Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-06-08
OZARK" DENNIS AND HIS GRAND son.
BY THE AUTHOR OF Episodes IN AN Oh
SQUIRE LIFE"
Continued from yesterday


When very much excited" he would
openly boast of the righteousness of the
"games.m to which AT other times he more
cautiously alluded, and if Dennis spoke or
even looked disapproval, would call him
canting old humbug. ''Some Parsons
sleeve you're wantin' to creep up--eh.
Denny?" he would ask. you're every
bit as bad as me, you old reprobate. only
you're not so clever-can't do the trick so
well-lhats what your honesty comes to.
old boy; and much good you get out OF
it."
If Hannah happened to be near when
he looked in at Flcming's Row in one of
these states, he was cunning enough TO
hold his tongue. He went upon another
tack with her.
''Ah. Mrs. JONES'" he would say. giving
a gasp Of satisfaction, sits Il privilege
vally highly to talk with a consistent Chri-
tian woman like yourself Your father
poor man Il won't deny he's shown me
kindness. but I'm afraid-l'm grieved to
say it-but greatly fear he hain't got the
root o. the matter in him. He's too much
taken up with the things o. this world-his
flowers and his fiddle, and such-like wani-
ties"
But Hannah, though she had no love for
the fiddle and the flowers, was genuine
woman. aud could not be taken in by the
counterfeit thing.
She was not very shrewd, and he might
easily have talked her over, had it not
been for his cant. Her religion was not
large, but what she had of it was genuine
and therefore it enabled her to detect the
hollowness of his would-be pious phrases
Hannah, however, unfairly included in her
dislike Mullins wife. who sometimes
came with or for her husband to the row
The reason OF Hannah's antpalhy to
Patty Mullins was-though she would not
have owned to the fact, of which she was
only vaguely observation-disclosures the blind
woman almost idolized little Abel, whom
his mother could only love half grudging-
ly.
Patty had had but one child, boy that
had died when little more than baby.
To have such son as Abel seemed TO her
bliss which she marvelled Hannah could
possess and yet be even for a moment
downcast. Patty could not see the little
boys deformity, but ran her hand over his
features. and her fingers through his silky
hair, with unwearying delight. She al
most hushed her breath when he began
to speak. and Rugged him. after the most
trivial speeches, with a fond admiration
which made the little fellow wonder and
yet was very pleasant to him. The EN-.
braces Patty gave him when she greeted
him and bade him good bye were very dit
ferent from the regulation morning and
evening kisses he got from his mother.
Patty was a good, quiet little woman,
whom Mullins had married because he
thought he could make more servceable.
faithful drudge OF her than he could Of
"seeiDg woman" He had imposed up
on her by professions of superlative good
ness appertaining to himself; but she had
long before found him out. Indeed, when
he had once secured his slave, he had been
brutally honest enough 10 save her very
soon much trouble in guessing at his real
character. When her little boy was born
she had thought that she might still fad
SONS happiness ia her married life; bu
the baby died. and she bad TO make up he,
mind to a lonely life OF misery. She die
her duty la II without flinchDg. although
her owner. thinking in bis besotted self
conceit that nothiug he might do couie
ALLEVIATE from him her supposed idolizine