Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1871-01-06

DIlucs ana ginning NlClOIy5 dIlA III d III
with the lovely Fanny, whose heart
| shaped face, suffused with heightened
bloom, had the most curious air of un-
1 conscious innocence imaginable. The
old carpenter gazed at them, with head
bent sideways, pursed mouth and peer
ing eyes, and a smile almost joVial if it
had not been so gentle, as they passed
slowly by.
A few minutes afterwards, old Elka-
nah, having concluded his share in the
little arrangements, was sauntering
through the passage. when he suddenly
heard his wife laughing. and, as he
thought, Historically. The old man
started as if he had been shot, grew
cold and pale, and listened. In mo-
ment, again came the laughter, this
time more assuring, and evidently pro-
ceeding from the room with the picture.
''Great God! I" he murmured. Ruth
| Dyer laughing My old wife laugh
! ing That's a sound we haven't had
in this house for many n day. What's
happened p
He stole cautiously into the frelit
room, where little Lillian sat alone, and
gazed with blinking eyes into the apart
ment beyond To his utter amazement,
there stood his wife, close to the serene
SlAdAA@-IV VIII AACl OAA AASAN
to her face, laughing with all her might,
quivering all over with uncomfortable
! Joy. He saw the carpenters lips move,
as if uttering some brief word and in
stantly her mlrth was restrained.
Elkanah slapped his hands on his
thighs, and burst into noisy glee. The
carpenter paced slowly OFF, and Mrs.
EDyzer came dancing out to her husband,
TperfectIy radiant, with skirts and rib
bons huttering and waving in the leap
ling bloom of the fire, flung her arms
around his neck, gave him one smack
ling kiss, and, before he could snatch
her to his back, she was of, and actual
ly running aWa
The old man Started after her with
a bound, stopped, swayed, and broke
into laughter, with his eyes blind with
tears.
"Ruth, Ruth, old darling. old rose for
ever sweet, my robin red, my joy, come
backbone back to me p he cried
with cropping arms, and spluttering
mirth and tears, and eyes that valnly
strove for undimned vision. Come
backbone back to me, old sweetheart
dear! She's gone. o Lord, she kissed
fme! The old wife's not going, after all.
The red-hot devil, harpoon-tailed and
InOEOGQs LdkE li1G CSAdLAC anu H~A~OAA-S
live got nv old wife still And she's
Laughing Ruth Dyzer's laughing My
Goddlenlity what a young fool am T.
he burst out with a fresh peal, wiping
his ewes with his sleeve. "Now what
made her laugh! Oh, by George Mas
ter Carpenter, you've got Jokes inch
deep with cream in you, to make Ruth
DYER laugh My conscience what was
he saving to her to make her laugh
And She ran out and kissed me. O
: Lord ! o Lord = And whistling softly,
he began to dance with an air OF delIb-
: Grafton 1udicrous to see.
"Pretty doings for old folks, say,
t said the small elfn voice from the
hearth.
Old Elkanah stopped with leg in
the air, stared at the demure midget.
: sereneiy rocking herself with dolly, and
: with a peal of mirth, strobe from the
: room.
A little while, and the leafy cavern,
: redly glowing then in shadowy gloom,
beheld a darker drama. John, white
as death, was there, with chewing mouth
and dusk-lit eyes. Beyond, IN the fuller
1 and paler light Of the adjoining room.
standing together. their backs turned
towards him we're EaullSner and Emily
Z FIe waECnel EsaeIII. Ehr0liga ttlS SlooIsgsEsz
The dream, the invincible sweet mad
ness hardly disturbed as yet, had re
turned upon them, and, though then
: Inns had never breathed word, nor
: their heart awaked to sense OF thereal
/ itv. their forms in every sentiment
l n every trait and curve, betrayed then
/ love He saw it all 1t was unmistak-
: able now. He had meant only to be
fully assured that it was so-then nevel
: to speak one word, but return to thf
E army, and spend his silent dlsdaIn II
f death upon the eneny's lines. But tnS
E exDerience of war, which had been HI:
; already, gives strange dlrectlonS ms. -l -le
D mems after-thoughts and lives. There
: stood the false, false friend-the false
E false wife. that he had loved. Here, BY
the freside near him, was his child
:, afar. deep in its winter-grave, was thu
e baby-darling that he rnourned: Ant
/. there. their mother in her treason, anC
/ near her, with poisoning charm ant
;, heIl-born beauty, he who had allure'
f her. By all the depth of his forme
. love for him, rose high to the utmos
h welkin of his life, his torrent-surge c
y hatred. To burst in upon him cleay
l. through to the very neck in blood tha
)r fair Young head of curls Sometmn
+ shot through him-he became tense an
er hard through all his frame, as It trans
formed to animate iron-a dreadful eth
D. er spread dilating through his veins
p mad deaf. and blind, he whirled with
l. ont a sound. slung up the hatChet froI
the hearth, and rushed with thlcl
id red darkness believing IN his BRAIN
v The hatchet was torn from his han'
!" and he was held in clamps OF adaman
d, In that tremendous clutch, the very d
l. him and 7
ld became strengthless and icy-cold. Gin
r. mering through the fading darkness
iy his mind, he saw the carpenter.
I'D ''You are hasty, young man, the Ia
g, ter said, with stern composure.
N. Iohn glared at him with CLASSY eye
ter The cold sweat stood upon his lace
He felt with agonizing shame, like son
Ut HELPLESS brute, caught in the tolls, al
ly, confronted by a man.
er, aYou do not understand this matt
m. at all, . said the carpenter, speaking slo
es- ". '1 do. There IS nothing that W
ht, not come right. Leave it to me.
ed, He released him. The very acti
1ut implied a grandeur of serenity and co
ear fdence which was almighty Jol
in INV comrade, I love you, said t
ii carpenter, still speaking slowly. lie
re- the weight of your heart upon me me
md trust me well. Go, now, and walk
ted the cold air. Come not back here
the YOU can come, a man.
way John stood motionless, with bow
the head.
ON II trust you, he hoarsely faltered
Ter, length. And, without another word,
!. got his hat, and went out of doors,
ing The carpenter remained still till
yle, heard the shutting of the door then
too ientlv laid down the hatchet, and to
to the large oaken chair, beside the 1t
I'VE girl. She rose, and came to stand
nip tween his knees. His left hand cares
She her curly head his right lay upon
one knee his eyes mused vacantly.
~ fell down once, and broke
ankle: and sometimes it makes
,en- lame. I'm lame now, !" said the y
nth, prattler, with great eheerfulness.
''I know it, replied the carpenter.
out ''But nobody told you, she return