Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-07-30


All day long Miss Disbrow sat putting
this and that together, until the opposite
house glew fairly hideous under the
shadow Of evil; and all night long she
lay awake upon the great old fashioned
mahogany betlstead. still putting this and
that together.
BY dawn the next morning, Miss Dis
brow was looking out to see If it had
Jared with the gray mansion over night
as with the cities Of the plain. But no !;
sentence against an evil work is not
executed speedily; and there it stood,
massive andsquare, against the reddcning
eastern sky. And at that very moment
she saw Mr.. Whiting, with the general
look of unkept haggartlness belonging to
a traveller just ont of sleeping car,
going in through the stately but dis
honored doorway.
"Benjamin!" cried Miss Disbrow, ner-
vously, she has come home! Perhaps she
has left him note! Perhaps-oh, perhaps.
he is reading it now! Oh, Benjamin,
ought to go over and tell him what we
know Ought II"
Benjamin did not reply, but he looked
thoughtful, which was more satisfactory
to the inquirer; and Miss Disbrow sat
down and rocked, with her tace toward
the church ms the Jews in exile turned
their faces toward Jerusalem.
Benjamin, said she, presently, "lwill
go. It is my duty. The next train to
Cleveland leaves at seven forty and there
is not moment - lose"
So she went.
Mr.. Whiting answered her ring this
morning rs before, and though he looked
Il little surprised at tho untimely call, he
seemed no wise agitatcd or under cloud.
Mrs. Whiting has not returned?" began
the spinstcr.
mo, ma'am. do not expect her be-
fore the last OF the week. Is there any
thing | can do for you, in her absence,
Miss Disbrow?" returned the wronged
husband.
Nothing, Mr.. Whiting, nothing for
me- Where did understand you to say
Mrs. Whiting has gone? Could it be
Clcveand?'
"No. Cincinnati She has gone to her
sisters Mrs. Gaegon; perhaps you know
herr" replied the unconscious man,
wondering to the tips Of his boots why
Miss Disbrow was there. Another pillow
gone over, may be. or perhaps she has
seen Bridget giving cold pieces to n
beggar at the back gate, mused he, listen
ing with hungry ear for the breakfast
bell.
But his wonder and musings were cut
painfully short.
"Mr Whiting" said Miss Disbrow sol
emnly, Il am afraid have bad news for
you. Your wife did not goto Cincinnati.
rs you suppose; she went to Cleveland.
And she did not 90 alone"
Mr.. Whiting stared helplessly at tho
speaker. unable on the instant 10 take in
such dreadful tidngs.
"What say is true, Mr.. Whiting. l
have it from parties who saw her go.
She has gone to Cleveland, and she did
not 90 alone" repeated Miss Disbrow,
nodding so wisely she might have been
an own aunt of SOlom on's.
Mr.. Whiting was rs innocent rs new
cup of milk, but he had rs many nerves
as woman; and if he had not been born
a man he would certainly have been a
blue bottlc-hy. humping about. restless
and distracted.
Therefore, as soon rs he had fairly
comprehended Miss Disbrow's disgraceful
story, he was nearly wild.
ale took il harder than | could wish,
BENJAMIN. Harder than | could wish.
Poor man, | don't know when | have
pitied anybody so before. and truly,
BENJAMIN, am afraid | shall have no
appetite for my breakfast; and you know
it is fsh-balls to-day, aud ] am more
partial to iish-bals than anything else.
1t is too bad. so it is"
And Miss Disbrow sighed partly for her
own loss, and partly for the loss OF her
ncighbor.
"Yes, Benjamin. There he goes. Yes
going to find her; and when ne finds
her what then? What then, | ask you,
Benjamin."
BENJAMIN did not know-he had no
means of knowing-so he did not tell.
And after smelling Of bottle OF cam
phor, Miss Disbrow went on: 1T does
seem to me, and always has, that if Mr..
Whiting had not been born idiot, he
might have known better than to marry
such pretty bunch of lace and feathers.
But man is always fool abouta woman
until he marries her.
While Miss Disbrow. full of wisdom
and sympathy, talked thus behind her
glasses and her window curtains. MI.
Whiting went down the avenue to the
depot, half frantic with haste and horrible
fancies. blaming himself miserably' as
he went on his miserable way, Tor MS
blindness and carelessness, while thou
sand things, overlooked and forgotten
heretofore, Strengthened and explained
themselves in the light of this shameful
flight.
Once in the car, the train, al its swiftest,