Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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VOL S.---N 5 It was thA day before Christmas Oregon Christma'. It had rai mistily at dawn ; but at ten o'olc the clouds hadsparted and moved aw relu'ctaubly. There was a blue a dazzling sky overhead. The ra drops still sparkled on the windo and on the green grass, and the 1 roses and chrysantheinum8 hung tb beautiful heads heavily beneath the but there was to be no more rc Oregon City's mighty barometer-I Falls of the Willamotte-was decl lng to her people by ber~ soften) roar that the morrow wgs to be fair. Mrs. Orville Palm'er was in I large kitchen making preparations the Christmas dinner. She was picture of dainty loveliness in a lav der gingham dress made with a I skirt and a shirred waist -nd leg mutton sleeves. A white apron tied neatly around her waist. Her hutband came In, and paused put his arm around her and kiss b She was stirring something oi stove, holding her dress aside with < hand. " It's goin' to be a fine Christa Emarine," he said, and sighed une sciously. There was a wistful i careworn look on his face. " B'autiful !" said Emarine, vi ciously. "Goin' down town, Or vill "Yes. Want anything ?" "Why, the cranberries ain't cc yet. I'm so uneasy about 'em. Thc ought to 'a' been stooed long ago, like 'em cooked down an' strained 1 jell. I don't see what ails th groc'rymen ! Sh'u'] think they c get around some time before doo day I Then I want-here, you'd I set it down." She took a pencil at slip of paper from a shelf ovor table and gave them to him. "N, let me see." She comnmwed stirr again, with twvo NsUi0 wrinkles tween Acr brows. " A ha'f a poun -trc' ; a ha'f it pound o' candied pe two pounds o' Cur'ut s; iwo poiundE raisins-git 'em stunned, Orvillo: pound o' sooet-make 'em give some that ain't all strings ! A bo: Norther' Spy applis ; a ha'f a do: lemons; four-bits' worth o' walnut a'moods, whichever's freshest; alp o' Punget Sound oysters for the dress and a bunch o' cel'ry. You stop by see about the turkey, Orville ; a, wish you'd run in 's you go by mothe an! tell her to come up as soon as i can. She'd ought to be here now." Her husband smiled as he finisl the list. " You're a wonderful hot keeper, Emarlne," he said. Then his face grow grave. " Gc present for your mother yet, Er rine ?" " Oh, yes, long ago. I got 'era blh shawl down t' Charman's. She's 1 wantin' one." He shuffled his feet about a lit "Unh-hunh. Yuh-that is-1 reel you ain't pickod out any present -fer my mother, have yuh, Et rine ?" "No," she replied, with a cold tinetness. " I ain't." There was a silence. Emar stirred briskly. The lines gr deeper between her brows. Two i spots came into her cheeks. " I hi the rain ain't spoilt the chrys thums," she said then, with an air ridding herself of a disagreeable si ject. Orville made no answer. He mo, his foot again uneasily. Presently said: " I expect my mother need black shawl, too. Seemed to me he looked kind o' rusty ayt church Sund Notice it, Emar'ino ?" " No," said Emarine. "Seemed to me she was gitin' look olful old. Emarino "-his ye broke ; he came a step) nearer--"i be the flest Christmas dinner I os eat without my mother." She drew back and lookedl at hi He know the look that Ilashed it her eyes, and shrank from it. " You don't have to oat this 'a' wil out 'er, Orville Par'mer'! You goi .eat your dinner with yourn mothe you want ! I can get along alone. A you goin' to order them things ? * you ain't just say so an' I'll go an d< myself I" Hie put on his hat and went with<i a word. * ~ Mrs. Palmer took the sau'copan fr<. the stove and set it on the hearl Then she sat down and l 'anod 1: cheek in the pitim of her hand, ai lopkedi steadily out the window. IJ . eyelids tremblgl closer' together. E eyes held a farhighited look. She si a plctur'o; but it was not the pictu of the blue. reaches of sky, and green vudes~ cleft by Its silvor'-bl river. 