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PAGES 9 TO 12. PAGES O XO 12. LOS ANGELES HERALD. VOL. 35.?N0. 72. THURSDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 25, 1890?TWELVE PAGES. FIVE CENTS. "But Ihardly think" that "mute converse of kindred souls," Our metropolis was alive with excite- Over the back seat I tumbled, and, as me to drive in reality? Was Ito guide "And Icertainly know. Come! Bet's and Tom Jones apparently sympathized ment?like the classic city of Stoke- two paira of heels threw a blindingshower that chained thunderbolt and that kick- crazy to go, and says she depends on you with me most completely. Bettie and he Pogis, it was "agitated to its center." of snow and icicles into my eyes aud ing demon before me? Yes; Tom Jones CROSS PURPOSES to persuade Uncle Bob the horses are were fast friends, and Mayor Blythe per- Tho sudden furor for sleighing, added down my back, Iwent headforemost into evidently meant that. He had gone sud- quiet." mitted her to go anywhere under protec- to tho inevi cable buzz of holiday prepa- tho folds of the buffalo. denly mad, beyond a doubt; but I was "Miss Bettiedoes?" Ihesitated. There tion of "Cousin Tom," in whom he placed ration, drove the usually quiet popula- Before the conglomerate mass of valise in for it, and what man dared I must. ft Experience Id was a lump in my throat and a singing unbounded confidence. During the burn- tion into a fever of action. Every avail- and man was righted, we were off np I took a long breath, let the whip fall Gliristmas in my ears; Iwas dcucedly afraid of the ing days of that August many a charm- able sleigh, however old, was rooted the road in a full run, the sleigh jump- well back ont of the gray's sight, and, Seven Gnapters. mad beasts myself, but then she wantec ing picn'" had we in the grand old woods from its hidingplate; horses accustomed ing along like a football and Tom plying bracing my every innsole firmly, uttered to go, so Iadded: "Well, perhaps after about Pike ton; in the mellow evenings of only to the plow and the market wagon his whip like mad, keeping them at a the mystic monosyllable, "G'lang!" all they may bo n little quieter soon. autumn many a never to be forgotten pricked up their ears to the unwonted full run while he yet had them well in It cut liko a knife through the clear By T. 0. DE LEON, And, Tom, you do?ah?really think sail on tho little mirror of a lake. And hi-g' lang! of excited drivers, and even hand. atmosphere, and the keen echo almost them safe?" what teas were those on the old veran- crockery crates and dry goods boxes "W-what do y-ou me-mean?" Igasped, divided my tympana. The sorrel heard. Author of Creole and Puritan," "Tlu "Certainly I do, and Bet does, too. da, with the soft breeze sighing through were put upon extemporized runners. bumping about the back seat in huge He stretched himself, gathered and made Rock or"the Rye," "Four Years She., not a bit afraid." That decided me. the vinos in sympathy with the beatings AllPiketon, swathed in furs or blank- discomfort, aa the biting wind, rushing a merry plunge forward; but that per- in Rebel Capitals," etc. "Tom Jones"?l spoke with deep solem- of my heart, and the lightjustundecided ets, was bundled into something that down my throat with tho force of a verse brute of a gray only stuck his nity. Iknew that moment what the}' enough for me to imagine any expres- would slide; the road to the "Bull's norther, nearly strangled me. "Wh-hy forelegs in the snow and sat down like l'elt who Saw tho trj.rnbrilready to bear sion in her face that best suited my ar- Eye"?the sedate drovers' tavern five don't you st-opp-'m?" a dog. Luckily, Miss Bettie managed to \u25a0JCopyrifrht by the Author. All rißhta roserrecl. them to the hungry knife of tho first dent longings! Later, when tho early miles out?was resonant with the merry "All right, my boy," Tom answered hold her father by such a string of prat- CHAPTER L revolution?"Tom Jones, I will go, of snows began to fall, how merry were music of their bells and tho rollicking cheerily through his set teeth; and he tle he noticed none of these circus like But, Tom, love's young dream. course. pray do not use that those sleigh rides in the mayor's sober laughter of their occupants, while its braced every muscle afresh while the proceedings. horrid abbreviation of your cousin's familysleigh, drawn