The Portland daily press., 1878-02-23

The Loves of AIonZO FitZ
Clarence and ROsannahss
EtheltOn.

Clarence and ROsannahs
EtheltOn.
1t was well along in the forenoon of a bit
ter winters day. The town of Eastport, in
the state of Maine, lay buried under deep
snow that was newly fallen. The customary
hustle in the streets was wanting. One
could look long distances down them and
see nothing but dead-whte emptiness with
silence to match. OF course do not mean
that you could see the silence-no, you could
only hear it. The sidewalks were merely
long, deep bitches, with steep snow walls on
either side. Here and there you might hear
the faint, far scrape of wooden shovel, and
if you were quick enough You might catch a
glimpse of distant black figure STOPPING and
disappearing in one OF those bitches and re-
appearing the next moment with motion
which you would know meant the heaving
out of a shovelful of snow. But you needed
to be quick, for that black figure would not
lipger, but would soon drop that shovel and
scud for the house, thrashing itself with its
arms to warm them. Yes, it was too ven
omously cold for snow shovelers or anybody
else to stay out long.
Presently the sky darkened; then the wind
rose and began to blow in fitful, vigorous
gusts which sent clouds of powdery snow
aloft, and straight ahead and everywhere.
Under the impulse of one of these gusts great
white drifts banked themselves like graves
across the streets; moment later another
gust shifted them around the other way,
driving fine spray of snow from their sharp
crests, as the gale drives the spume fakes
from wave crests at sea; a third gust swept
that place as clean as your hand; if it saw
fit. This was iooling. this was play; but each
and all of the gusts dumped some snow into
the sidewalk bitches, for that was business.
AlonZo Fitz Clarence was sitting in his
snug and elegant little parlor, in a lovely blue
silk dressing gown, with cuffs and facings of
crimson satin deliberately quilted. The re-
mains of his breakfast were before him, and
the dainty and costly little table service added
a harmonious charm to the grace, beauty and
richness of the fixed appointments of the
room. A CHEEKY fire was blazing On the
hearth.
A furious gust OF wind shook the windows,
and great wave of snow washed against
them with drenching sound, so to speak.
The handsome young bachelor murmured-
THAT means, no going out to-day. Well,
/ am content. But what to do for company ?
Mother is well enough. Aunt Susan is well
enough; but these, like the poor, 1 have
with re always. On so grim day as this,
one needs new interest, a fresh element, to
whet the dull edge of captivity. That was
very neatly said, but it doesn't mean any.
thing. One doesn't icant the edge OF cap
tivity sharpenei up, you know, but just the
reverse"
he glanced at his pretty French mante
clock.
THAT clocks wrong again. That clock
hardly ever knows what time it is; and when
1t does know it lies about it-which amounts
to the same thing. Alfredo
There was no answer.
"Alfred Good servant, but as un-
certain as the clock"
Alonzo touched an electrical be-button in
the wall. He waited moment, thea touched
1t again; waited a few moments more and
said
"Battery out of order, no doubt. But now
that l have started aoiU find out what time
1t is" He stepped to speaking tube in the
wall, blew its whistle and called "MotherW
and repeated it twice.
swell, that's no use. Mothers battery is
out of order too. Can't raise anybody down
stairs-thats plain"
He sat down at a rosewood desk, leaned
his chin on the left hand edge of it aud
spoke, as if to the floor: "Aunt Susanp
A low, pleasant voice answered, SIS that
you, Alonzo?"
"Yes, Pm too lazy and comfortable to go
down stairs; am in extrem .ty and can't
seem to scare up any help"
"Dear me, what is the matter?'
''Matter enough, can tell your
"Oh, don't keep rue in suspense, dear !!
what is it?"
II want to know what time it is"
you abominable boy, what turn you
did give me! Is that ALP"
s'All-on my honor. Calm yourself. Tell
me the time and receive my blessing.''
"Just five minutes after nine. No charge
keep your blessing"
tsThanke 4 tuou1dp3t have al
me, aunty, nor so enriched you that you
colld live without other means" He got up
murmuring, "Just five minutes after nine,"
and faced his clock. "Ah," said he, "you are
doing better than usual. You are only
thirty four minutes wrong. Let me see
let me see Thirty three
and twenty-one are ffty-four; four times
fifty-four are two hundred and thirty-sx.
One off leaves two hundred and thirty five.
That's right"
He turned the hands of bis clock forward
till they marked twenty-five minutes to one
and said. "Now see if you can't keep right
for while else I'll rattle you."
He sat down at the desk again and said,
"Aunt Susan"
"Yes, dear.''
'tHad breakfast"
Eyes indeed, an hour ago.
"Busyp
'No-except sewing. Why?"
"Got any company?'
mo, but expect some at half past nine"
II wish / did. Pm lonesome, / want to
talk to somebody"
"Very we'll; talk to me'
"But this is very private"
Don't be afraid-talk right along; there's
nobody here but me-"
81 hardly know whether to venture.'or not,
but'-
''But whatp Oh, don't stop there! You
knoU you can trust me. AlonZo you know
you can"
Il feel it, aunt, but this is very serious.
IL Affects me deeply,-me and all the family
even the whole community"
"Oh, AloHzo, tell me! 1 will never breathe
a word of it. What is ?'
AUNT, if might daren-
ION, please go on! love you, and can
feel for you. Tell me all. Confde iu me.
What is it?''
"The weather!'
"Plague take the weather! | don't see
how you can have the heart to serve me So,
Lon"
"There, there, auntie dear, I'm sorry; I
am, on my honor. l won't do it again. do
you forgive me?'
"Yes, since you seem so sincere about it,
though know / oughtn't to. You will fool
ne again as soon as l have forgotten this
Time"
mo, won't, honor bright. But such
weather, oh, such weather! You've got to
keep your spirits up artifcially. 1t is snowy
and blowy and gusty and bitter cold How
is the weather with you?''
warm and rainy and melancholy. The
mourners go about the streets with their
umbrellas running streams from the end of
every whalebone. There's an elevated
double pavement of umbrellas stretching
down the sides Of the streets as far as can
see. I've got a fire for cheerfaDess and the
windows open to keep cool. But it is vain,
it is useless; nothing comes in but the bamy
breath of December, with its burden of mock
Ing odors nom the flowers that possess the
realm outside, and rejoice in their lawless
profusion whilst the spirit of man is low, and