Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-05-23
Talss and Sketthss.
A WORD IN SEASON.

ward, curvlng with every curve of the
Connecticut shore, and cinging to the
water-side as though actuated by q senti-
ment for coast scenery. On one side of
/ the track lay the blue, white-capped sea;
on the other, low rolling hills with FORE
grounds of brown meadow and golden
| sedge; over all, a superb arch of sun-Iit
sky. II was a delicious late autumn day,
and Miss Malows found That Husband
OF Mine so little ngrossing-perhaps be-
cause OF her maidenly unacquaintance
| with the possessive case of that article
that she flung it down and betook herself
to gazing from the window. She was
growing dreamy, as gazers at a rapidly
changing scene are apt to do, when y
word reached her ear, and aroused curl
osity enough to make her turn head. It
was woman's name, and an uncommon
one-"Are,husa." 'ai
The person who uttered it was man.
His seat was on the opposite side OF the
car, and a little in advance OF that which
Miss Mallow herself occupied, and she
now observed that there was something
odd about his appearance. His head and
shoulders were massive and finely Termed:
his face seen in profile was good one,
witk kindly eyes and a striking forehead,
| DIOdu anu UtHtNottHt. Dut tUeTo was
something dwarfish in his attitude, and
when presently he half rose to shut the
window, 1t became apparent that he was
dwarf. There was no deformity. but
the large head and broad shoulders were
balanced by miserable pair of little legs
not longer than those of child of ten.
He was not young, for there were grizzled
hairs about his temples and In his full
| ayI iffv th..,. 10
halt repulsive and half attractive, and
and pity so strongly mingled that it was
hard to tell which predominated. a.es
His mpanion-ey identity the "Are-
lhusa" addressed, was girl not over
twenty, of that delicate type of prettiness
known as American" which fades so ear
ly, but is charming in its brief flower
time. Her new gray suit. with crepe lisse
ruffles at the throat and wrist, the crisp
feather in her hat. even the shining red
leather of her travelling bag and the per-
fectly fresh, carefully put-On gloves, be-
spoke the bride, but there was something
very unbridal in the face which these fine
res surrounded The eyes, blue in tint
and beautifully shaped and set, were
swollen with crying. the lips quivered ner-
|
from the round childish cheeks, and the
hands in the new gloves were pinched to-
geher with tighlness like terror. Once
or twice as Miss Mallows watched, she
fought with emotion and called up wan
little smile in answer to something said to
her, but she never spoke. Her compan-
ion, on the contrary, talked necessarily in
low-voiced steady strain. Miss Mallow
could catch only word now and then.
and her curiosity about the couple grew
so strong that she felt that she would pay
any price to know their story. uG
There could be no doubt as TO their re-
lation. she thought; they were husband
and wife, and just married. The little
man evidently had no thought except for
his bride. Mile after mile he talked and
talked. devouring her with his eyes the
while. and she sat with half ayerted head
never meeting his gaze or replying by a
word to anything he said Once she
turned and looked full at Miss Mallews
with wild appeal in her face which was
startling, but she Instantly looked away
and presently laid her arm on the window
sill and her head on her arm, aud be-
gan to cry in still, dreadful manner,
not sobbing aloud, but trembling all over
with a pent up feeling which was worse
than an outbreak. The man tried in vain
to sootbe her; she repelled him gently
hut decidedly, and silently sat beside her
with grave troubled face.
II shall die if | can't find out about
those people, " thought the excited observ-
er on the other side of the car. Bat she
didn't die, neither could she find out. One
can not walk up to perfect stranger and
demand. "Your story or your life Pit is
impossible. So Miss Mallows sat still, her
coniectures afame and her fingers fairly
twitching with impatience. till at last the
train stopped at small way station, and
the little man, rising from his seat-and,
alas looking even shorter than when he
said, in a gentle, depreciatory tone,
Now, Arethusa." .s'i
With that they vanished. Miss Mall
lows had one more glimpse of them, get
ting into brand-new carry-all, which
looked as though it might be part of the
wedding outfit, and then the train bore
her away Her thoughts remained be-
hind, with the people in whom she had
taken so sudden and violent an interest.
Il wonder who they are, and why oD
earth she married him ?" ran her refec-
tions. $50 young and pretty and so evil
IDENTIFY unhappy And for all her pretti-.
ness, it vast an educated face, or. a lady's'
he looked far nicer than she, feel
exactly as hough had dipped into the
middle chapter of an exciting novel, and
then somebody had taken away the book.
What would't give TO read tho begin
ming and end of it. That Husband of
Mine, indeed Stupid wretch !" Aud she
gave the volume vicious little knock.
''How is one TO endure such twaddle,
when really interesting things like these
are happening in real life all the time !?
Let me see--where where was it that
those people got out?" consulting her
ticket. ''Upham Conners--that is only
ten, eleven. thirteen miles from Patunxet.
Perhaps Margaret Lenox may know
something of them. I'll ask her."
Felicia am tired OF calling her Miss
Mallows, which name, besides, seems te
belle her frank, impulsive nature--h had her
desire gratified sooner than she had dared
to hope.
Mr.. Lenox was late to tea that night,
and explained the fact by saying. II went
four miles out of my road 10 see Day'@