A Heart's Bitterness — page 279: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

. A HEART'S BITTERNESS. eye As they rose from their places before the fire in the wide hall, where, according to custom, the “ yule-log’” had been lighted, Lord Alwood drew’Edna toward him, and, taking her white hand in his, said: ‘This little hand is my beautiful and treasured Christ- mas gift. Take, then, my Edna, this ring, in token of our love and faith;” and he slipped a diamond half-circle on her ~ slender finger. ‘* And,” he added, in a lower whisper, ‘‘ be very merciful to me, and give me soon permission to guard it with another plainer but more potent ring, at St. George’s.” } | Who will doubt that, when the three ladies went up stairs, and were comfortably arranged in dressing-gowns, they gathered in Edna’s boudoir to “ talk it over?” But very early in the talk, the little earl, who had strong will and strong lungs of his own, set up such a lusty shout for his mamma, that Violet, perforce, bade her friends ‘‘ good-night,” saying, *‘I must go to my naughty boy.” Lhe little countess dropped into tranquil slumber, with her child on her arm. A light snow had fallen when they woke on Christmas Day. It lay like a fleecy vail over shrub and tree, and glit- tered like countless gems in the sun, as the little family from the Towers set out to walk to the church for the Christmas service. Harl Rupert, in Jenny’s arms, shouted for joy at the sight; for Violet, to the amusement of her friends, had insisted on Rupert being taken to church. ‘He must begin good habits young,” said Violet, ‘‘ and he is always to go with me to church on Christmas Day. If he cries, Jenny can carry him out.” | But Rupert did not cry. He behaved to the edification of everybody, though it must be confessed he had the watch of his guardian, Lord Alwood, for a plaything. There were no festivities at the Towers, so lately bereaved, | but there was an immense giving away of presents in the great hall, and all the children of the tenants got acquainted with their little earl, as he was carried, laughing and crow- ing, among them. } ) Edna for some days insisted upon delaying her marriage ES ; until Violet’s first year of mourning should have passed, and she could put on a lavender gown and come to the wedding. But Violet joined her entreaties to those of Eomicbooks. co