Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-06-07
fConfiuued rom first PAGE

ana, fastening MS long teetn IN DIS !tS,
made him howl for mercy. When Gin
cinnatus thought that he had inflicted suf-
ficient punishment, he gravely trot,ed back
TO Dennis.
So far as the garden bore mustard-and-
cress for relishes, nasturtium seeds for pick
ling, and beans for boiling, Hannah could
discover sense in her fathers horticultural
pursuits; but his 6ower-fancying, espec-
tally since he could not see his flowers,
she considered one of his many ''iollies."
Abel, under his grandfather's direction,
was chief gardener; and it was he, too,
who looked after the bird. The dog was
fed by all three, not least by Hannah.
lie took her food. but made no response
to her rigid fondling; he was not going to
be seduced by brides OF broken victuals to
abjure his allegiance to his old and young
masters, who needed his protection far
more than his nominal mistress did.
He liked to get them into the summer
house on fine still afternoon or evening.
and there watch over them, whilst they
went on with their work, or took their lit
tie recreation. Sometimes they played at
draughts there, the old man running his
hand over the board every now and then
to remind himself OF the position of the
pieces, and recognizing his own men by
the notch in their sides. On Sunday al
ternoons the constant companions read
their Bibles there together. verse after
verse in turns, as ii they were both chill
dren-Abel from his tiny Testament Dem
mis- moving his hand from lett to right and
right to LETT over the embossed characters
of his oolong gospel, as If he were play
ing on some musical instrument. In the
evening, when it was too dark Tor Abel TO
distinguish the letters. Dennis sometimes
read aloud there by himself, in monoto-
nous tone which had u rather eerie sound
as it doomed through the twilight. 1t was
pleasanter to hear his mellow bass joined
to Abel's silvery though not very sonor-
Gus treble 10 the evening hymn-occasion-
ally the noisy neighbors hushed their
brawls and boisterous talk to listen. Now
and then Dennis and Abel went with Han
nah to her chapel. but not often, since
Cincinnatus q did not say he was quite
perfect) grew impatient at the length of
the sermon, and had caused scandal
In the arbor in fine weather. and over
the kitchen fire in cold, Dennis and his
grandson had many confidential talk,
either netting, or when their work was
done. The old man more than half, and
the little boy fully, believed that Cincinna-
tus understood every word they said, but
his presence was no check upon the free
dom of their intercourse. Still, if poor,
harmless. Woodworking, but unsympathet-
ic Hannah made her appearance. their
speech froze, or, instead OF flowing con-
tinuously, dribbled and dried up, and again
dribbled, to again dry up very speedily.
The old man and the little boy seemed 10
be two half-souls that exactly complement
ed one another, with Cincinnatus for har-
monious canine supplement. Dennis pass
ed the time Of day in friendly manner
with his neighbors but the only acquaint-
ances at all intimate he had outside his
own home were blind man and his blind
wife. Jacob and Patty Mullins. Mullins
was no favorite of Dennis, but he forced
his company on No. /, Jennings Row, at
times when he wanted a meal, or the loan
of shilling, or any other favor. Pecun-
larry benefits he very seldom repaid. and
other friendly offices never. He was a
sneaking, dissatisfied fellow. always
scheming and complaining. Sometimes
he adopted pharisaical tone, maintain
ing that his lot In life fell shamefully be-
low his merits-at other times cynical,
shamelessly avowing his meanness, and
trying to make out that nobody else was
any better; and, again, at other times he
twisted the two strains of talk together
1t all depended on the amount Of alcohol
he had recently imbibed. Dennis's con-
tentedness Of spirit angered him, and
whenever the two men met, Mullins was
sure to bring the repining phase of his
character into prominence.
His daughter, Hannah Jones, who kept
his house, was a widow who had had Il
large family and hard life, made harder
by bad husband. Her troubles had
crushed all cheerlulness out of her, but
yet they had not made grumbler OF her.
She seemed to have arrived at the conclu-
sion that happiness in this lie was not
meant for folks like her-that her duty on
earth was to keep on working. even at
times when there was no need for her to
labor. Besides keeping her fathers house
she kept little shop. in which she sold
bOot-laces, marbles. bulls'-eyes, ginger
bread, and such-like, chiefly articles OF
juvenile demand; and sometimes she
went out charing. Her nearest approach
to happiness was on Sundays, when. with
out rebuke OF conscience. she could sit
still in the little Westinghouse. She did
not mind how long the services lasted
her idea OF heaven, most probably, was
her chapel magnified and gloriiied. There
might easily be more agreeable members
OF household than Hannah Jones, but in
her undemonstrative way she was faith
fully attached to her father and TO her lit
tie boy; although, il she ever did repine
at the dealings of Providence it was be-
cause, out OF her many children, little
Abel was the one who had been spared to
her.
Poor little Abel was weakly, lame. and
slightly deformed; but he had fine head !,
although out of proportion to the body
that supported it--a brow that showed an
intelligence which Hannah could not APP
preciate, and eyes in which yearned an
affectionateness which found no adequate
answer in his mothers. AS | have said,
she was faithfully attached to him. When,
as was often the case, if he ventured out
side the front door alone the children of
the row began to tease or downright NAL
treat him, Hannah, needless of the fact
that she was driving away her customers,
would rush to the rescue with an energy
which contrasted strangely with her usual
sluggish calm of manner; but still she