'She saw a kitchen, shab compared to ors own, scantily fi nishod; an din i- an old white-hair wvoman Hitting down to eat lher' Chi mas dinner alone. Aftoe' awhile she ar'oso with ani pintient sigh. " Well, I can' help it she exclaimed. .a " I I knuckled dos to her' this time, I'd have to do 't ag'. Sho mnigh jus~t as well get ust to't ih as last. I wish~ she hadL't got lookin' so old1 a~d p)itiful, though, settin' there in front o' us in chur Sunday after' Sunday. The cor stand out in her neck like well-rod an' her chin kceps a-qivr'in' so! can see Orville a-watch in' her--" The doos' opened suddenly, andl h mrother' entered. She was br'isthi w ith curiosIty. "' Say, i'smarioe !" S lowered her voice, although there 'w no one to hear. " Whore d' you s'po the undertaker's a goin' up by lher Have you hear of any body" 'No," said Emarino. "IDid Or'vil stop) by an' tel-you to hurr'y upi ?" "Yes. What's t'ho matter of hini Is ho sick ?" " Not as I know of. Why." " He looks so. Oh, I wonder if I one o' the Peteorson child)rqen who the under-taker's a-goin I'! ley' all got the quinsy sore throat." "How does ho looks ? I don't see ho looks so turrable." "Why, Emarino Parmer ! Even body In town, says he looks so!i I on hope they don't scnow what ails hin " What does all him ?". cried o Emarino, fiercely. "What are ya hintin' at ?" * "Well, If you don't know what al him, yu1 meot to; so In'll tell ou. H d in' by inches ever sence you turned to his mother out o' doors." . I .. Emarine turned white. Sheet light- b - ning played in her eyes. " Ob, yod'd ought to talk about my d turnin her out !" shq burst out furious- " y, y.i"nAfter you a- egtin' here a-quar- E! 'l'i with her in tb's' very kitchen, an' eggin' me on I Wa'n't she goin' to turn ou out o' your owni aughter' ed home? Wa'n't that what I turnc ek her out fer? I didn't turn r I my anyhow! I only told Orvi i * nd house wa'n't big enough for his n In- an' me, an' that neither o' U: w knuckle down, so he'd best ta' st choice. You'd ought to talk I" ei Well, if I egged you on, 1' eo I.t'" said Mrs. Endey , F n".Evor scnce that fit o' sickn. n. a month ago, I've feel kind ar- no account myselfI as if I'd g all' holts go, an jest rep spunk up.1kb .ust to. N( he go to Ppterson's--h'. .gaw f My laud I I wonder 'If it a Gran'ma Eliot; she had a h en- no, he didn't turn that corn 'ull think where he's gom' to !" .u1 She sat down with a sig) ras A smile glimmered pv Emarine's face and was go' to be if you'd go up in the er. could see bettor," she eugge fhn "Oh, Emarine, hero ne Gran'ma Eliot herself ! Rt n an' k the door fer'er. She's liml ,' wor, as, usual." on- Emarino flow to the dot r. Grana mnd ma l'.iot was one of the .ow people I she loved. She was large nd mother va- iy. S'ao wore a black dres and shawl and a funny bonnet, with a frill f white lace around her browa mne Emarine's face softened whea she y'd kissed her. " I'm so glad. Io coo you," I she said, and her .I'ea endor. o a Even Mrs. Ird ey-s face uiaderwent a i em chango. T'Aually it wore a lopk of u'd (loubi-, it not of positive suspicioh'?but ms- now it fairly beamed. She sook t est hands cordialy with the guest and led I d a her to a comfortable chair. < the " 1 know your rheumatiz ds worse," )w, she said, cheurfully, " because you're 0 ing lim pin' so. Oh, did you see the under- a be- ttker go up by here ? We can't think ] o' where ho's gin' to. D' you happen to I c I; know." o "No, I don't; an' I don't want to, u a neither." Mrs. lEliot laughed coin ,ou fortably. " M is' fEndey, you don't I ( o' ketch me foolil' with undertakers till fen [ have to." She sat down and removod C or her black cotton gloves. " 'm I int gettin' to that ago when I don't care in,' much where undertakers go to so long an' 's they let me alone. F'ixin' for Chribt- g 1' 1 mas dinner, Emaritnc. dear ?" 