Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-12-26

its excuse tor being.
"Here's seat, friend" cried an elderly
neIgh1or, a. he entered the crowded car.
"HOws that wing of yours getting On2-grow-
ing NJ pin, feathers? It's raised quite Lreeze,
awe haven't had the raising vet, ;, said James,
retiring behind his newspaper.
81 bear hOw't Mss Jane don't take TO win ys-
and you do. IA! hs! h0w's that?
U'Birds in their little nests agree,
And it's shameful thing
When lovers, keeping company,
Fail out about wi0g''
81 IKE to know who's been med ling and
gossipiug about my affairs" said James, with
flashing Cyea.
'eOh, neighbOrs naHst talk about each other,
or they wouldn't say any thing. New you take
Nv al wee, y0nng man, and begin "a you mean
20 h0l1 cut, Il You give up that wing now, she u
wind you round her little finger before you've
been married twelyemOnth! 1 know the
witche-!'
Thank yog for the benefit Of your expe-
Ileuce,' returned james. lyon take a ne Oh
bOrly interest IN The matter, see
''Yer, neL,hbO Will be neig hbOrS; and If they
didn't take An interest in each other, tn 'ngs
wound happen without any body the wiser"
SOnsth.ng prevented James from going to see
Jauo ttst evening, IS ne had intended, and the
next night he was met 10y the following n 10.
DEAR JAMEs,-AlthOlgh you knO nv
opinion about the wing, | understand III - yJu
meau - carry II through; ana | hear 20 -R.I
in tn cars hat its better 10 begin as yOu mean
70 hold out. shall follow yOur illustri JUS ex-
amP'e, aud beg you to believe that you must
Sung by what no considered her cruelty, he
sat down and wrote,
"DEAE JANE,-The wing IS a fOreEone c9u-
The same night ne received the prsse1ts us
had made hsr. including gold thimb'S, alAso-
covered parasOl, three pairs Of earrings, =
thread lace hsrbe, a Russia leathc- fan. AMI
the aEemeut-TIHg. A5 James hidH't a f.
male TciaIys amOng his arguajn+4n ces. the
s1dden possession or these articles rather sn-
barTasseG him, AMI he hardly knew whas g. 30
With them In order 70 secrets them from the
eye of ms landlady; but he reveBgei him elf by
returning bis slippers, dressing gown, an 1
-HlokinR-Csp 70 Jane, ans electTined her -Nt
mDTniDE By the announcement in the Daily TIt-
Ter thar 'thc house on Pleasant avenue, with
sUth improvements as had been begun upon f.,
wa TOR sale: terms reasonable" de began 10
feel rather woe begone when the excitement
died away, AMI he tried to persuade hi mself
that the girl who cOuld throw him over for
tuch tTIGe was no great loss; and he fell to
flirting with will, and took Nora to drive be-
hind a span, invited Nell to mstinees in che
city, walked TO church with Kate, Carrying her
prsyeT-bOOk, played chess with Fan, and sang
duets after tea with James opposits nsighbor
with the windows open and tue gas lighted.
Jane watched these capTIcCs through her
closed blinds, and felt angry and heart sick p =
turns, and As n the brightness OF life had been
SMILED out One evening, after her mother
had gone 20 bed. she put OGt the lights aui sat
down in her watch-tOWer. She had seen james
leave his boarding house at dusk. and sac was
anxious to know how late he found it agreeable
to be ont She had lost many a good hours
sleep Al this game; but it was y gloomy pleasure
% see him come home, and to guess where he
had spent tue evening.
IT Was already eleven O'Clock, and the stars
were shining overhead with their usual indi Ter
eDce 10 human fate; the trees wavs1 their
bOughs indolently, while down on the river thst
Iusned past the I'd Vn you could catch the echo
OF a boat song. How did she know but he Vas
rocking on the tide with Nell or drifting for
gettUl,y out to sea with Nora? Nearly sll the
nghc- in the neigh bOrhOOd were cut excepting
{ At In the hall of Mrs. Crumbs boarding
a 90 .-.a a
pass by, with lingering tread, under the linden.,
70 near that she could hear their smOthered
tones, an; guess AZ their hand CT sps. AL at
once, while she watched, great glow sutfI=ed
the sky toward which her face was turned, GRd
a sOHOrOUs bell-strOke smOt3 across the pensiya
quiet az the night, and suddenly the street
seemed alive with skurTyiDg footsteps Of men,
women, and children and the whiz Of engines.
Jane leaned out he window and asked. Where
is the free" more from idleness than interest
"ph, NJ along maTmi" was the hurried
reply.
Twas never at good fire." thought shs:
''thIS CEe looks as II 70 meant business" And
Without more ado she tucked her curls into An
Old sun bonnet that her grandmother had Us III
10 garden In, threw dark calico wrapper over
her side teNtcd black alpaca, fastened ia 1 81
water proof cape shO1t her shoulders. and
trUdCcd forth with her g-andfAther's walking
stick for support. Nobody remarked her an Do
such g motley crowd. and she hardly knew
where she va following, till she found herself
cOu'TOuTlng tl.ckeued ruin. which, Wr3a cd
IN smoke and gSrIaniei with flames, threat
sned every moment to fall.
"ACw DAD 10 haDgen?'' somebody al her elbow
was asking.
GOh.ths care1, "a workrnen's pipes, s'ro-e.
To1 see " iesr comes ~ fOIisTiHS a wpmIn's no.
ton. YONG AtbVl he wanted TO pu= wing N
20 the old hUCse. and his girl. Miss Derwaut, the
school marin. she wouldn't hear II II, ana wa
ali hign tor French roof; ami he says nJth. RI :.
hut goes 70 clapping on q French root, ike
fool, - sure lee her; ana then they fell 0u-, yD1
know, aud-t"i'n3! the burned things IA. i1g
m! Yen see, n th-Y'd been 10 work in the wing
tEe frsneD Il got the thing in hand afO-e II
reacted the main building. And No i.slr-
a0rs.'
~ wss the house on Pleasant avenue tia!
Jane AT como cut n seq burn. For u1Tn3Ht
she felt sex snd gijdy, and turning - ieSvr
the scene hastily, she eihO@sd Tatu, = no 30 -
with fO'f q sTls, leaning aSsinSr the 5Jls 0F
tree, with lis bat pGiie1 over his eYcs-a man
who drew her arm through bis, saying, Tins -
10 place for you, Jane, in spite Of yOIr dis
gul-e. Let me take you home. "Wkat, crying,
,IaHs?"
sob, James, am so sorry! and you were go
ing 10 have the French roof instead"
~ ss, had given up the wing, and"
And nov" Msre sObs.
awe can afford to lose il all, for we have each
other, nie."-HIrDsr's Bdzdr.