The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-04-17
A WORD IN SEASON.

The Day Accommodation on the Shore
Line was making its deliberate waV
eastward, curving with every curve of
the Connecticut shore, aud clinging to
the water side us though actuated by
sentiment for coast scenery. On one
side of the track lay the blue, white
capped sea on the other, low rolling
hills with foregrounds of brown meadow
and golden sedge over all, superb
arch Of sun-ht sky. 1t was delicious
late autumn day, and Miss Mallows
found That Husband Of Mine" 81
little engrossing-perhaps because OF
her maidenly unacquaintance with the
possessive case of that article-that she
flung it down aud betook herself t.
gazing from the window. She was
growing dreamy, az gazers at rapidly
changing scene are apt to do, when
word reached her ear, and aroused curl
osity enough to make her turn her head.
It was woman's name, and an uncom-
mon" Arethusa.
The person who uttered it WAS a man.
His seat was on the opposite side of the
car, and a little in advance OF that which
Miss Mallows herself occupied. and she
now observed that there WAS something
odd about his appearance. His head
and shoulders were massive and finely
formed his face seen in profile was a
good one, with kindly eyes aud n striking
forehead, broad and benevolent. But
there was something dwarish in his
attitude, and when presently he half
rose TO shut the window, it became ap-
parent that he was dwarf. There wde
no deformity, but the large head and
broad shoulders were balanced by II
miserable pair of little legs not longer
than those OF a child of ten. He wa
not young, for there were grizzled hairs
about his temples and in his full beard,
and altogether his appearance was half
repulsive and half attractive, and aweke
feeling compounded of good will and
pity so strangely mingled that it was
hard to tell which predominated.
His companion-evidently the {" Are
thusa addressed, was a girl not over
twenty, of that delicate type of prettiness
known as American" which fades SC
early, but is charming in it's briei
hower-time. Her new gray suit, with
crepe lisse ruffies at throat and wrist,
the crisp feather in her hat, even the
shining red leather of her travelling bag
and the perfectly fresh, carefully put OF
gloves, bespoke the bride, but there wa'
something very unbridal in the face
which these fneries surrounded. The
eyes, blue in tint and beautifully shaped
and set, we're swollen with crying, th'
lips ouivered nervously, every vestigt
of color had fed from theround childisl
cheeks, and the hands in the new glove
were pinched together with tightnes
like terror. Once or twice as Miss Nal
lows watched, she fought with emotion
and called up a wan little smile IN an
swer to something said to her, but sh
never spoke. Her companion, on tn
contrary, talked incessantly in a low
voiced steady strain. Miss Mallow
could catch only a word now and theI
and her curiosity about the couple gre
80 strong that she felt she would pa
any price to know their story. TheI
could be no doubt as to their relation
she Thought they were husband an
wife, and Just married. The little ma
evidently had no thought except for h
bride. Mile after mile he talked an
talked, devouring her with his eyes Il
while, and she sat with half-avertt
head, never meeting his gaze or replyiI
by word to anything he said. On
she turned and looked full at Miss Ms
lows with wild appeal in her ia
winch was startling, but she instant
looked away, and presently laid her al
on the win1ow sill and her head on b
arm, and began to cry in a still, dreadi
manner, not sobbing aloud, but trel
bling all over with a pent-up feell
which was worse than outbreak. Il
man tried in vain to soothe her 8
repelled him gently but decidedly, a
at last he gave up the attempt, a
silently sat beside her with gra'
troubled face.
"I shall die if 1 can't find out abe
those people" thought the excited
server on the other side of the car. l
nhn liHrnlA AZ ,noithar cnnld she 4