Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-02-20

piece of a heart; but then she knew
that was all when she took 1t. He
treated her always gently-pcrhaps
feeling he had done her some wrong in
marrying her-and gratiied her every
wish, although. having cared nothing
for her in the beginning. It is doubtful II
he cared any mors for her in the end.
The end camo after eighteen years.
when Mrs. Thornton was killed in a
railroad collision. and her husband was
left with four children on his hands. rude.
noisy, ill-laring cubs. as sll the neigh
bors said. II Mr.. Thornton had ever
chanced 10 think that his punishment
had lasted 10 g enough. he thought now
il was Just beginning, when he found
himself alone with those children. He
wondered that his wife had any temper
lett at all. lie grew more bent, more
vexed and worried every day. and one
would hardly have recognized, people
said, the dark and splendid Stephen
Thornton of bis youth in this middle
aged. gray haired man; and yet. TO our
eyes, he was sill quite remarkable
looking persou-perhaps more so from
our associating him with the poetry in
Aunt Helen's life. and making him an
object OF wonder as 10 whether or not
they would ever come together again.
But there was little chance of that,
We had met Nj. Thornton elsew here,
but be had never come across our thresh-
old since the day he went out with his
brides ring. And Aunt Ilslen's pecr-
liarity was that she never forgot. Could
she. then, forget the words be spoke 10
her in his anger? Could she ever forget
his marrying another woman IN less
than q week ? 1t had been that week
and u few following that her hair had
turned white. She had suffered mex
pressibly; she had never slept Il night /;
bu. she kept up gay face. Perhaps
she would have suffered longer if il had
not been tor our growing up about her.
Her life was thus filled. every moment
of it; she had but very little time 10 be
lonely, to brood, or mourn. She forgot
herself in US. II gave her qniet happi
Ea,,g har nnnNalr nd Than
shs was too proud; whenever the
thought thrust up its head. she shut the
lid down. as you mty say, and sat on 1t
Bl, one day-siler the time when the
doctor b al said Harry was hopeless
cripple, and must lie on his back the rest
Of his liie-Aunt Helen brought home q
little baske, from tho country fair, and
/ ok from the wool within it two OF the
cunuin yest m'tei OF chickens you ever
laid your eyes On. Il hate them" said
she; they make me crawl; bu. they
will amuse the dear child. They're Atri-
can ban,ams." Aud so they did amuse
and delight him. as he lay on his lounge
il the bay wit dow and watched them
growing up. full of business. And that
was the way, by lhe-waY, that We came
to have chickens round the front piazzls
One night, a yesr aiterward. when The
bantams were quite grown people. some
body dropped over the fence pair OF
biz black Cochins, that s;alked about as
il the earth were too good 10 tread on. OF
as il they were afraid OF crushing ban
tam with the mex, step. .! course we
knew where the Cochins came trom-ior
nobody else in town had any-but nc
body said word. Only it was sport on
the mex. day to- peer round the corner
and see Aunt Helen, with piece oi
bread in her hand. in doubt whether to
have anything 10 do with those fowls or
not, twice extending hsr hand with The
crumbs aud snaiching it back again. aII
4t last making one bold ,nJrt. and
throwing the whole thing at them. and
hurry ing into the house. But from thai
moment the ever-hungry CochiOs seemed
to regard her AS their patron saint. She
never appeared but they came stalking
gingerly along 10 meet her, and 81
last one even made so bold as 10 fly uI
and perch on the back OF her chair OF
the piazza. Ok course he was shoosd of
with vigor-with little more vigor
perhaps, because Mr.. Thornton had al
that moment been passing, and had seer
this woman who would never keep hen:
presenting that tableau.
1t was two or three days after that tina
Aun: Heen, coming home at twilight
from one OF her rambles by the river
bank was observed TO be very nervous
aud flushed, aud TO look as il she hat
been CRY ing.
"Il's all right" said our Ned, cominl
in shortly after her. "l know all abou
it. I've been setting my eel traps; ant
what do you think-she met old Thorn
ton"
Ned"
"She did indeed. And wharll you SAL
to that mans cheek? lie up and spok'
to her -
"Oh, now, Ned Before you?"
Fact. Before me2 No, indeed;
lay low" said Ned, with a chuckle. "But
kto,, ro,, ,bau ypopllp,, hava aaan ma /