Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-04-12


were the chief items Of IIet,y's toilet; bu
she looked swee. and dainty in her plat
dress. as IL hour. had born .pen, in donnini
lace and jewels. Her rich hair, Of the dark
&c, ,ingc. fell in shining folds close to he
warm red cheek aud was caught up In I
cunning ne, behind.
Eight o'clock and past Mrs Thoma
wa, doing iG her chair-her shadow on th'
: opposite wall bobbing about in groiesqu'
mimicry rs she nodded to and iro-no~
crushing the yoluminous white satin bow
on her spruce cap against the back OF he'
chair now almost falling forward. and bc'
IA, hand. lay li',le.sly in her lap, and bel
ball o, yarn had rolled ou, upon the hearth
and puss was busy converting 1t into Cor
dian knots. Aud jus, then came double
rap a, the dOor-.J loud, 50 sudden. and
self a-s.rcd that lle,ty started up with a
little shrek. and set her foot on the eats
tail, who in turn gaze voice 10 her amazs.
men, and dI'Plea'are.
The combined noise aroused Mrs. Thomas.
and starting into an erect position. she rub
bed her eyes. settled her eap.borIer, and
exclaimed:
" lIlr.. mv soul. lie,iy. wha, was that
Somebody at the door? Who can be com.
Ing a, ,hi. time Of nlgh,''
IL, i. no, late. mother only q little
pas, eight. I'll 20 and see who i,i'," 'aid
lIe,ty, dcmureIy. taking the candle from
the table.
No. You wind up my ball aud sweep
up the hearth. while 80 to the door. said
the old lady. whose Ice, we're struggling in
thu mesh. Of III, unra'ellcl yarn "Drai
that eat"
/ And all ihl- time josiah vas standing ON
one foo, on the cold porch. with hi. hands
IN hi. o'srcoa, pockets. wondering " ilei,y
had fallen Asleep. aud every now aud then
giving the door snar, rap by way o! 'ari.
alton.
| In her hurry. Mr, Thomas iorso, TO take
the candle. aud as she stepped out into the
little front entry, the sitting room door slam
med after her. She had her hand on the
handle Of the hall door at the moment, and
opening It. .l,c found herself in the embrace
Of .,ou, pair Of arms. a whi.kercd face ~
close proximity to her own, and belOrc 'he
could think about the .,rangene-- Of her IL.
uation, enc received q prolonged Kiss
hearty .mack-iull upon her Niriuou' mat.
ron lip'.
80. murder, Tain, obadiah. meth.
err"
She had by thi. time dIvcs,cd ber.eli Of
the impression that !, was her usually .pbcr
spouse who mu,t have cumc hume ia an un-
usually sober spouse Who mus, have come
home in an unusually excited condition thus
TO indulge in sueh ubwOn,ed expression. oi
action.
&c, ou, x, out, l"y' Who are you
anyhow Murder, thieves, iletiy. come
here, Here's man kissing ne like mad ~
But the intruder had by this time dI'co''
cred hi. mi.,aks-Ii did no, need the lndI..
nant pummellng and scratching Of the old
lady. vigorous 6,,, TO cause him 20 relin'
sui.h hi, hold and hy a IL pursued by
some indignant ghost.
lleuy. nearly choking with .moihered
laughter in spite Of her repidat'on. now
came TO the rescue.
] IL never va. 90 frightened IN all NV
life The mean scamp Who could II Se!
ilc,ty have you any idea?"
But that du,iful daughter was, 10 all ap.
pcarancc, innocent as a sucking dOSe. She
.oo,he' the old lady by representing .ha, is
nigh, have been one pf the neighbors. who,
having drank too much, had mistaken the
/ house and the housewiic. She searched ths
entry Tor the missing .pectacle-, dropped in
the .cuiils rearrangel the rumpled cap
border: wound up tile tangled yarn stir.
red the fire-all in the most amiable man.
ner pos.lble-and a, a, length had the eat.
isiac,ion Of seclng her mother subsids into
her char with her accustomed tranquility.
Mrs Thomas was .ully awake now. She
had new idea in her head, and instead OF
settling her head for smother nap. she pur.
sued the tram Of thought, and her knitting
both ut th, -ame time with wonderful ~.
pidi,y. A, length, stopping aud locking
keenly a, Ile,,y-
IL suppose i,'s queer notion OF mine,
Uetty. hot I've u notion that man Was
'Siah IIawlcy."
My, but IL lIet,y's face did not irc up
then! You nigh, have liz candle by IL.
Thee inciricn, symptoms did not escape the
wary inqui,itor.
Pears 90 TO me. '0ausa those big
whi.kers were 80 much like hs'n. aud the
awkward way he sriped Inc with his great
paws"
iIetty was wonderfully busy. She bent
over her work. and drew tho needle through
90 quickly that the thread snapped, aud
then she wa. 20 engaged in threading her
needle again sho dds have time to an
swer.
81 don't think that kiss was intended
for me. after oil. Wonder who 1t Was IN
tended for, and wonder IL yoa don't know
something abou. it, lIe.,y7"
"Me, mo,her?"
"Yc', you. IIe,iy' You vas mighty
anxious to &c, ne and Pa Of 70 Aunt Ruth
,hi, evening. bu, noticed you were 'lieked