Connecticut western news., 1873-02-14
VOL. II.

Julius stood staring aghast at the ruins. Al! housekeepers have their do- Mestic idols, and this new ''iron stone" set was Mrs. Parley's. Tho teapot lay noiseless and demolished before his eyes, three cups were broken, and the handle was dashed off frem the cream pitcher, while the knob was clipped neatly off the cover of the sugar-bowl.
 Julius only paused for one glance nt the general ruin, then he turned and fled ingloriously from this Waterloo of his scientific efforts.
 And the next day all Bickerton knew that Farmer Parley's bound boy had run away, after first demolishing all Mrs. Parley's china, out of sheer re- venge, because she had boxed his ears the day before.
 1T always knew that boy wouldn't come to no good," said Deacon Jones.
 "There was Q vicious look in his eyes," crooked Miss Lavinia Denham, "and I only wonder he didn't set fire to the house, or burn you all in your beds.'
 But little Alice cried bitterly, and treasured more tenderly than ever, Q goggle-eyed doll, with arms out of all proportion, and feet several degrees larger than her head, which was the last wooden exploit Julias had present. ed to her.
 "In never have another bound boy" asserted Mrs. Farley:
 
 "Well, well,', sighed the farmer, how time does slip away from us, to be sure! Alice is nineteen to-day, and it don't seem right she should be away from us on her birthday. She's been three months in the cit now, wife,"
 "Yes," said Mrs. Farley, -nodding her head sagely, "and don't b'lieve she'n come home alone, neither"
 Eh!'' the farmer opened wide his blue eyes. "you don't s'pose she's en- gagged to that MT. Clinton ?" You men are so slow to put two and two together" said Mrs. Farley, with a conscious smile. "I've suspicioned it this long while, and Mrs. Carter writes that it'll be splendid match, and half the young ladies in Boston are envying our little country girl. Only think rich lady, ivin' in big house in Bos- ton ?"
 MT. Farley stared steadfastly at the fire.
 "Who is he, any way p he asked in " oAOOOAOU VOAOOs Cu0 hl1 Ul10 C11llu we've got, wife. We can't give her to 0 man without knowin' who and what he is."
 You needn't werry," said his wife, with the superior calmness of one who is posted. "He's as steady-goin' as you be yourself-at least so Mrs. Car ter writes-and he's on inventor, what ever that may be. Any way, he made great fortune out of a patent he's sold to the gov arnment. Alice won't have to work al her days as hard as have done, and that's one comfort"
 And when Alice's shy letter, which implied far more than it told, intimated that she was coming home under MT. Clinton's escort, the old farmhouse was duly swept and garnished for the reception of the honored guest. Mrs. Farley put on her best black silk, and the farmer donned his butternut suit. which seemed to him as gorgeous as it had been on the day he bought it, twenty good years ago.
 "I wonder which train they'll come in, |" said Mrs. Farley, refectively. "I should hate the worst way to have that turkey spoiled"
 But such catastrophe was happily averted, for the travellers arrived just as the stormy twilight made the glow of the great wood fire doubly grateful. There was the crunch of wheels in the deep snow without, the opening of the door, and then Alice was in her mothers arms.
 In the background tall figure stood, stately and dignified and self-contained. with jet black hair and grave violet gray eyes, and the farmer made his best bow as Alice introduced "Mr. Clinton" with deep red flush upon her cheek. "You must like him very much, father, for my sake," she said, "be- cause-because-I have promised to be his wife,"
 When the hospitable meal was over, and Mrs. Farley came in from the kitchen, pulling down the sleeves that had been rolled up above her elbow, and tying on Q clean checked apron, Alice sprang to her feet. "Mother," she said, with her face all smiles and dimples, "Mr. Clinton has brought you down present"
 "A presentl' cried Mrs. Farley, "and for me!'
 "It's out in the porch, in Q box and father must get 8 hammer and screw driver and open it very carefully, for it's china" "China %
 ." Yes, real china, imported from Can ton, so transparent you can look through it, with bees and butterflies painted on 1t In the colors of life. Oh, it is so beautiful"
 She stood by, gleefully clapping her hands as the treasures were unpacked. and enjoying her mothers delight as the beautiful fragile things one by one made their appearance from countless wrappings of silver paper.
 How kind 1t is of you, Mr. Clinton!" said Mrs. Farley, looking up with beami.ng eyes. "I always did set store by china"
 "Not kind at all," said the young man quietly, cit is simply the settle ment of very old debt"
 -" A debt" repeated the farmers wife, with puzzled eyes. "I don't think l fairly understand you, MT. Clinton"
 He smiled. "It is to replace the set which I broke, trying experiments, twelve years ago."
 Mrs. Farley stared, beginning to have uncomfortable doubts as to the entire sanity of her daughters lover. And then, as he smiled again, sudden light broke in upon her brain.
 "It ant never" she began, and then stopped short.
 '' Yes, it is mother" cried Alice, radiantly. "It's Julius-our Juliusp'
 "Whose arsyou have boxed deserved ly so many times," laughed the young man.
 "And he las made his fortune, mother, and he is great man now; and I al- ways knew it would be so," went on Alice, flushed and excited. "And it all came from the experiments he was always trying" I Well, I never!' cried Mrs. Farley while the farmer rubbed his spectacles, and laughed low chuckling laugh, which exnressed his r,arfaok nonkan&