
Bend for catalogue.
wlqrsu. JIEV. L. McKIXNQN, President.
Th*t farmer* may come to know Amer-
Ica???a belt national farm, gardes and liome
weekly without cost,
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER
will bo sent to all applicant* fuee for
rrvM VTMEXt, and promptly RTOPrxn at
theend of that time. 84 Park Row. If, Y.
???The Cheapest Furniture House
In Georgia.???
You will rave money by sending for my catalogue
and prices before you buy rurulturo. Biggest stock,
??west price*. Every stylo of furniture, from 9
bedstepd to 91,000 Imrcau. Cheaper than ever.
Estimates (hr famishing entire house. Write to P.
If. Pnook, Atlanta, (ia. dec22 wky 1y
Our?? Guaranteed
Fac simile of Bottle KEYSTONE
MALT
WHISKY I
Specially Distilled for Medici
nal uso.
|THE BEST TONIC!
Unequaled for Consumption.
Wasting diseases aud General
Debility.
PERFCTS DIGESTION!
BEWARE OF IMITATIONS
Tho Genuine ha* !thn .signa
ture ot EI8XEK & yiKX VEIe
SON on .the Label.
FOR SALK BY
JOS. JACOBS,
DroggUt, Atlanta, da.
T.BARNUM???S:
Dtr (k'lltiiirPr
.I.,,,! i
Executor's Hole,
......... ...SOLD BEFORE THEC.,v.....vu????
door In Fnyeettvllle. Fayette coanty, Georgia,
Jjfx 1???
Hi MO am> Hr -
(VrtK in. i lylffi i r j-, now Is? ltth dtstnottx
county.?? Sold for the purpose of dlstrlbutlom
among tho heir* of Kdmouu Jackson, deceased-
Terms cash. This December 4tli lMft.
Af. E. JACKSON, & Q, W. KOBTNBOtf,
Kxecmortt
r. TO WILL * tow, :w Mala gCaH/raffiAA m
NoUco to Debtors and Creditors.
A LL PERSONS HAVING DEMANDS AQATNBT
A tho estate el Sarah Jackson, Into of Fayette Ca,
deceased, aro hereby notified to render In their ds*
??? ??? *- ??? ??? *
according to law, and all
??? "luforttajnrt#
lfflo,
E. JACKSON,
Administrator.
TO THE FARMERS OF THE SOUTH:
. U.MT I'B TO OATJ.YOrn ATTKNT10K TO TIIE fllBPO.V COTTON* HEED PEA VTEft, A COTOF
1 wliU I, r-HK-.i' abm, will, put ill mom wtrUlraIhUiBf??htM to iMMiwrlorla.Uath.aax.
,oo market. Vliir l'I,nlcr In rlrnntr, diir.li!., rHInlilr and rhrap and carttroiwralcd than othar Manten
Id' rri.cii r,f having a abort, r loam and .mailer li???w*r. Bui ltt|>rtnol|??l foatiiro ta thi-: 11 ilmoa th* Mod
In btUaliutcad afinraMlnt tlion alunf the fumnr lllo other nanttra. It will pa, f.irlurtf tnnti:.tln??
the flnt rwt, (train lire ??arln??r.ru id atone, and It rfucawi, with the trouble end eapen*' orthe Hr t
rboMilre or ???Mae kin, on!." Tire rollon will (row nffmon; rapid rand the ???(teiur art Ire it uinra
reenuir diitineve ihan when the nwit are atrown nnd the roonepUnt. "blorkrel out." Tho mil. eiit ebon
ITentrr I' n vlrw the,Ironnine inrekrt In vrrtlrml irrtlon *Tlh ono half of tho ra.lne douched.
Tire dtonpll* ?? heel <K profiled inilta her with care or mrroaMd pocket; (ell. put In thl?? rjiliur.
and thi* Cidng ft letted toeeilrer end faviencd to the bottom or tho hopper. It te OH von Ire ??prockot
wheel.endrheln errenAcIcn opr<???lte ??lde from lliet ??hkl> work.agitator In hrpl>cr. Thla ??lla-
lor work, the retd down and Mia the droprtn* Htr lreta to wlieeI irhlch depodt hem In bill, ??, U
II, St, or::c Intlre, e|??tl. ntror, line to the number nfdrupplnitpocketa In whcrl. It pnta In a htU foM
I to Arced, error,line lo tiro of fired cod amonnt of lint nn them. If aeed are rolled, or If liter ere Rea
or muur. ircftti, rtr,, It will ,lrt,pA b> 10 used In orer, hill. Owlit to the email amount of aeed repaired
??? , lant 1.1. non with our marblnc, it farmer ran well altord lo (elect *uod clean iced, and alao aeed ot
bent fiualNr end tbue Improve Itla cotton every year. ??? .
Our droplet ran I* attacked to manj- rtlrer planlen, bnl e> the Row Law end Parquhar Planter*
are ihe known end most popular ones
two us< l.im
If) ???
use, wc have prepared attachments as yet only to fit those .
of thaw) planter* you nsefl not go to the cxnotsso of buying our complete
' ??? M
.. , on hand cithci
'fiiiollff^wm/esSli^lauur'aiwi^KliSchtat^^^^^SS'tiroriieppIng wheels, one with four
w ?? Jri it and oi.c with three pcckcls which drop the seed twelve aud eighteen Inches apart, respectively*
wrap attachments for either the Dow Law or Farquhar Planter constats or
One axle for front wheel lengthened to receive sprocket wheel,
Tire two I
IBflln nitai icivWR, , - ??? . _.
Tako the old axle out of your front wheel, put new axle In lUplaec> and fasten one wine sprocket
wheels on It; remove thf Hide Hide putJ|i hrAUanof yimroUl forp^fJo^^sUtwoilseed:jiraone??fthj
n ovo little
ilroppfng wheels In casing, bolf eating together nnd fasten to Ik>< min of hopper,
... ??*. r . _j??? . jin-,, connect the two wh*r-N with chain ami youroldmarhlnewill ha
In-ady for Stropping tfte tec*P Tb?? agitator In the Dow law Planter Is drlveu byAcranhaadlhaFSTgu hy by
chain am! sprocket w her R Our attachments do rioi Interfere at all I
??? ' bines ??? ???
the frmitthfrreA ~ If you bore an old Dow Law or Farquhar planter o _ ...
you have neither of those machine*, then by all means buy the Gibson .HfSSL SRS!**
???teMtdii??ib*tBmenidiKiured^ |1jntt , ri rmnp jj te ??? * ..JMdcaeli.
TtieOileon Attecbmenl, fori Ja.w law FtuMar
\Vc.c(^cUoti(irer??rni*rhUiM > lii l*hc hand, of^eienlhro??iiiout'uVvi J '''ithbeforepl*a???.!': Urn.,'
Ipayouf DC reliant torUwo. bee Hum letted. Hor??hre,.mMSari.Jp??ber ; _
Sole owner Oi'reJa 1