Ivy Raynor's Christmas.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 958, 24 December 1881, Page 1 (Supplement)

Ivy Raynor's Christmas.

ByOrita,"

InggfijHßlStMAS gi.ectings and:c6ngra.; fiSszJ , lulationsf were being: exchanged; [BjM • on all sides., The shopwindows: ftSSi ' were gay with Christmas cards and gifts;' Bright i little' facesi grew grave with wonder as they pondered over what that most beneficent being to childhood, Santa Clausj wo'uld'brihgiri his'sack this'fyear in the shape of, toys and .presents. Five-year oldiVVilliewhispercdincoafidencc to mamma, i"He wanted a, steam; enginq that would /go just like a,real one; did she think SanlaGlaus puld know all about it?,;" While tiny May lisped at her nightly prayers,' "Please/Tanta(Taus, dolly as bid asdebabyv" And papa'and mamm& ! plottedin secret/when 1 curly headsWere : laid attest, how they might' best gratify, the desires of their darling -if funds would, permit' the,expensive plaything that Willie had set his affections oiyor where, a doll was to.be obtained as " bid as de baby" for golden-haired May, Merry Christmas! HappyChrisjmasl-the festive season—was at.r hand, ushered in by warm sunny days and' beauteous flowers' rich withcolor and perfume, fit emblems of Him l whose mission was to teach" Peace on earth, good-will to men," ;

In the school-room at one of the - most fashionable ladies', seminaries in Melbourne, a group of,,mtrry : maidens, was, .gathered to-' gether,.discussing plans.fqr the,fu\ure';' of the, bright prospects that awaited (hem, when/ freed, from the trammels of school discipline,' they shou d indulge; in. all the [gaieties ilhnt tkirelder and '. more fortunate - sisters Were privi-.. legrd lo enjoy. .■•.... Ft remost in the group was bright j spirltling Lillian Kay, the pet of the whole.'school, and just at this moment the envy of all : This, was! Lillian's last quarter. On the moirjw she; would bid adieu to etymology, syntax,, and prosody for ever, and:it was on.hr account this, soiiil gathering had been: arranged—a "vale parly," as the girl< called it, and w,li cli - they wero always in ihe.lnbit of giving when, any special favoiite was about to leave their midst.

"Girls," said Lillian, during a pause in the Babel around, ' I have a proposition loinake Lei's ask Miss Raynor to join us. bhc has looked so miserable ever since the holidays were talked of that I feel quite sorry for ,her, If might cheer h?r up a bit if we invited her to come down, Bo you know," and , Lillian',-.. v -ice grew very serious; "I don't believe she has anywhere to go for the vacation." "Oh; Lillian I" was the responseiuttered in all sorts of keys, as'onishment predominating. To these gay young creatures, filled with the delightful anticipations .of going home or pleasant visits to dear friends, the id'a o: any being so utterly forlorn.as 10. be obliged.lo spend her holidays.at Cramem .Villa was' simply atrocious, .. ... .... " Well; do you consent ?'' continued Lillian, waiting lor amorc explicit ieply,! " Of course, Lillian, 1 as you are the guest of the evening; we shall be happy, for yoii to in. vitc'whdm you pie ise," returned Hetty Field, the'eldest'of the party; and who'w.s generally chief spokeswoman; " but don't yon think she will be just a little, bit in the way? I don't believe in asking the goveri esses to our private, issemblies. ItV an.inf ingeincnt o; the.rules, you,know,'! finishe I up Hetty sevciely.,.. ." Now, He ly," replied- Lillian criaxingly,' "you know better than, that! Miss Raynor is as n ce and sw- et as can be-she won't interfere in the least with our fun;'" and Lillian, without giving time for anyone else to object, was out bl the room mid Hying two at a' bound up the st.iirs to Miss Kaynor's apartment,

