The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-05-14


clouded sky, the brown-touched trees, and
the wet walk, and she saw presently the
figures upon the two piazzas OF the square
stone house ut the corner. a.r
Bythat tlmethe ladies were through with
their work Of clearing up the vestry, and
had gone Gathering home In their high
heeled boots; the scrub-women and the
boys had done all their running out and
In, and stopping about with pals Of wa
ter; and the old white-bearded sexton, In
his round. steel-bowed glasses, that made
him look Ike gray owl, had locked the
door and gone to his days work, saving
wood, ut one of the grand houses on the
avenue. So Miss Dlsbrow had plenty Of
time to turn her observation and her eye
glass towards her neighbors' balconies.
10 tell the plain truth, between you and
me and Benjamin, Miss Disbrow had for
some time felt that the whiting family
needed more looking AFTER than they got
from the sun, moon and stars and the city
watchman, and she had long been trying
to act the part OF the good Samaritan.and
20 with the oil and the wine, when she
should have discovered the nature of the
family wound. SO, whenever one of the
Writings came In sight, she put down her
paper and put on her glass.
Benjamin. said she presently! drop
ping her glass, and rocking till her dress
r,istled like an oak tree In north wind,
benjamin, you cannot guess what has
happened nOwn
Benjamin did not seem inclined to try,
the task being so hopeless, and Miss Dis
| brow went on
That Bridget Geoakes-she Is a rcck-
less thing-I've long seen that, and won
dered Mrs. Whiting kept her so-she has
been and LEFT pillow on the balcony rail-
Ing. Went of and LEFT L.! or course the
wind took 1t, and so there 1t lies, rufhing
embroidery and all, right down In the
gutter. liable to be stolen by every passer-
by. Now, Benjamin. would you, or
wouldn't you. 20 over and tell themr
Benjamln's face, about one eye, was
tirely white, this gave him a peculiarly
knowing expression when he cooked up
that eye, rs he had way Of doing. And
now he turned his black eye upon Miss
Disbrow. with quite the appearance OF
winking II ut her. Perhaps, indeed, he
did. Anyhow, there was evidently some
Invisible freemasonry between them, for
Miss Disbrow instantly responded, just
rs though he had spoken: .s
well, then, will, benjamin. Why
are we put into this world together, II not
to help each otherr said she. as with an
air OF virtuOus responsibility she threw
little maize-colored rlgOlctte over her
weather-beatcn curls, and white break
fast shawl over her shoulders. Then put
| ting on her gloves, with the dignity Of n
circumnavigator, she started across the
| street.
One might suppose she would pick up
| the unfortunate pillow upon the way; but
mol hope she was above meddling with
her neighbOr's things! Certainly! She
walked impressively to the door and rang
the bell. which was instantly answered by
Mr.. Whiting himself. with a carpet-bag In
his hand, and his hat upon his head.
Going away, are your said Miss Dis
brow, diverted. for the time, from her
original errand by m opportunity Of In
serting the wedge of inquiry.
'Ah! Miss DisbrOw! Yes, am going
TO Chicago. OH little business trip. Won't
| y0u come ins'
THANK you, Mr.. Whiting, not this
morning. Does your wife accompany
your
NO, she doesn't. She Is going to Gin
cinnati for few days replied Mr. Whit
Ing, who was guileless rs spring chick
Ell, and not much more Of mouthfnl for
the mancuvering black fox. who always
| found great deal more flavor In any
thing she had first unearthed by sklllful
digging. You had better come in,' con-
| tinued he, cordially. Mrs. whiting Is
busy packing, but she will be glad to see
you.' And the deluded man really be-
lieved so; for. although he had lived In
such close relation with Mrs. Whiting for
five years, he was only man, after all.
But Miss DisbrOw was woman, and so
she knew great deal better than to be
persuaded that a person Is glad to sec
callers when packing. 'Oh, no indeed,
Mr.. Whiting! Thank you; but just ran
over. In neighborly way, to tell you of
little accident happened to observe
from my window. A pillow fell from the
balustrade where your chambermald very
carclcssly left II, and Is now lying upon
the sidewalk. l was fearful 1t might
come to grief before any Of the family
missed II. Good morning. And so
speaking, Miss Disbrow bowed and rus
tied away.
benjamin. said she, my steriously, when
she reached her own rocking-chalr again.
II cannot see why Mrs. Whiting takes the
time To 90 to Cincinnati when her hus- |
band Is away. II would be my chslce not
to leave the house alone with that fllghty |
Bridget GeOakes. Or then, why not Mrs. |
Whiting 20 to-day, while her husband Is
here to see her Off? can't understand
it.
And with this, Miss Dlsbrow fell into
flt Of musing, and unused SO long and ST.
lently that benjamin fell asleep and
dreamed he knew where there was a
wOodchuck's hole, with the woodchuck In
IL.
Meantime Mr.. Whiting kissed his wife
(probably.) took his valise. aud went on,
happily unconscious of a cloud no bigger
than mans hand already coming up In
his domestic sky. He thought Of no shad-
ow darker than the bank of heavy damp
ness hanging above his head In the heav-
ems. And that very evening those vapOr-
Gus clouds, having sulkcd long enough |
over the wretchcd condition of the muddy |
streets, made up their mind, aud express
ed II by coming down la IN emphatic fall
Of snow, that glided from umbrellas and
drifled against windows, like a slipping
of Of great white blankets. by day-dawn
the streets and roofs and stecples were |
white rs a mlller's eat, and the air rang |
with the scraping Of shovels anu jinyling |
of sleigh bells.
OF course Mrs. Whiting won't think Of
starting after such n snow, with every |
prospect Of the roads being blocked. or
course not. Benjamin. said Miss Disbrow
seating herself to the occupation OF look ,
Ing upon the things of her neighbOr with |
all the eyes Of her own, and all the eyes |
Of her giasses-watching them so intently |
that actually pair of pigeons flew Into |
the belfry OF the church, and pair Of |
ragged boys peepcd into the vcstry win
dows without her knowing II. But her !,
watch was rewarded, for ut precisely n
quarter past eleven close carriage came |
up TO Mrs. Writings door.
AS sure rs you are born. Benjamin. she
Il going " exclaimed Mrs. Disbrow. appar-
emily rs violently astonlshed as though
she had not been looking ali the morning
for sight OF this very carriage. And
two trunks What can the woman want
of two trunks. just going down to Cincin-