0 r's, " Yes, ma'am," said Enmarine, in her she very gentlest tone. Her mother had p never said "dear" to her, and the 0 ied sound of it on this old lady's lips was so- sweet. " Won't you come and take dinner with us?" it a Tho old lady laughed muerrily. c na- "Oh, deario me, dearie me I You don't guess my son's folks could spare tck me now, do you? I spend ov'ry Christ 'en mas there. They most carry me on two chips. My son's wife, Sidonie, le. she nearly runs her feet oly waitin' on con ne. She can't do enough for me. My, for Mrs. Endoy, you don't know what a c na- coifort a daughter-in-law is whbn you I get old an' feeble !" lis- Emarine's face turned red. Shc I went to tho table and stood with br a Ino back to tho older women ; but her ow mother's sharp eyes observed that her d 'ed ears grow scarlot. 0 >pe " An,'I never will," said Mrs. Endoy 9 in- grimly. - of " You've got a son-in-law, though, r ab- who's worth a whole townful of most 0 sobs-in-law. He was such a good son, led too ; jest worshiped his mother: r he couldn't bear hei out of his sight. e-Ic p a h iumored h- high and low. That's r'n jest the way Sidonie (loes wvith me. f sy. I'm gettin' cranky 's I get oldoi', an' sometimes i'm r'eai cross ain' sassy to a hor'; but she jest laffs at me, an' then a to enmos an' kisses me, an' I'm all i'ight ice ag'in. It's a blessin' right from God t t'll to have a daughter-in-law like that." a roir Thle kni fe in Emarino's hand slipped, i, and she uttered a little cry. 1: mn. " Hurt you?" demanded hoer mother, c ito sternly. Emarino was silent, and did not 1 Lh- turn. an'' "Cut you, Emarine? Why dlon't b r- 'f you answer me ? Aigh ?" o "A little," said Emarine. She -wont ~ If into the p~antr'y, and pr'esenltly returtn- I 't 0(d with a narrow str'ip of muslin which she wound around her finger. mt " Well, I never- see ! You never' will lean any gumption'? Why don't you c m look what you're aboout? Now, go h. artoundl Christmas with your finger' all Or tied iup !"' nd " Oh, that'll be all right by to-mor'- 's ori row," said Mrts. Eliot, cheerfully. b cir " Won't it, 10marilne ? Nevoer cry over n~ iw spilt milk, Mi's. IEndey ; it mates a ro body get wt'inkles too fast. 0' course a he Orvilie's mother's comin' to take din- Fi uc ner with you, Emarilno." sa b~y " Dear me !' exclaimed Emaine, in u it'- a sudlden llutter'. "I don't see Why c ed thoet'anberr'ies don't come ! I told ce st- Orville to hurry' 'cem up. .I'd best make the Iloaitin' island wile I wvait." r in- " I sto)pped at Orville's mother's as I g !'' camne along, Emarine.'' 'n' How?" Etma.-ino turned in astartled h iu, way from the table. k 'st 'I say I stoppecd at Or'ville's motherm's b to as I camn i Iotong." a- "' Oh !" oh "She well ?" asked Mrs. Endoy. s ds "' No. she ain't ; shak-In' like she had r >c, the Saint Vlitue dance. She failed hor- ii I t'able lately. She'd b'on cryin'; hot' eyes wats till swelled tup." or' There was gula to a silence. Then ii rig Mr's. l'ndey said, "' What she b'en w: hOecryin' about?" h; as "' Why, when I asked heor she jest k 80 lalfed kind o' pitiful, an' said : 'Oh, al 'only miy tomnfoolishnesst, 0' course.' w Said she always got t ) thinkin' about" Ic otheir Cha'istmatses. But [ cheea'ed ba het' up. I told her what a good time . I always had at tuy son's, t'n' how Is Sidonie jest couldn't do enough fot' Iri tme. An' I told hot' to think what a d< t's nice time she'd have here 't Emar'ine's a'o to-mot'tow." tc ye Ma's. l~nduy smiledl. " What she say " to that ?" 's "She didn't say much. I could see C sho was thankful, though, she had a di 7~- SOin's to go to. She said she piltied all a ty po or wretches that had to set out their si !" Christmas alone. Poor old lady ! she st ut ain't got much spunk left. She's all nm >u broke down. But I cheereod her up D some. Sech a wishful look took holt at is o' her when I pictehered her dinner i's ovnr' hmre at m.',. I ca' seem T i forget it. Goodness! I n' in on my way to Sidonl" 3 comin' after r - When IV' 3wn fl rate her. She linishe. o the kitehen. Yran'ma Eliot 'iu'. rou'd turned Orville, 'knarine ?" There was no reply. Et.. Lt the table making tarts. I, vas to her mother. " I didn't mean,ewlhat I said abo1,. ioin' sorry I egged you on, Emarino. 