; Very gentle and mild was. the voice which ibade Lillian, enter, .and a.face.as fair ,and ,dmost as youthful .as,her qwn,:but with. the ; , !shadow of'a-sorroWiUpon iity waSiilifted up to : . irneet .Lilian's beaming- smileias she-made her request.' 'Therewas hothrngjabout Ivyißay. norof theangulaf, soiir-visagid schoolteacher: • a class that is dying out fast,' 1 and let ns thank' Providence; for the sake of the coming genera, tidhl 'thijt.it is so!.: ':.■"'■'" ' "Ycluareyery,.liirj,d,dear," sajdMiss 'nor in reply to LillianVinvitaiioi\; ( " butJ am afraid that my.presence would notadd to your amusement, I "am. not-.very lively company, iLillian,, and I-ifeel -unusually-dull tb-night. : Give my love .totlie other girls, dear, and tell :theml'hope they -Will have a pleasant time." Bui Lillian .was not. to be put oft" in this fashion.',SheHad. awarni, loving disposition;., and.;her.tympanies had been „ readily called fortlion .behalf, of. the quiet,,jreserved music, ■ She ..tried, her, utmost' powers of ; persuasion,. but, ? to, no. ava i 1.,, Iyy-wasiob... durate,: aniLillian returnedi!to,theischool. room rather crestfallen and; disappointed jshe ; had been so-anxious to try;andidissipate some of the gloom which appeared to harfg over Miss Raynor's : sad young. life, ■., " Never imind,"slie said to herself,' " i'll'try another plan, and I think I shall.succeed ihis time,". As the door closed! on Lillian, Ivyßaynor buried her fqce t in her hands,, and.anguished sobs shook her, slight .frame, and scalding drops fell thick,and. fast. The.long pent-up feelings burst forthuncontrolled at this graceful little action of' Lillian-si—the^first and >only kindly notice she had received since she had .entered Cramem , Villa . as music-teacher, Long months of'sorrow and neglect had never affected her as did this little, act.of thoughtful, ness.. Ah I 'Lillian, simple lhoiigh.it was, .the, record is written on high among more widely, spread deeds of Christmas love, ■. Onlytwq.short years ago-and.life,hadbeen so very pleasant to Ivy, the idolised child of a doatjng.father,. the beloved.pfr a noble heart —so she fondly imagined; ! Now all was changed!' Her' father,had, been carried off suddenly. " Apoplexy", 1 th'e. j doctors had said; bu,t when/.his affairs were looked into.it was .discovered that,he had speculated largely and lost his.alL Those.who knew him best shook, their heads'.'at the doctors' verdict.-, They knew then j what-, had. caused' ,the,oldi man's ■: death, and so Ivy was left an orphan, and penniless, Her - kubwledge - of .music—fshe was a brilliant, and educated per-ijbrmeri-stood her'in good stead when adver.;. sity came upon her, and'she'had considered/ 'herself fortunate in securing .the. position she, held at Cramem Villa, where she jiad been installed for the past, eighteen months, friendless and alone. Experience, soon Ivy the friendship of the world,. When most she needed them the acquaintances, ofi her: -prosperous , days " p'asssd by on the other side,"' and there was none to help her. •'•■'." : ' : ' '■■ But Ivy's greatest trial was yet to come. •The love she thought so true had proved'faithless. On such a night she had parted withiHubert Kean for the : last time, and she:

had never heard from or seen him since. Could she have misinterpreted his looks and words of 1- ••- e?. No, no; she felt he did lovelier; but why had he. behaved so strangely ? There was nothing to' account for it, "It is my fate," moaned Ivy, as others had done before her;- !■:■■•■ • ■■! ;.••■■;■ :

The gift that Hubert had placed in her hands as he wished her a merry Christmas with the words, "Read, our favorite poem before you sleep to-night, Ivy," lay still unopened in tier box. ! Her father had come in complaining. of not feeling well—the beginning of the end - and by some mischance, one of those apparently, trilling accidents which sometimes change the whole,tenor of a life, the bookijiad been laid aside, the poem unread. Yes, there it lay, still unopened. Afterwards, Ivy had neverdared tocut the cord thatbound the wrappings, to look at the contents, She had tried so hardto banish all recollections of her lost love; she would not trust herself to behold the familiar handwriting which she knew would greet her on the fly-leaf. But now, touched by Lillian's kindness, some softer influence seemed creeping over her,); Perhaps she might even find consolation in the very pages sqlong.sealed to her.

