Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-08-02

port with the writer by my own sad
loneliness. felt the depth of meaning
in his complaint. Yes" she said, |
az must confess, and I do
repent, even in his complaint against
heaven. Alone in the world Some
times that happens"
And here let it be explained to the
reader that by an accident in the cradle
the writer of the diary had been made
repellant, and his sensitive
soul exaggerated his misfortune into
barrier between himself and the loving
sympathies of all mankind. AS for
womankind, he knew not-for his
mother died at his birth-even it's ma
ternal tenderness.
Leonard, DEAR" Miss Thatcher went
on, you will think me, perhaps, the
most superstitious being; but think
and the idea has gathered some reas-
enable pleas--I cannot help thinking
that this book is framed as a mode of
bequest. l believe the writer, your
fathers brother, stung with the bitter
thought that his hard-earned fortune
would be spent by those who never
knew Or cared for him, devised meth
Oh by which part, at least, should be
the reward of afectionate gratitude"
She explained tc him then her theory
of the maps, and her instructive con-
struction of one particular map which
she had studied at the very last reading
in the old mill.
Leonard Mansfeld's cheek flushed as
he listened. At the close he said :
Your reasoning is sufficiently plausi-
BILE to deserve to be tested, and so it
shall be. But first promise me one
thing: promise me that if this miracle
of intuition proves true, you viii be
nay wife tomorrow. My darling, you
shall not say Mo-" He prevented
her, indeed, in lover-like way, from
saying anything. And silence is eyes :"
in love.
The last day of August the whole
village of Red Cedar Pond was thrown
into torment of excited curiosity.
The excitement began in one Of the
twin houses on the clearinghouse
Hill" at 5 o'clock in the morning.
Miss Tabitha Butts stood in her night
dress peeping through the blinds of a
dormer- window. She never could tell,
as she declared afterwards, what made
her peep.
She saw the back-door of Dick
Seaman's open and Louisa Thatcher
look mysteriously out. Then she saw
Tim, the miller's boy, creep stealthily
around the porch with the pickax and
spade, which he gave to Miss
Thatcher, who disappeared with them
into the house. Then Tim, stealing
back again as far as the lilac bushes,
and cautiously surveying all ap-
proaches, put his hand over his mouth
and gave low whistle. Immediately
from the horse-shed by the church a
man came very quickly, and, nodding
to Tim as he passed, fastened to the
high-road. Miss Tabitha was sure, al
though his cap was drawn ever his face,
that this man was the young stranger
to the village, who had been so infatua-
ted by Miss Thatcher.
Then Miss Thatcher came to the
door again and beckoned to Tim, and
whispered; and he went round by way
Of the church, down the plum orchard,
to the mill.
A pickax and spade Tabitha had
cold shivers; she could think of nothing
but grave. When, two hours after
ward, the coast being clear, she sped
across the garden patch to the
"meetin' house she'd" her fancy lost
none Of it's horrors, for there, in the
northeast corner was spade of fresh
turned mold.
Miss Tabitha went home, put on her
sun-bonnet and was "down to the village
in no tine"
The next excitement was at the som.
nolent dwelling of old Squire Wells
Mr.. Mansfield had been closeted with
him an hour. And when the Squire
reappeared he nearly upset his ancient
wife in the hallway, in his haste to pei
his hat and coat, and choked until he
was scarlet, screaming into her wrong
ear that he was going to u "on biz
ness!' Off he went at such novel pace
that the poor DANES feeble faculties
aroused themselves to concentrate up
on one fatal entrance: "When an
old horse that has alters walked takes
to runnin' away, there's no end O. dam.
age"
Excitement third was a sealed letter
dropped by Mr.. Seaman's Err, into the
post office at 10 o'clock, the hour OF
general delivery, directed to the trust
ees Of the district school, which body,
being in quorum on the spot, opened at
once the resignation of Miss Thatcher
in favor Of the highly recommended
candidate for the winter term, to whom
they had kindly given her the prefer
ence.
Excitement fourth attacked faxen-
haired Nettie's mother, pleasant-faced
little widow, to whom Tim, who had
ridden to u and back at a break
neck speed, broughtsa note from the
Congregational minister of u, say
he would sup with her that evening, eff
agreeable" as he was coming to Red
Cedar Pond, {" in virtue of his Office" a
sentence underlined like a pleasantly,
that SO upset the good widows brain as
to spoil the count Of her one-two-three-
four cake.