by tho sober family primitive bar room and sanded parlor cruel lash descended on the flagging "Mind, papa! don't forgot the flannel name. There some too are subjects horse, Tom always acting Jehu! And were alike crowded from nipping morn horses. "All right! you know I must for old Mammy Watts; and be sure to sacred for the profanation of slangy con- when the icier breath of winter blew to frosty eve. bring 'em in quiet for Uncle Bob to see. send tho pickles to Bowser; and have densation, and yourcousin's name is" over the little lake, sheeting it with a And how delicious is a sleigh ride So, lads, so-o-o! now steady!" One long the presents on the Christmas tree, just "Bully! You'llgo then?" interrupted surface glassy smooth, I had tenderly when all surroundings are propitious! sway of his broad back brought them as if I at horne ?that's dear the irrepressible Boomerang. was a papa. "TO wheel strapped tho tinyskate thong round that Who that has ever wintered in a snow down to a canter, then into a swinging And, oh, be sure that Liza does the tur- 'em round the block and bring 'em in ravishingly turned ankle?had held the trot, and turning into the mayor's lane, cool, you?Bet." country but has a store of ready recol- key to a turn for dinner to-morrow I" taper fingers in mine as we glided in that spring up at the first sound we drew up at the door. "That have been He bounded down the stairs, sprang lections was to your dinner," swift circles over its cold bosom. As I of the bells? Be ho a serious, well round- "There! hold the ribbons! Iwon't be the old gentleman said, turning to me. into the sleigh, seized the reins, and, as have said, Tom was always with us on ed bachelor of their lively gone a second. Bet's ready, I know;" the men jumped from tho horses' heads, 50 jarshakes "That pleasure I must defer to please these jaunts; but we were a partie car- the cumulate dust from still crevices of and, forcing the reins into my reluctant this small puss with her whims." was off with a flurry of snow and a out ree and mindful of the philosophy as to memory, and long slumbering remin- hands, Tom sprang and disappeared The mayor seemed to me a great dis- hurrah from tho crowd. what constitutes "company" and what a iscences, in the doorway. I not dab at the classics, Iwill unrolling themselves like mar- tance off. His words came to me through am a so "crowd." spring, crawl to New, after all my tirade about racing not say how, having plunged like Cur- mots in the out bask in a sound in my ears like the boom of tho Anna Bolton was ever Tom's compan- the sunlight of that long ago. Perhaps and sleighing and such stuff, one might sea, for that cursed gray still 6at like a tius into this gapipg sleigh ride, Inow ion. A quiet, fair haired, sensitive they find gleam but deceptive reasonably suppose me a very Phaeton, sat like Mariua, amid the ruins of my the a circus horse, and the sorrel pulled tillhis mouse of a blonde, she was tho direct one now, and, after blinking at the or at least a Hiram Woodruff. But I nose almost touched the wardrobe. But I did tumblo all its con- antipode in all things of ally, snow. tier sworn present for a while, creep back again was always strong in theories and ?in papa!" tents into the middle of tho floor and Bettie, under whose fostering protection confidence: that "And, oh, cried Miss Bettie with and Curl themselves up fora longer nap. stuff was all talk?pure timely then sat among them, hopeless of cram- 6he would nestlo confidingly though imagination. Practically, 1 a little scream of recollection, as never was "now don't forget rod ming into my 6mall valiso half enough no harm could reach her there. the least bit horsey in my and al- the wrapper for old "Bully! You'll rfo then?" interrupted the tastes, Patience?that's dear!" for this all important Xmas visit! But She was solo heiress sole compan- ways hated to drive unless I knew a irrepressible Boomerang. and my "Give that gray devil whip," she wanted to go! I was to risk my ion at her splendid residence, "Shady- beast to be perfectly harmless. In fact, the "Come along, old boy! I'vo fixed itat ?by Jones growled to me in savage whis- neck for her sake her side. Delicious nook," of a very deaf but Argus eyed ever felt a tingle of brotherly sym- a last." thought! just again I per, rounded off with something very so as the bells grandaunt.