'Im glad you turned her out. She'd >r, to be turned out." Emarine dronupd a quivering ruby 4 jelly into a 'go!den ring of pastry ,nd laid it carefully on a plate. "i Gran'ma Eliot can go talkin' about ter daughter-'n-law, Sidopie, all she rants, Emarine. You keep a stlti pper lip.". ' "'I can 'tend to my own affairs," said ;marine, fiercely. "Well, don't hlare up so. - Here omnes Orville. Land, but he does look eakid !" * * * * * * * After supper, when her mother had one home for the night, Emarine put n her hat and shawl. Her husband was sitting by the fire lace, looking thoughtfully at the bed f coals. "'1mi goin' out," she said brlefl. You keel) the firo up." " Why, Emarine, it's dark. Don't hoo want I sh'u'd go along ?" " No; you keep the fire up." He looked at her anxiously, but ho new fr'm the way she set her heels own that remonstrance would be uxse 388. "Don't stay long," ho said, in a tone f habitual tenderness. He loved her assionately, in spite of the lasting urt she had given him when she arted him from his mother. It was hurt that had sunk deeper than even e realized. It lay heavy on his heart ay and night. It took the blue out f the sky, and the green out of the rass, and the gold out of the sun ght; it took the exaltation and the aiture out of his tenderest moments f love. He never reproached her, he never cally blamed her; certainly he never itied himself. But h car-ied a eavy heart around with him, and his aw smiles were joyless things. 1For the trouble he blamed only him elf. He had promised Emnarine lolmnly before he married her, that there wvere any "knuckling down's be done, his mother should be theQ ne to do it. IHe had maleo the promn9 me deliberately. and ho (ould no morp ave broken it than he could have banged the color of his cyosm Wh itter feelings arise between two.O Ltives by marriage, it Is the one bands between them-the one w1ho9 ound by the tenderest ties to bohs~ ho has the real sutfering t-> boni 'ho is torn an4 tortured until 1i16 olds nothing worth the having. Orville Palmer was the one who ~o(d between. lie had built his 6wn ross, and he took it up andl bore it ithout at word. Emarine hurried through the en'rly Vintor dark until she camne to the nail and poor house where her hus andl's mother lived. it was otf the ain-travoled street. Tlhoro( was a dim light In the kitchen nid the curtain had not been drawn. marine paused and looked In. The tsh was lited six inches, for the night as warm, andl the soundi of voices. meO to her at once. Mrs. ''almar 'had >m pany. '"it's Miss P rendy." said Emarini', 3sontfully, under her breath. " Old Eassip !"' "'-goin' to have a fine dinner, I ear," Miss P'ressly was saying. "Tur~ Py with oyster dre'ssin,' an' cran erries, an' mince an' pun'kin 1)10, an' mel plum puddin', an' nuts an' raisins SwInd up on. Emnarine's a tine cook. be knows how to git up a dinner that akes .sour mouth water to think )out. You gein' to have a spread,. Is' P'ar mor ?'' "Not much of a one," said Orvill ce' other. " I oxpected to, but I c'u'd 't t themi F'all potatas sold off. i'll wve to keep 'cm till Spring to git a ny nd o' price. I dlon't care mndoh >ouit Christmas, though "-her cbin it trembling, hut sheolifted it hI kh. It's silly for anybody but children to. mild so much on Christmas.'' l'marine opened the door and walked .Mi's. Palm'er arose slowly, grasp g the back of her chair. " Orville's 'ad ?" she said1 solomnnly. limarine laughed, hut there was the ndernssg of near tears in her voice. Oh, my, no !" 