In The Yule-Log Glow--Book 3 | Page 7

tell you how (of all days in the year) This day of our adversity was blessed Christmas morn,?And the house above the coast-guard's was the house where I was born.
Oh, well I saw the pleasant room, the pleasant faces there, My mother's silver spectacles, my father's silver hair;?And well I saw the firelight, like a flight of homely elves, Go dancing round the china plates that stand upon the shelves.
And well I knew the talk they had, the talk that was of me, Of the shadow on the household, and the son that went to sea; And, oh, the wicked fool I seemed, in every kind of way,?To be here and hauling frozen ropes on blessed Christmas Day.
They lit the high sea-light, and the dark began to fall.?"All hands to loose topgallant sails!" I heard the captain call. "By the Lord, she'll never stand it," our first mate, Jackson, cried. ... "It's the one way or the other, Mr. Jackson," he replied.
She staggered to her bearings, but the sails were new and good, And the ship smelt up to windward just as though she understood. As the winter's day was ending, in the entry of the night, We cleared the weary headland, and passed below the light.
And they heaved a mighty breath, every soul on board but me, As they saw her nose again pointing handsome out to sea;?But all that I could think of, in the darkness and the cold, Was just that I was leaving home and my folks were growing old.
_Robert Louis Stevenson._
"LAST CHRISTMAS WAS A YEAR AGO."
(THE OLD LADY SPEAKS.)
Last Christmas was a year ago?Says I to David, I-says-I,?"We're goin' to mornin' service, so?You hitch up right away: I'll try?To tell the girls jes what to do?Fer dinner. We'll be back by two."?I didn't wait to hear what he?Would more'n like say back to me,?But banged the stable-door and flew?Back to the house, jes plumb chilled through.
Cold! _Wooh!_ how cold it was! My-oh!?Frost flyin', and the air, you know--?"Jes sharp enough," heerd David swear,?"To shave a man and cut his hair!"?And blow _and_ blow! and _snow_ and SNOW,?Where it had drifted 'long the fence?And 'crost the road,--some places, though,?Jes swep' clean to the gravel, so?The goin' was as bad fer sleighs?As 't was fer wagons,--and _both_ ways,?'Twixt snow-drifts and the bare ground, I've?Jes wondered we got through alive;?I hain't saw nothin' 'fore er sence?'At beat it _anywheres_ I know--?Last Christmas was a year ago.
And David said, as we set out,?'At Christmas services was 'bout?As cold and wuthless kind o' love?To offer up as _he_ knowed of;?And, as fer _him_, he railly thought?'At the Good Bein' up above?Would think more of us--as he ought--?A-stayin' home on sich a day?And thankin' of him thataway.?And jawed on in an undertone,?'Bout leavin' Lide and Jane alone?There on the place, and me not there?To oversee 'em, and p'pare?The stuffin' for the turkey, and?The sass and all, you understand.
I've always managed David by?Jes sayin' nothin'. That was why?He'd chased Lide's beau away--'cause Lide?She'd allus take up Perry's side?When David tackled him; and so,?Last Christmas was a year ago,--?Er ruther 'bout a week _afore_,--?David and Perry'd quarr'l'd about?Some tom-fool argyment, you know,?And pap told him to "Jes git out?O' there, and not to come no more,?And, when he went, to _shet the door!_"?And as he passed the winder, we?Saw Perry, white as white could be,?March past, onhitch his hoss, and light?A _see_-gyar, and lope out o' sight.?Then Lide she come to me and cried.?And I said nothin'--was no need.?And yit, you know, that man jes got?Right out o' there's ef he'd be'n shot--?P'tendin' he must go and feed?The stock er somepin'. Then I tried?To git the pore girl pacified.
But gittin' back to--where was we?--?Oh, yes--where David lectered me?All way to meetin', high and low,?Last Christmas was a year ago.?Fer all the awful cold, they was?A fair attendunce; mostly, though,?The crowd was 'round the stoves, you see,?Thawin' their heels and scrougin' us.?Ef't 'adn't be'n fer the old Squire?Givin' his seat to us, as in?We stompted, a-fairly perishin',?And David could 'a' got no fire,?He'd jes 'a' drapped there in his tracks.?And Squire, as I was tryin' to yit?Make room fer him, says, "No; the facks?Is I got to git up and git?'Ithout no preachin'. Jes got word--?Trial fer life--can't be deferred!"?And out he put. And all way through?The sermont--and a long one, too--?I couldn't he'p but think o' Squire?And us changed round so, and admire?His gintle ways--to give his warm?Bench up, and have to face the storm.?And when I noticed David he?Was needin' jabbin', I thought best?To kind o' sort o' let him rest--?'Peared like he slep' so peacefully!?And then I thought o' home, and how?And what the girls was doin' now,?And kind o' prayed, 'way in my breast,?And breshed away a tear er two?As