Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-03-05
fconciuded from FIRST page.I

SoncIuueu Irom. ntsI page.l
speaker, unable on the instant TO take in
such dreadful tidings.
What say is true, Mr.. Lawson. ]
have 1t from parties who saw her go. She
has gone to Cleveland. and she has not
gone alone" repeated Miss Disbrow. nod
ding SO wisely that she might have been
taken for own aunt to Solomon.
Mr.. Lawson was as innocent as a new
cup Of milk, but he had as many nerves as
woman; and if he had not been born a
man, he certainly would have been blue
bottle fly. jumping about. restless and
uneasy. And as soon as he fully compre-
hended. Miss Disbrow's disgraceful story
he was nearly wild.
HE took it harder than | could wish,
Observation-Disclosures than ! could wish.
Poor man ! don't know when | have
pitied anybody so before; and truly, Ben
jamin, / am afraid that l shall have no
appetite for my breakfast; and you know
that it is fish-balls to-day, and | am more
partial to fish-balls 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 neighbor.
"Yes, Benjamin, there he goes. Yes,
going to find her, and when he finds her
what then, ask you, Benjamin ?"
Benjamin did not know-he had no
means of knowing--so he did not tell.
And, after smelling bottle of camphor,
Miss Disbrow went on.
ut does seem to me, and always has,
that if Mr.. Lawson had not been BON an
idiot. he must have known better than to
marry such a pretty bunch Of lace and
feathers. But a man is always fool
about woman till he marries her.
While Miss Disbrow, full of sympathy
and wisdom, talked thus behind her
glasses and her window curtains, Mr..
Lawson went down the avenue to the
depot, half frantic with haste and horrible
fancies, blaming himself for his blindness
and carelessness, while thousand things
overlooked and forgotten heretofore,
straightened and explained themselves in
the light of this shameful flight.
Once in the car, the train at its swiitest,
seemed to crawl like a sick caterpillar ;
OH how tediously often and long they
stopped at every woodpile and hamlet of
shantIes. Suddenly they stopped, not
much of anywhere, and never started
again.
what is up now pr cried out Mr.. Law
son, impatiently.
"Nothing is up. The bridge is down. "
answered somebody in such a provoking
cool tone that Mr. Lawson felt like asking
him to fight. 1--WE have to go around
three miles in sleigh. and take the train
on the other side. Fine chance for sleigh
ride,n added the contented soul, whose
wife sat in a seat beside him, crocheting
q very minute sacque.
Sure enough! First an hour of igno-
minious waiting, then the crowded, tedious
transportation of five hundred men and
women, and each of their five hundred
trunks, over and back. A cycle of time
to q man with q swarm of bees in his
heart.
But "All things came round to him who
waits" and at last they steamed off be-
yond the broken bridge, slower, than ever
for the road was washed and the train
was heavy Yet at last that rain ended
also, although it was away through the
night, and finally daybreak, and even
broad morning, before the belated train
reached Cleveland.
It was too early for the street ears, and
being off time. there were no coaches in
waiting; SO Mr.. Lawson started at once
to walk to the residence of his wife's
father.
The day had broken rough and windy,
as 1t always is in the beautiful Forest City,
and the cloudy sky frowned upon the
miserable husband as well as the smoke
stained shops and sloppy sidewalks
Even Commodore Perry, upon his pedes-
tai in the park, seemed to look stonier
than ever, as he gazed off upon the icy
lake, with sort pity that forebore to look
down upon the human wretchedness he
had himself done with years and years
ago.
Mr.. Lawson hurried on hardly compre-
hending his errand, or what he feared,
until The pretty gothic cottage. set far
back on a lawn behind linden trees, came
into view. The house was shut up and
silent; but Mrs. Lawson was always lark
at sunrise, and as her husband involun-
tarily looked up at the window of the room
looping back the curtain s, as cheerful and
bright as butter.cup. And before he
was half way up the walk, she was through
ing like morning glory.
i didn't expect you before tomorrow
morning, she cried in girlish joy. 4
tuouSut you Wouiu uot Sct my iettel III
time, Nobody is up but me; isn't that
splendid Nobody in the whole house !.
We will 60 down to breakfast before they
know you are here. Why, how delight
full ! could hug the old mail carrier for
taking round my letter in time. But was
not it magnificent that Theodore happened
to see me? He said it was all luck and
chance that he did not get out The other
side of the depot. And we were just in
time to catch the Cleveland train
Theodore was Mrs. Lawsoa's eldest
brother, just on his way home from India
And directly at the mention OF his name, a
stone of as many as twenty tons weight
fell from Mr.. Lawson's heart, which. in
consequence. felt lighter than sponge
cake.
$50 you thought you would come right
home with Theodore instead of going TO
Sarah Gorton," said he.
why, yes Sarah is here. you know
Did't write you that All of US, brothers
and sisters, are together, now you have
come." answered Mrs. Lawson, growing