Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-05-01
A Word In Season.


coast scenery. On one side of the track lay
the blue, whitecapped sea on the other
low rolling hills with fairgrounds of brown
meadow and golden sedge; over all, superb
arch of sun.lit sky 1t was delicious late
autumn day, and Miss Mallows found Thai
Husband Of Nine so little engrossing-per.
haps because of her maidenly unacquaint.
ance with the possessive case of that article
that she flung it down and betook herself
to gazing from the window. She was grow.
ing dreamy, as gazers at a rapidly changing
scene are apt TO do, when a word reached
her ear, and aroused curiosity enough to
make her turn her head. 1t was woman 3
name, and an uncommon one" Arethusa. u
The person who uttered it was man. His
seat was on the opposite side of the car, and
little in advance of that which Miss Nal.
lows herself occupied, and she now observed
that there was something odd about his ap.
pearance. His head ard shoulders were mas.
sive and finely-formed his face seen in
profile was a good one, with kindly eyes and
a striking forehead, broad and benevolent
But there was something dwarfsh in his at
titude, and when presently he half rose to
shut the window, it became apparent that
he was dwarf There was no deformity
balanced by miserable pair of little legs
not longer than those of a child of ten. He
was 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 awoke feeling com.
pounded of goodwill and pity so strangely
mingled that it was hard to tell which pre-
dominated.
- "a ~
addressed, was a girl not over twenty, of
that delicate type of prettiness known as
American" which fades so easily, but is
charming in its brief llower-time. Her new
gray suit with crepe lisse rufiles at throat
and wrist, the crisp feather in her hat, even
the shining red leather of her traveling-b bag,
and the perfectly fresh, carefully put-on
gloves, bespoke the bride, but there was
something very unbridal in the face which
these fineries surrounded. The eyes, blue
in tint, and beautifully shaped aud set, were
swollen with crying, the lips quivered ner-
vously, every veStige of color had fled from
the round, childish cheeks and the hands in
the new gloves were pinched together with
a tightness like terror. Once or twice AS
Miss Malows watched, she fought with
emotion and called up wan little smile in
answer to something said to her, but she
never spoke. Her companion, on the CON
trary, talked necessarily in low-voiced
steady strain. Miss Mallows could catch
only word now and then, and her curiosity
about the couple grew so strong that she
felt she would pay any price to know their
story. There could be no doubt as to their
relation, 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-averted head, never meet
ing his gaze or replying by word to any
thing he said. Once she turned and looked
full at Miss Mallows with wild appeal in
her face which was startling, but she in
stantly looked away, and presently laid her
arm on the window-sill and her head on her
arm, aud began to cry in still, dreadful
manner not sobbing aloud, but trembling
all over with a pent-up feeling which was
worse than outbreak. The man tried in
vain to soothe her; she repelled him gently
but decidedly, and at last he gave up the at
tempt, aud silently sat beside her with a
grave, troubled face,
81 shall die if | can't find out about those
people," thought the excited observer on the
other side of the car. But she didn't die
neither could she find out. One cannot walk
up TO perfect strangers and demand, " You
story or your life it is impossible. Sc
Miss Mallows sat still, her coniectures ahamC
and her fingers fairly twitching with impa
tience, till at last the train stopped at little
way-staton, and the little man, rising from
his seat-and, alas looking even shorter
than when he sat-said, in a gentle, depreca
tory tone, "Now Arethusa,"
With that they vanished. Miss Mallow'
had one more glimpse of them, getting into
brand-new carry-all, which looked as though
it might be part of the wedding outfit, anC
then the train bore her away Her thought
remained behind with the people in whom
she had taken so sudden and violent an in
terest.
81 wonder, wonder, who they are, ant
why on earth she married him ?" ran her re
Elections. " So young and pretty, and so evi
IDENTIFY unhappy Aud for all her prettines
it wasn't an educated face, or even lady's-
he looked far nicer than she. / feel exactl
as though | had dipped into the middl
chapter of an exciting novel, and then some
body had taken away the book. Wha
wouldn't give to read the beginning AM
end of it That Husband of Mine, indeed
Stupid wretch " And she gave the volun
vicious little knock &" How is one to er
dure such twaddle when really interestin
things like this are happening in real lif
all the timer Let me see-where was
that those people got out 2" consulting he
ticket. "Upham Corners-that is only ter
eleven, thirteen miles from Patunxet. Pei
haps Margaret Lennox may know somethin
of them. I'll ask her"
Felicia am tired of calling her Mis-
| Malows, which name, besides, seems to be
lie her frank, impulsive nature-had her DE-
sire gratiiied sooner than she had dared
hope.
Mr. Lennox was late to tea that nigh
aud explained the fact by saying, " wen
four miles out of my road to see Davi
Dalrymple's new steam-thresher, and b'
hold, when | got there, it was locked NJ
and he away with the KEY in his pocke
And what do You think, Margaret 2-he ha
gone TO be married I"
" Not realy'
"Realy | tried to pump old Sally as |
the age and antecedents of the bride, bl
she was taken deaf at once, and not wor
could extract. Master David had told h,
to have good fire and boil a ham, and she
got good fire and she'd boiled the hal