The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-06-14

dlateIy.'
'Lor' bless me-" answered my wife
from the top story, sit isn't one of the
children, is it, Johnl Pray tell mo the
worst at once"
'No, madam, it is l." repli,d 1 stiff
ly.
Then its the kitchen chimney" ex-
claimed she in dogmatic tone. "And
didn't | tell Mary to have it swept a
week ago; and now the fire engines will
spoil everything, even il we are not burnt
out of house and home"
Was it p 8 iblr that this woman could
have deceived me, as Peabody had said,
and yet talk SO simply of her children,
and of house and home? BY the time
Anna Maria had got down TO the draw
ing-room flight, began to be rather ash
AIMED Of myself. When the mother of
eight reached my sitling-room door, with
her honest face aglow with animation
and her voice so earnest auout the SCOT
l did not dare to mention what | had in
my mind.
IL called you down, dear, TO say that
| was going to give myself holiday to-
day, and ask you to come with me to
Hampstead Heath, and dine at Jack
Staws Castle, this afternoon, it being such
Il beautiful day"
a ray Of joy passed over her features,
and then, as if recollecting herself, she
began to stammer that she was very, very
sorry, but really she had so much to do
about the house Just then; if | would on
ly wait till Friday week, which was my
birthday, then we would 90 somewhere,
and she would enjoy 1t above all meas
ure. This afternoon, however, the thing
was impossible.
''Well," said I, gravely, 1--WE have not
many holidays together, and | am sorry.
You had sore throa. on Monday and on
Thursday, when | offered you similar
opportunity"
80 yes answered she, shaking her
little head, which is very prettily-could
it be too prettily ?--set upon her shoul-
ders SIT is impossible that | could 90
out with that throat"
"llerc," thought |, for she could not
have gone out rtthom her throat SIS some
dreadful falsehood; but Peabody may
have told it. and not she. Perhaps she
never went out at all. Should | not ra-
ther believe the wife of my bosom than
that scandalous old retired indigo mer-
chant Was it not base even to suspect
Anna Maria of deception? Doubtless it
was; bat yet | thought | would lust sat
isty myself with my own eyes.
VERY well,' observed quietly, ':sincc
you cannot come with me to-day, shall
20 to the city as usual. l don't care for
a holiday by myself"
''Poor, dear fellow" said she coaxinr-
y, as she helped me on with my great
coat, 81 am quite grievcd to disappoint
you. Good bye, John. Mind you have
a good luncheon; its very bad for you
eating those buns and rubbish"
"Ah what a tangled web we weave"
says somebody, ''when first we practice to
deceive" though after but little trying,
there is nothing easier than lying. l pro-
test felt like a pickpocket, as | lodged
and lurked ab3nt our crescent, watching
in the distance my own door, to see who-
ther Mrs. Il. would cross the threshold
| suppose have none of the attributes
necessary 10 the profession of detective,
tor whenever passer-by cast his eyes on
me, felt blushing all over, and hanging
my head on one side as a dog hangs his
tail. | dared not, Of course, stop in the
crescent, but loitercd at the corner of a
street which commanded it, now trying to
dig up the tops of coal cellars by inserting
/ the nozzle of my umbrella in their circu
lar holes, and now elciting mournful mu-
sic by dragging it against the area rail
ings. Exhausted with these exercises. |
had been leaning against lamp-poSt for
about ten minutes, when the door of a
house opposite opened suddenly, and a
widow OF vast proportions came suddenly
out upon me with her capstrings stream
ing in the wind.
Snow you just go away my gentle
man." said she in a menacing voice,
''beiore the police makes for YOU.
know who you're a looking for, and |
can tell you she amt coming, for I've
got her locked in the coal-cclar know
you, though you have not got your red
coat on to-day; and mind-if you get
another slice of meat in my house, III
prosecute you as sure as my names Miv-
ins :"
'Gracious heavens, madam !" cried |,
do you take me for a common sol
dier ?"
''No sir" answered she, maliciously;
'but for tuppeny-ha penny Life Guard
man, who never saw Il shot fired in his
life; and ifyou ever come after my Jem-
ina again"
turned and fed-into the arms of
the abominablo Peabody. snake haste"
exclaimed he, ''there is not moment to
be lost. No; the cab is coming this way
and you can see for yourself whether |
am right this time"
And sure enough, who should drive by
at rapid rate, but Anna Maria, in a
tour-wheeled cab, and without her bon
net, aud w1th a .foicer IN her hair. This
blow, coming so close upon the attack of
the widow lady. was almost more than
could bear
''Where can she be going to ?" gasped
/, half unconsciously. "It's the most ex-
traordinary thing have ever heard tell
Of"
S:I have haard Of s;r,;Io, .L:..- .,