8sho said sittIng down. I run over to ask you to come to )iristmnas dinner. I was too busy all ky to come sooner. Pin goin' to have great dinner, an' I've cooked ov'r9 ngle thing of It myself I I wain6t~ ow you what a fIne Christmas dimo-. >r youi' daughter-'n-law can get up., inner's at two, an' I want you to comg eleven. Will you ?' Mr's. Palmer had sat down, weakly. omxbling was not the word to descr'ibed~ he gavt, . - at hs wife. lInmarino b but It was through tears. - "Eimarine ast ine Orville to dinner o' hersoll I An' she givo ien this shawl. Pi-min'--fer--ioy4# -" " I ast,her to dinner," said Nnimarino, "but she ain't .ever goin' back again. She's goin' to stky. I expect we've 'both' had enoyghof 'a lesson to do us." Orville did notepisk . He fell on his kpes and laid hl head-.Iike a boy, in 'his -ohr's - la , %nd reached one sti'ong -but tron bling arny. pp to his wife's waist drawing hor dvn to hin. . Mrs. Endey got up and went rattling things around on thq tbI vigorotisly. "Well, I never seed de a pack o' loonatics,". she exclaht .6l.: "Go an' burn all your Chrisuaus 'din ner uv, If I don't look' after 1t I T rn coate. I expecut they'll both be fallin' over theirselves to -knuekjed d6wpX,to each other from no* dI netrer see!" But there was somethingt -'r , too, that mnade them beaut . - Clure's Magazinoe. ?J1XS 80UNDS A NOT. VAI'6 THE VIDNEZUEIAN. TROUBA BD. COMEIS SERIOUS. President. Oleveland Stqudo Firinly on the Monroe Dgotin-es'eat Britain Must Arbitate. o0 ight. The President trnsnltteog to, Conq giIess on the 17th inst. th~e borrespon. d oe between the g, eAkqqntsBqof he United States and\ GrQ tat Ity regard to Veneuela, .tog' heo b the follow inggppela n~ To the oigres : n aniu*Ll message admto the Co tihe third inst a~~oat~t~uo the pending d6uar tween Groat Brittiak ?dd a iAiy of Venezueladreci% ofa ruprsent iyn n~ ~, t bora loati the iM'sent' sino~e~s~~~ extension 1dv L0tdj doctrine 1$by h States; t 6rgte4 ~t appeal go . Oot'ie nn President nlro, are eie~~J p)lzibly "~ o the ntats of',~ which. wve live at t' and especially inapf rO0 Lroversiy -invoking tha bai\ betwoen Great lyritia - ~~ Without attoniptin. meet inr ro3J:.'y to tis OIt iSy not be amis~s to suggesh~~ trine upon which we and si ound because it0 impoI)rkant to our DoaCo natio#t and is essential t9KEIo t r~f oftr free Institutions dad tb1ttftI mnintenance of our disti (t~y of n of government. It was idti 1 o ap ply to every stage of our' tgonallifre t ~d cant not becomo obsolet6 ivpile ou ro( )Iblic ondlures. If the~ balanfl( power lis 18tly 4 cause (0ojJealous a' lety among ho, goverh oj te of'. >ld wvorldu~tc a subject ft our. uto non-interfeoence, ndne tl e I mn observaneW of the Monroe D) )f vital concern to our~ pc( their governument. Assuming, therefore, the propetrly insist up jon tIu totregardl to ' the ste no which we live," or an' .ho conditions here or olh 20, app)Iarenft why its ~i tot be invoked in h-r versiy. If a I'~uropean p owo,, don of its biouhtdaie s, ta' )f the territory of telg'hb ing repullics a nDd in, erogation, of I 'lu ~to se6 why, ~~Jurope an power c b~ ttempt tp extend ~overflnent to) that 1)jAq it whtlhris tb r. :pn. s .'receive don,. ioat. received tq(3 1c j v,,. ULp y E~nglih goeiutu ftI~ Ho fiuthor doolares:"Though 'fai, hwnguago'bf Presidoiat MourbO' ,j6,,dl-' roctod to the sttmbhitudnt of- Ob'ot which iott 'Hngli 'W'Qu 4. a&641 W~ bo salWaiy, It ls4mPosdible 6toat' tha~t thoy ht..v4i . Ininsorkbed, by A'41, de(1uato autbiwlty to thb code of Lti.er national Ia~v.t' AgaI6\he ssays . 1 hey ' [her maeoiy'sr gqverum~ent) fu'lly uon-, 0111. withl the Viw .wio IR doht Mo0 a~parontleyq 'kIidhen i-Mbance of the *kt016,41iv Of ky'I y fresh asdlil 6 vlIt o Doy ;~Uropoan State Wouil&.t bj kio inex - edie~t ohijuge:" I tl~o bullot that thedb d"Ji-N~ Wel contend a0i0 v' ~n W'V fou01n 0. 4l p~ 0.t;toI a d 01uI. ir whether Gret, o inne ' IL bjundary to PB lfroa of own, I o'osd krht or,,-- Qs fiw t kntiL lei .lela / i ~bout .h~uV'O4~i~qd Pyort I i9of~net