Connecticut western news., 1876-12-01
JUDITH's TEMPTATION.

How bright and cheerful the kitchen of the old Stedhurst farmhouse looked to Judith Black upon the dreary De- cember evening when she first came there to ivei How merrily the fire fickered on the walls with red, fantastic reflections How the tins sparkled against the wall, and what a song of welcome the old copper teakettle sung upon the hearth And Mrs. Stedhurst's s geraniums in the window, with their velvet leaves and spikes of vivid scarlet blossoms-to Judith they seemed fairer than any conservatory, crowded full of fan palms and camellias and trailing jas mine.
 Judith Black had been very poor. She had been a dressmaker, but times were very hard. She had striven to get work, but applicants were many, and the cup of starvation had been peril ously close to her lips when she crept into the office where Edward Stedhurst saw her, and engaged her to help his mother about the housework.
 "I sha'n't like her, Ned," said Mrs. Stedhuret, when the "new girl " had gone up to her own room for the night, and mother and son were together be- fore the kitchen fire. ....
 Why not, mother9"
 "She's too pretty; and she has such naughty, queenly sort of 8 way. I shouldn't think of asking lady to scrub the floor and feed the pigs"
 "That's nonsense, mother" said Ed ward, half vexed, half laughing. "She can't help her face, can sheG It is some of the scraggy faced, smallpox marked girls who were so exacting as to the wages they would receive and the duties they would be called upon to perform, that l wouldn't have 'em in the house on any terms. Judith was the only one who was willing to come for any sort of work, and willing to accept moderate wages"
 ''She'n suit you," said MT. Stedhurst, who had come in while the discussion was going on. Take my word for it, mother, she'll suit you"
 Judith Black stayed for month, and then Mrs. Stedhurst engaged her for another month.
 "She is neat" said the lady, "and she IS quick to learn, and I believe her to be thoroughly trustworthy"
 eff only Ned don't fall in love with her," humorously suggested MT. Sted- hurst.
 "Why shouldn't he fall in love with her, if he wants to?'' said Mrs. Sted- hurst, valiantly.
 "My dear, my dear," remonstrated MT. Stedhurst, "what do you know about hera"
 "What do you know about any girl, for that matter ?" said Mrs. Stedhurst. "She is certainly very pretty, and very faithful. and very onest,"
 "Honest, put in MT. Stedhurst, dry ly, because she has no temptation to be otherwise"
 "Now, Phineas, you are too bad," said Mrs. Stedhurst, impatiently. "The current jelly has never been disturbed in the closet, and have left the sugar bowl twice on the dresser with thirty three Jumps of sugar in it, and thirty three there were, and counted them after she had gone to bed"
 "Not very great temptations, those," said MT: Stedhurst, smiling.
 "No," said his wife, "but stravs show which way the wind blows"
 About & month subsequent to this conversation, Edward Stedhurst came to his father.
 Father" said he, ''Iwas twenty-one years old in October"
 "Yes," said Mir. Stedhurst.
 "And you were 8 year younger than that when you were malried2"
 ''I believe so, Ned"
 "Have you any objections to my talk ing wifea ?"
 "None in the world-if it proves that she is theright sort of wife I" answered the old gentleman.
 Father, I have fallen in love with Judith Black" confessed Edward.
 "Just exactly what I have feared all along," said MT. Stedhurst, with a shrug of his shoulders.
 Why do you use the word 'feared,' father9" questioned Edward.
 Because, my lad, she is almost stranger to us.