The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-04-24

was just pushing through the yielding silk, and
that the second was striving to keep it COM
panY His other slipper followed the first, but
the foot was in no better case, Tor the heel was
visible through its gray covering. 4 must buy
a new package of hose tomorrow, he said, with
half sigh. Turning again to the basket he
took up a cambria handkerchief, hemmed with
macbne-like precision, bat without the stiff
ness that machinery imparts to its work. Ar
thur placed his own beside it, observed the edge
unevenly turned and coaTsely based, and indulg-
ed himself in another gentle sigh. Finally he
lifted a vest, the size OF which showed it to be
Mr. Hamilton S, and which had renewed its
youth under a judicious process of binding, new
buttoning and buttonholding. A third sigh was
audible, and Arthur, after carefully replacing
the articles, went to the study table. Upon one
end Of it were quantity of artists materials,
and lying among them was a comic pen-and
ink sketch of domestic incident, which told
the story with considerable spirit. Opposite
was an open writing-desk, evidently much used,
and with unmistakable marks of travel on its
polished sides. Arthur bent down and read on
the plate, Jennie Hamilton, from +. f. Who
was K. +. ? Was it man Possibly, although
the appointments, so far as they were visible,
were exquisite Would man have selected
such an one? 1t was Partisan in make, and
Jennie had many travelling acquaintaQces. =
Edward birmingham had been to Europe three
times. He WAS the very man to have made such
present. Yes, Ned did make it. That was
as clear as daylight. Sly fox, that Ned and
Arthur was conscious of faint feeling of dis
like to his ED friend.
A knock at the door aroused him, and SER
want entered with an apology and went to the
closet on an GRAND for her mistress She did
not wait to shut the door, but gave it push,
the current from which sent a cloud of delicate
muslin into dangerous proximity to the mantei
lamp. A new temptation beset Arthur Doubt
less he should have turned his head aside when
he replaced the fcecy folds but he did no such
a thing. He paused at the entrance to the clos
e: and Toasted upon its contents. A dozen
cambria skirts, white as snow, and with
out any other establishment than broad hem
at the bottom, and half dozen prettily stitched
white flannel ones boldly confronted him
Across the end hung two black silk dresses, Che
preferred black silk dresses to any other kind)
a Mazatin blue and a dark brown one. Oppo-
site there hung a narrow thibet, and gay cash
mere morning robe, with buttons and laces land
tasseled cords, contrasted with the soft fall of
the summer apparel, to protect which was his
OstensibC business at the press. Beneath were
boxes large and small, but closely shut, and a
narrow shelf covered with pretty slippers, jauntyl
CATERS, walking boots, snow shoes, rubber5-I
of protection for the foot in all seasons Of wealth
err. Not q speek of dust was seen, nothing was
awry, and regard was had, consciously or uncon
sciously, 10 the general harmonious combination
of coiors Even the minutest details indicated
thorough sefrespect. For years Arthur had en-
ioyed nothing more than that long gaze into
Jennie's closet, half-spGiled though it was by !
the iIl-breeding of the act.
His survey was not yet complete. Hs scan
ned the bookcase narrowly, and carefully noted
the volumes which it contained, All were in !
plain covers except few presentation copies,
holiday gifts, and illustrated works There
were many poets, English and American, with |
India ink illustrations more or less finished upt
placed between the leaves. There were trans
atoms also from the Greek and Roman authors I
few standard histories, aud choice criticisms, /
and studies in art, some Of the best manuals Of 4
natural science, and many religious writings OF
different eIas and various creeds.
Arthur nodded approval to each rolled a.
easy chair the hearth, and looked steadily in
70 tile glowing Goals. Presently, little brown
face appeared against the dazzling back ground.
1t was very plain, but it was crowned with
smooth braids of shining hair, and the honest
was lighted by pair of earnest
truthful eyes, which could look through and
lbash false hood wherever it might be met
falling brand ObscUTed it for a moment then is
grew brighter than ever. and silently lifting It
self, brought to view the figure that belonged
to it. 1t was not stylish one, but it was round
and trim, and it was arraycd in a wellftting
robe OF simple material edged at the neck and
wrists with collar and cuffs of glossy linen
The new conner bore a striking resemblance toI
Jennie Hamilton, and fitted about with an I'M
air which bespoke her ownership
Of the surroundings. Smiling upon Arthur in
a manner which made his heart beat as it had
never done before, she drew the sewing chair
to his side, put the work basket on a cricket at
her feet, and picking up his handkerchief, re-
hemmed il, chatting the while upon such topics
as naturally presented themselves. Never had
the flight of white and jeweed fingers over the
keys of a piano, or the strings of harp, be-
wtched Arthur like the movements OF those
small brown ones managing the needles with
such dexteTou grace and never had he found
small talk so agreeable as that light midnight
gossip. He tried to beguile his visitor into a
prolonged stay and brought ont his choicest an
eGdotes one after another, until she, thinking
one of them especially picturesque, dropping the
handkerchief, and seized pencil, illustrated II
with a few graphic and rapid strokes. As She
placed it within her desk, handful of letters
fell out. The superscription was Ned Framing
hams. a pang ofjealousy shot through Arthur
heart. lie sprang to his feet and 10 the Wis
ion had vanished, the fire was out, and he was
shaking with cold and cramped with his uncom
Portable posture in the deep arm chair.
The next morning. Jennie was missing, and
all life seemed to have gone from the breakfast
table. She was accustomed to preside, and her
beaming good humor and nice tact impaired
singular Zest to the meal and dismissed the CIR
Gle well pleased to the days duties Now Mrs
Hamilton took her place, but she was infirm in
health and servant poured the coffee SO awk-
wardly that all the aroma seemed to exhale from
it, filling the bowls too full, and let few drops
fall into he saucer in a slovenly manner. Con-
versation tagged, and there was no one to sug-
gest new subjects or to draw out the guests on
the old. Luckily, Jennie returned before the
close of the breakfast hour, and the atmosphere
speedily changed. She had watched with the
sick woman, but the crisis of the disease was
passed, and walking home in the clear, frosty
air, she had gathered few bright thorn leaves
and some clusters of scarlet berries, which she
put in her brown hair, and which set Offs any
thing could be said to do so-her Spanish com
pexion and happy countenance. Arthur snent-
Iy compared her appearance with that OF ms
sister after grand party, and gained still
deeper insight into the connection between Ia,
Dor and beauty. Suddenly everybody wanted
more coffee, which they would take from no band
but Jennie's. Fresh mullins were ordered eggs
and anecdotes went round and round and the
meal ended with bursts of hearty laughter
A party had been arranged for the evening,
one of those miscellaneous gatherings of old and
young, which. country people like to get together.
Il was composed of almost all the neighborlng
of the several families then IN the
aunts and cousins, up from the
city, to enjoy the present for the sake OF the
old times CHOW will they get on without J en-
ME ?" said Arthur to himself, "she must sleep
a. Ia baa of
that Jennie was never selfindulgent when the
wishes or needs of another called her to activity
He had hint of this when, in game OF romps
with the children, he permitted himself TO be led
into the kitchen, where he found her deep IN
ieIes and custards, cake, and trihes in lnnum-
cradle kinds,and when returning from the woods
at the head of merry train, laden with ever
greens, she planned the decorations of the rooms,
as lavish of care and thought as if she had spent
the previous night in bed, like the uproanous
troop around her. She was absent from the tea
table hut was ready for the earliest of the even