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

OF her neighbOr, who was turning back o
the door for last wortlto Bridget; seem
/ Ing, rs she stood there, to the untried eye
as cheerful and innocent as Burgund
rose. But, alas things are not what the.
seem. .rr. r.r.
III that woman Is ever dlssected, I wan
to see her heart benjamin. believe sh
has no more than you could put on tn
point of u needle. do so,' resumed Mis-
Disbrow, putting down her glass rs thu
carriage slowly plOughed Its way al0n:
the snowy street, and taking up the book
mark she was embrolderlng for the pul
pit Bible. .. .|
The sun shone. the pigeons whirred pas
the windows, the school boys SNOWFALL
ed, the engine screamed, and the car
rlmbled and grumblcd and gllded on
from the depot, disappearing around the
long curve, out beyond the city limits
and so away Into the llmitless somewhcr,
Of the wide world. And with them wen
little Mrs. Whiting, blithe rs q bluejay
and charming rs June morning. Blu
although she looked SO, what II, after all
she was not simple hearted rs a daisy
Did you know Mrs. Whiting over here
had gone away, Aunt Alma = cried on,
her niece MOraretta, bursting into tht
room that afternoon In her usual abrupt
way. - r..Hr
Certainly, niece. Take care, child
Don't upset that pot of primroses.' :.
Miss Disbrow always eajoyed q call
from Moraretta, something as one would
to see a calf taking his morning walk
among ones verbenas. r g.
'Moraretta, little more and you would
have thrown down the shade over my wax
flowers Did you want anything ?
why, no, Aunt Alma. just come In
that Is all. But was wondering who
Mrs. Whiting went of with, and thought
perhaps you would know
'Why, did you see anybody with her?
What do you meanp asked Miss DlsbrOw,
suddenly so interested that she forgot to
chide Moraretta for swinging q pair OF
scissors by their ribbon, to the Imminent
peril Of Benjamin's eyes and Of q pier
glass. r'.E- -.
Yes, saw somebody. And SO did
Bella MOsier. We were coming through
the depot, on our way home from school,
like we always do, when We saw Mrs:
Whiting. saw her and so did Bella; and
Just as we said both together. There Is
Mrs. whlting,'a a gentleman camo up and
kissed her very aflectionately. and she
looked all In tlutter, and so did he; and
then they took the cars for Cleaveland.'
For Cieaveland? Meraretta, are you
sure? exclaimed Mrs. Dlsbrow, In vestal
horror. -a... '..' ...a... ..L
Yes, ma'am. sure. That was what Bella
and thought so queer. for her trunks
were marked Clnclnnatti; we stood right
by them and saw the cards. You may
ask Bella II 1t wasn't 80. There sho Is
going by this minute. Bella, Bella Come
In . she cried, running to the window,
tapping omit and nOdding and beckon-
Ing. -l.
Miss Disbrow's sense Of outraged pro-
priety was SO much shocked by the scan-
dial of MOrarctta's story that she permit.
cd this breach of dec0rum and insult to
the dignity OF her windows without a word
though the window itself shook all over
under the modification. But Bella came
In, rs like Moraretta In girlish life and
as one bramble-bush Is like
another. And then out Of the mouth OF
two witnesses Miss Dlsbrow was forced
to believe.
Did you ever see the man before? How
did he look, and how did he appear p she
asked.
oh. he was perfectly splendid, and he
was dressed elegantly cried the enthu-
siastic school girls. But / never saw him
before; neither did Retta. don't think
he lives here; he came from the Clnelnatti
cars. You saw him, didn't you, RettaT
said Bella MOsier.
Yes, Of course did. And then he
looked around rs though he expected to
see somebody. till he saw Mrs. Whiting |;
and she was just standing like she was
waiting wasn't she, Bella?'
We'll, there. Benjamin, what do you
make of that 2 said Miss Disbrow, after
tie girls had chattcrcd themselves out OF
the house. 'Don'tyou rccOllect i suspect
ell all was not right when saw those two
immense trunks, and little Mrs. Whiting
herself dressed up like doll / do wish
I knew what to think
All day long Miss Disbrow sat putting
this and that together, until the opposite
house grew fairly hideOus under the shad-
ow of evil; and all night long she lay
awake upon the great Old-fashloncd ma
hOgany bedstcad, still putting this and
that together.
BY day dawn the next morning, Miss
Disbrow was looking ont to see II 1t had
farcd with the gray mansion over night
rs with the cities Of the plain. But no;
sentence against an evil work Is not exc
cuted speedily; and there 1t stood, mass
i've and square, against the rcddening
sky. And ut that very moment
she saw Mr.. Whiting, with the general
look of unkempt haggartlness belonging
to q traveller Just out Of sleeping car,
going In thi oligh the stately but dishon-
orcd doorway. .'I
'Benjamin y cried Miss Disbrow, ncrv-
ousiy, he has come home! Perhaps she
has left him note! Perliaps-oh. per-
haps. he Is reading 1t now! Oh, Benjamin!
Ought to 90 over and tell him what we
know ? Ought l p :,
BENJAMIN did not reply, but he looked
which was more satisfactory
to the inquirer; and Miss Dlsbrow sat
lown and rocked, with her face toward
Lhe church, as the Jews In exile turned
heir faces toward Jerusalem. .
benjamin. said she. i will go. II Is
my duty. The next train to Cleaveland
leaves at seven forty, aud there Is not u
moment to lOse.'
So she went.
Mr.. Whiting answered her ring this
morning as before. and though he looked
4 little surprised mt the uutimely call, he
seemed no wise agitated or under u cloud.
Mrs. whiting has not returned 2 began
The splnster.
NO, ma'am. I do not expect her be-
fore the last ofihe week. Is there any
thing I can do for YOU, In her absence.
Miss Disbrow?' returned the wronged
husband.
Nothing. Mr.. Whiting, nothing for me.
Where did l understand you 70 say Mrs.
has gone? Could 1t bc Clcave-
land?' ...
mo. Cincinnati. She has gone to her
sisters. Mrs. Gaegon; perhaps you know
herr replied the unconscious man. won
dcring to the tips Of his boots why Miss
DIsbrow was there. "Another pillow
zone over, maybe, or perhaps she has
seem Bridget giving cold pieces to beg
gar at the back gate unused he, listel,
ing with hungry ear for the breakfast
bell.
But his wonder and musings were cut
painfully short.
Mr.. Whiting said Miss Disbrow, sol
a,,,l,. sI m, AFRAID have hail news Tor