Won: A Christmas Story.

Hastings Standard, Issue 289, 5 April 1897, Page 4

Won: A Christmas Story.

[Specially Written for the Hastings S'lANUAlil).] [By Laueestixa.] u f AH fiii/lits Hi'Si-rrrtl. j Chapter I. The. scene of my story is laid in Surrey, at the country seat of a well-to-do gentleman. The house is one of the old stately homes of England. Signs of a slow decay in the oldest parts show that it is a very old place. A few centuries past Mr Ellmore's family could boast of a title of ancient date, but that had passed from the family for want of male issue, and only the name and the old house remained of the ancient splendour. The name had been taken by the husband of an ancestress of Mr Ellmore's. The present Mr Ellmore is head partner in a large banking firm, and is very well to do. The interior of the house presents an appearance of comfort and old fashionedness, as much of the ancient furniture had been retained, and some modern and more comfortable furniture had been judiciously blended with it. Mr Ellmore kept the park and gardens in good order, and the drive through the avenue of chestnut trees was charming in the spring ; but now the earth and trees are covered with a mantle of snow, and the sun, struggling to penetrate the soft mist, sheds a faint glow on the icicles of frost pendent from the grand old trees. Within the fine old hall, around which hang many trophies of the chase and curiosities from foreign lands, a famous yule log burns in the wide, old-fashioned fire-place, giving an appearance of warmth and comfort most refreshing to the cold and weary guests arriving, for Mr Ellmore is most hospitable, and delights to fill his house with visitors at Christmas time ; and an invitation from Ellmore Park is always gladly received and promptly accepted. The family now consists of Mr Ellmore, his daughter, and a niece, who is also his ward. Her father having died when she was quite a child, left her and her mother in Mr Ellmore's care, a trust he had willingly accepted, and conscientiously fulfilled. His niece, Ethel, is now twenty years old, a tall, fair, girl of a thoroughly Saxon type, with large, intelligent blue eyes, good features, and a mass of rippling golden hair—an accomplished girl with pleasing manners, and a merry infectious laugh, and a sunny trustful disposition, which made her the sunshine of the home. Ethel has been engaged to a Mr Hugh Estcourt for more than a year. He is possessed of ample means, and his estate joins Mr Ellmore's. It is a most desirable match in every way, as Hugh Estcourt has always been a favorite in the neighborhood, being a straightforward, honorable man. The young couple have long been devotedly attached to each other, and they are to be married on the first day of the New Year, so that this season at Ellmore Park is to be an unusually gay one. Hugh Estcourt and a second cousin of Maude Ellmore's have just arrived, being the last of the guests. Hugh Estcourt and Harry Ellmore are old friends, and Harry has only just landed in England after a fire years tour through foreign lands. About ten minutes before the dinner bell rang Maud came slowly down the wide stairs and looked through the principal rooms to see that everything was in order and that all was done for the comfort of her guests. All was satisfactory, and pleased the fastidious Maud. Bright lights threw their glistening sheen over everything, especially lighting up the leaves and berries of holly, with which the whole place had been profusely decorated, intermixed with rare hot house flowers. Maud enters the drawing room, which she finds still untenanted, and walks to a large window commanding a good view of the avenue. So deeply absorbed in hor thoughts is she that she is unaware of any one being in the room until Hugh Estcourt's voice arouses her saying, " Wo are, apparently, the first down, I suppose our fair hostess is still occupied over her toilet—-take care of your heart Harry ; it need " " You are wrong, for once, Hugh, I have been down for the last ten minutes," advancing to where the two gentlemen stood. " And this is my wandering cousin, returned after many years, ' she said holding out a fair white hand to Harry. " Welcome home, Mr Ellmore, we are very glad to see yo i again. I should think you must be quite tired of wandering?" " I am very glad to be back in old England again, and especially here, and at this time of the year, cousin Maude," he answered as lie shook hands with her. ' If I had not heard Mr Esctourt call you ' llarrv,' I believe 1 should not have known you again, you have altered so much," Maude said, glancing up at the fine bronzed fate above her, and meeting a pair of keen, grey eyes bent so admiringly on her own beautiful brown ones that they were quickly hidden by the long dark lashes. *• 1 can say the same of you, cousin Maude. When I weist away you were only a little girl, whereas now you are qui:*, a row is up young lady." '• Yt.-! tive years make> a great deal of diiierviict! sometime*," and while shf was speajcing her father—a tine, oemtry looking old gentleman i-!it> red, and he warmly w.-io.>me 1 Harr\ bat k. A- Maude -:>.■! back .» hi'le, silently li-!< inn.* while they talked, llarrv's kevn i y< a intently rt • j g.-.r Li*;-- !;• r. ■_■! .s. .* (mm the -ma", L-tiN cnmiiiil d.irk ht ad. held • f- et, t-> the fine, ■ eii-tr: I expri-'-tvi- f.iO au i tail ,;rao. fwi tig artI robtxi in dark ui&ue-colored ftiik mm*

mod .with rich, old black lace, caught here and there with tiny sprays of holly, soft white lace edging nec-k and ellijw sleeves, and a necklet and bracelet of pearls completing a charming costume. " Not a handsome face, but a bewitching one," thought Harry, as he turned to be introduced to Ethel Raymond, who now entered the room, looking "most devinely fair," he thinks; and certainly she does look lovely in her pale blue silk, richly trimmed with white lace, blush roses on hair and bust. "So this is our truant cousin, obliged to return at last," she laughingly says as she shakes hands with him. " Yes, it is ; but one who would long since have ceased to be a wanderer had he but known that such a vision of loveliness brightened these old walls," gallantly retorted Harry. " Ah! it is -plain to see you have profitted by your sojourn among the Frenchmen," she returned as Hugh placed her hand in his arm and led her aside for a few minutes' chat. After the guests had all assembled and Harry had been introduced, Mr Ellmofe led an old dowager of rank to the dining-room, followed by the rest Hugh and Ethel, happy in being together. A pretty, merry Irish girl fell to Harry's care. She was a friend of Ethel's, and very merry they seemed, thought Maude. The table was most hospitably laid out, and, as those present were all (except Harry) old friends, the dinner was a mort enjoyable one. Mrs Raymond (who had always been head of the house) was seated opposite her brother. Maud was nearly in front of her cousin, and more than once her lip curled scornfully at some absurdity of Harry's. " He is a flirt I believe, and I am sure I shall not like him," she thought as she watched the two opposite her. " He is certainly a handsome man, but I am sure he is conceited, and I do so dislike a conceited man. " Certainly he and Kitty Clair get on well together, and seemed to be downrightly enjoying themselves. Despite his attentions to merry Katie, the grey eyes were very observant, and they had not missed the scornful look on his cousin's face. . "Oh! a little bit fiery! I wonder what she would say and look like if she knew I had returned with the full determination of winning her for my wife. I see that my wooing is not likely to be an easy one, but still all trouble and difficulties overcome will be well repaid when I see those lovely eyes raised to mine in love. Ah Maude! my cousin, I love you already ; " but his thoughts were cut short by the ladies rising, and his eyes rested with admiration on the queenly figure of his cousin Maude as she left the room. In the drawing-room the ladies amused themselves talking over the entertainment of the evening, until the coffee and gentletnen arrived simultaneously. Afterwards a couple of hours was occupied with tableaux ; then music and singing closed a pleasant evening. (To be Continued).