The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-05-08

think Jane Is coming" he said
al will go out for q walk, but 1 hop,
soon to see you again."
couldn't help smiling when b,
smiled, to save my life. He caught u,
his hat from the dresser, and went {,
the door,
"Why, where are you going, John 2
said Jane, upon the threshold.
"I1l be back presently" he said, ant
with another little nod to me, he disap
pear ed,
"To think OF that woman next doc,
sticking a pin in her baby's eye r. sale
Jane. 81 declare to goodness, a woman
that won't sew hooks and eyes or buttons
on her dress don't deserve to have {
baby
hastened to turn sideways to Jane.
My poor dear Howard used to say thai
every embrace of his was at the risk ot
being stabbed with pin or needle, So
to change the subject, I asked Jane who
the gentleman was that had just left us.
"Why, that's brother JOHN" said
Jane - brother John, from Long
Island. He's such home body I guess
you've never seen him before" Here
Jane paused, and winked her eye at me,
and smiled. Her smile was like her
brother Johns, and lit up her whole
face. "You see," Jane went on, be-
ginning to mould her bread, but still
nodding and winking at me, "John's
come down here for somethin' special.
My worst enemy couldn't call me a
matchmaker, but whom I see a poor
widow strugglin' along tryin' to keep
the wolf from the door, 1 can't help
takin' an interest. There's nothin' mean
or contrivin' about me-"
I'm sure there isn't, jane" said.
"And hat a meddler but ever since
Belindy died Johns just buried himself
down there at his place on Long Island ;
beautiful place-be-yu-ti-ful," repeat
ed Jane, unctuously. "Trees fairly
laden down with fruit and what with
new-laid eggs and cream, the place is
next door to paradise. There amt no
manner O. use of Johns givin' up his
whole life to mournin' over Belindy ::
she had a good time of it while she
lived never had to raise hand. Johns
that foolish about woman that she never
has to raise hand, and that's somethin'
for poor strugglin' widow to think of,
isn't it, No4ly?"
eyes," stamnlol oil o~t. nv face in n
glow, and world of confusion battling
at my heart. This good creature Jane
had evidently invited her brother John
purposely to see me, and though her
intentions were good, what must he
think of my meeting him halfway in his
consolation little while agoP Oh,
how bold and contriving he had found
me How in the world was I to know
he was widower, and invited down for
a special purpose?
"Oh, why didn't you tell me, Jane |"
I cried.
"Well, you see, couldn't tell how it
would turn out. John didn't know
there was o mortgage on Susan's prop
erty."
"Susan |" repeated.
eyes; you know Susan-my hus-
bands sister. She's comm down on
visit to-day, and John says he don't care
q pin about the mortgage he's only
afraid he can't. care, for Susan. You
see, his heart was bound up in Belindy."
began to understand that it was not
my lonely condition that Jane had in
terested herself to ameliorate, but that
of her husbands sister Susan. It took
quite weight of confusion from my
heart, but left it strangely sad and dis
comfted. It was 80 hard to be alone
and desolate, and have nobody care
whether one lived or died, and Susan
was so much better off than I
81 thought Susan was quite comforta-
bly, situated, I said.
"Well, there's the mortgage" said
Jane "she keeps botherin' us about
that mortgage all the time, and my hus-
band can't undertake to bolster up all
his relations. You see, I just told John
all about it, and it's business transac-
tion, Nelly. If she gets John, we won't
hear any more about that mortgage.
I began to lose all interest in the con-
versation, and remembered that my poor
dear Howard had told me how sordid
and mercenery all these people were. 1t
was really dreadful to hear the most
sacred sentiments of life degraded to the
level of mere business transactions.
James brother John didn't look like this
kind Of person, but of course he must
be. The whole thing so confused and
me that went away without
my thyme, after all.
We all know what appalling things
can happen in an incredibly short space
of time, and how our dearest hopes are
blasted when we least look for calami-
ty. I had not expected to be absent five
and had left my kitchen win
dow open, as the morning was SO balmy
and sweet. Imagine my dismay when I
saw strange cat actually standing on
my kitchen table and helping himself to
the meat which had already cost me 80
much trouble, He was a lean and
hungry animal, with murky green eyes;
and though he fed at my approach, and
had not made much progress in his
meal, Of course the damage was irrepar-
able. "What you've touched, you may
take," I said, and flung the meat after
the green-eyed monster.
frVt Il Il