Connecticut western news., 1874-11-20

J man, and begin as you mean to hold out if you give up that wing now, she'll wind you round her little finger before you've been married twelve month I know the witches l"
 "Thank you for the benefit of your experience" returned James. "You take a neig ghborly interest in the mat ter, I see."
 "Yes, neighbors will be neighbors j; and if they didn't take an interest in each other, things would happen with out anybody the wiser"
 Something had prevented James from going to see Jane that evening, as he had intended, and the next night he was met by the following note:
 "DEAR JAMEs-Although you know my opinion about the wing, I under stand that you mean to carry it through ; and I hear you said in the cars that it's better to begin as you mean to hold out. I shall follow your illustrious example, and I beg you to believe that you must either give up the wing or me. JANE"
 Sung by what he considered her cruelty, he sat down and wrote
 "DEAR JANE-The wing is foregone conclusion. JAMES,"
 The same night he received the presents he had made her, including gold thimble, a lace-covered parasol, three pairs of earrings, thread lace barbe, a Russia leather fan, and the engagement ring. As James hadn't female relative among his acquaint- ances, the sudden possession of these articles rather embarrassed him, and he hardly knew what to do with them in order to secrete them from the eyes of his landlady <; but he revenged himself by returning his slippers, dressing gown and smoking-cap to Jane, and electrified her next morning by the an nouncement in the Duly ZatIer that "the house on Pleasant avenue, with such improvements as had beer begun upon it, was for sale terms reason able" He began to feel rather woe begone when the excitement died away, and he tried to persuade himself that the girl who could throw him over for such trife was no great loss and he fell to flirting with will, and took Nora to drive behind 8 span, invited Nell to matinees in the city, walked to church with Kate, carrying her prayer book, played chess with Fan, and sang duets after tea with Jane's opposite neighbor, with the windows open and the gas lighted.
 Jane watched these caprices through her closed blinds, and felt angry and heart-sick by turns, and as if the brightness of life had been snuffed out. One evening, after her mother had gone to bed, she put out her lights and sat down in her watch-tower. She had seen James leave his boarding house at dusk, and she was anxious to know how late he found it agreeable to be out. She had lost many good hours sleep at this game but it was gloomy pleasure to see him come home, and to guess where he had spent the evening.
 It was already eleven o'clock, and the stars were shining overhead with their usual indifference to hum n fate the trees waved their boughs indolent- ly, while down on the river that rushed past the town you could catch the echo of boat song. How did she know but he was rocking on the tide with Nell or drifting forgetfully out to sea with Nora? Nearly all the lights in the neighborhood were out excepting that in the hall of Mrs. Crumbs board ing house, and now and then pair of lovers would pass by, with lingering tread, under the indens, so near that she could hear their smothered tones, and guess at their hand clasps. All at once, while she watched, great glow suffused the sky toward which her face was turned, and sonorous bell-stroke smote across the pensive quiet of the night, and suddenly the street seemed alive with skurrying footsteps of men, women and children and the whiz of engines. Jane leaned out the window and asked, "Where is the fire?" more from idleness than interest.
 "Oh, up along, marm," was the hur- ried reply.
 CT was never at @ good fre," thought she this one looks as if it meant busi- ness." And without more ado she tucked her curls into an old sun-bonnet that her grandmother had used to garden in, threw dark calico wrapper over her side plaited black alapaca, fastened faded water proof cape about her shoulders, and trHdged forth with her grandfather's walking-stick for support. Nobody remarked her among such motley crowd, and she hardly knew where she was following, till she found herself confronting 8 blackened ruin, which, wreathed in smoke and garlanded with flames, threatened every moment to fall.
 "How did it happen ?" somebody at her elbow is asking.
 "Oh, the careless workmen's pipes, I s'pose. You see, it jest comes of fol. lering @ woman's notion. Young Athol he wanted to put wing onto the old house, and his girl, Miss Derwent, the schoolmarm, she wouldn't hear to 1t, and was all high for French roof and he says nothing, but goes to clapping on. French roof, like fool, to sur prise her and then they fell out, you know, and-holloa the durned thing s falling inl You see, if they'd been to work in the wing, the fremen'd got the tilIng In iIa..a siore iv .eavaoa s..o ...a.s. building. And no insurance "
 IL =as the house on Pleasant avenue that Jane had come out to see burn. For a moment she felt sick and giddy, and turning to leave the scene hastily, she elbowed man, who stood with folded arms, leaning against the bole of a tree, with his hat pulled over his eyes -a man who drew her arm through his, saying, "This is no place for you, Jane, in spite of your disguise. Let me take you home. What, crying, Janer
 "Oh, James, I am so sorry and you were going to have the French roof in stead ?" ..
 "Yes, had given up the wing, and
 "And now"- More sobs.
 "We can afford to lose it all, for wt have found each other, Jennie"