! 'lvy rose frc-nrher seat arid took the'parcel |from its resting place. Willi trembling.fingeis she untied the knot; the brown paper cover fell aside, disclosing a handsomely., bound edition of Coleridge. She turned the leaves to find the sweet idyl "Love." But what is this marking the place? 1 A note lies folded between the pages. Ivy's heart beat violently, and she was so agitated she could scarcely see to read the contents, Only a few lines, but in them Hubert Kean confessed his great love for her. beseeching her to send him word the following day whether she returned his affection, If he did not hear from her he should conclude she had no love for him, and never see her

more, At last, the whole truth, when, alas I too late, had been revealed, Why had she allowed.the book to remain'lying unopened these,two long weary years? Why, oh why? ; Vain reproach, Ivy, Others have questioned themselves in the self-same mariner,, and as fruitlessly. And now Hubert was gone from her for ever, arid she knew not where to seek him, Gone! thinking her unkind and cruel, ;when'she would have given her life for him,

Mefry Christinas. I Happy Christmas I What 'a mockery? thinks Ivy, as she watches far into the,',night, with aching brow and tear-dimmed eyes,, ,

. "Mother, dear, won't you ask Miss Raynor to spend Christmas with ?" "Who's Miss Raynor, Lillian?" : '^The..music-teacher, at,, school, mother. Ddh'f you remember hie speaking of her before?"

"Now that you remind me, Lillian, I do think that I remember the name,"

"Well,: then, you'll write this morning, won't you, mother?" ' " I-think. I had better leave that for you to do, Lillian." 1 "Oh, ; no, mother mind She'll be sure to 'come, if,you invite her,- and I've set my heart on having her here for the holidays. She's so donely, mother.".. p. This appeal had its effect immediately on Mrs,, Fay, a kind, motherly little woman, She. had!a heart overflowing with human h^tiire, 1 and the fact of any one being " lonely" aj Christmas time was not to be permitted for ■^moment-while she could make them welcome at Yarranong. ■;-.

" Very well, Lillian," she replied, "bring me ; penj ink and paper, and I will write on the 'spotj"'' ~,. "That's my own good little mother I" cried ;Liljian,' giving her a fond kiss,, as she ran liOfffor the writing

'i When Mrs. Fay's delicately worded note was delivered to Ivy at Cramem Villa, it came as k very pleasant surprise, . ' A change, to the bush, the free, glorious bush, would be so grateful to the poor, tired music-mistress, jaded and worn out with the perpetual, drumming of crotchets and quavers into'heads that were quite the icverse of "sharp,", and fingers that persistently refused 'to fe anything,but ; eflats,". Oh,. Euterpe! whitvq'rimes' are cpmmitted in thy name! Daily, hourly murder of exquisite strains and enchanting melodies! Shades of the immortal deaid I' ,why do ye notarise and prosecute the

perpetrators, and "deliver us" from further. Vevill" • "Good Hews,' Miss Raynor," said Lilliani dancing up to Ivy a few days after her arrival at Yarranong, Fred is coming home to-night,) and is bringing a gentleman with him whosei acquaintance he made in Queensland, Ac-! cording to Fred, he's a perfect paragon, hand-: some, intellectual, and I don't know what all; so we must impress him favorably. -Who l knows but one of us might captivate thisi Adonis!" and with a gay laugh Lillian wasgone to nialceherself" beautiful," she declared, ■ There was a loud noise at the door announ- 1 ring -Master Fred, and a general rush into the: hall to meet the son and heir of the house, . Ivy, left by herself, could hear the fond ; words of welcome, and Fred's cheery voice ns> he replied to the eager questioning of the loved i ones from whom he had been parted more than, twelve months, but had come back to spend i happy Christmas with, But another voice; strikes on her ear, and every nerve is strained' to listen, Yes, 'tis his! 'tis Hubert's voice I Ivy's heart would recognise its dear tonesamong a thousand others, • One moment and she has darted into the hall and stands gazing wildly around with white face and widely dis•tended eyes, Then, with a low cry, she sinks fainting to the ground. Before the rest can recover' their astonishment, Hubert Kean has sprung forward and is bending over the inanimate form, calling her by every endearing epithet—his Ivy, his sweet Ivy, his darling Ivy. Slowly Ivy recovers consciousness, to find that it is not all a dream; the lost is found, her love restored to her,

What a happy night that was to Ivy, as she sat with Hubert's hand clasped inherfythe past forgotten, the present so blissful, the future so bright, It is needless to tell the

mutual explanations that followed, and what Ivy replied, when Hubert repeated the old, old story of two years ago, and how there was an advertisement in the i/ywfora musicteacher with the munificent salary of £2O a year, and how Lillian hugged Ivy in her delight, and Mrs, Fay would insist on her remaining at Yarranong until Hubert carried her away to the beautiful home he was preparing at Toorak for the reception of his bride, All these things are better imagined than chronicled, So, farewell, and may you spend as happy a Christmas as did Ivy Raynor I