Litchfield enquirer., 1879-02-20
anne expression that his least intelligent cattle
 voro uhan O stranue oaw was mt into their

same expression that his least intelligent cattle wore when strange COW was put into their pasture.
 Hands sake, James, who have you got there?" exclaimed Mrs. Blinn.
 '"Tain't Mary Barnes, is it, mother ?" in quired MT. Blinn.
 'sNo,it ain't," said James Junior with strong emphasis, ''can't you see it's Mabel Jones, and can't you say sothin kind to her? She's goin' to be my wife, God willin', jest four weeks from tonight.
 ''How do you do Mabel?" said his mother, coming forward and taking the pale, delicate girl by the hand. 'Im glad to see you," she finally added.
 ''Siekly, ain't yer" said the father. His sons forehead wrinkled up, and tine old man out ''Well, we'll chirk you up bit. Mother, git glass of your currant wine and give the gal some:"
 Stranger marriages take place every day. Mabel had known for some time that James Blinn had no eyes but for her when she was present He had waited on her 10 the last do- nation party, and singing school nights he was sure to walk home with her to her poor board ing place, even if Mary Barnes went alone. She knew, that he had kind heart in his stur- dy body; she liked him. che was friendless and pvor, only eighteen years old so she promised herself to try and love him with the same resolution that she'told him she would learn to make butter. She succeeded in doing both and Mabel Binn was not an unhappy woman. When she grew older, she readily learned to live the two lives many married wo- men do. The one she shared with James, and she made him very happy the other was fed hvyc he grew fond of her and she did much to soften their hard. dry natures.
 After the birth of her son, she was very i'll for some weeks, and when she came to herself again and could speak, she begged that her child might be named Ruthven. A dead si- lence fell upon them. The idea of the first boy not being called James was as appalling as if some foreigner had suggested to Poly 5- nesian that his child must not be tattooed Mrs. Blnn went up to the bedside and was going to lift Mabels eyelids to see if the pu- pile were again dilated, when her son stopped her.
 "Wait mother, until Mabel is better. No hurry"
 "You can't want no sch outlandish name in the family, do you?''
 ''Hush, mother don't you see Mabeps cry in? Pity some of us if we are named James, don't act like James the 'postle who told us to hold our tongues He was man though and perhaps he could hold his'n."
 After Mable recovered, the child was named Ruthven. She told her husband that it was name she had loved all her life. The hero of the first love story she ever read was so called and he was so handsome and so good
 All the Blinns were up in arms prophecy ing that no good could come of such rash experiment. The aristOcratic, quaint name seemed to suit the boy, for he looked as if he might become the chief of clan surely some fairy put changeling into the Blinn cradle. Mabel's life was so full of joy now, all the Ruthven was the embodiment of the refine ment. the beauty and culture sine would have liked to have seen in his father.
 Three years after, second son was born and she readily consented to his bearing the paternal name. ''He's Blinn enough" the neighbors said and indeed he resembled them except in the shape of his head which was broad, and he had a strong, square chin, funny enough for baby.
 Mr. Blinn kept good ''help" now despite the clamor It raised among his kin, and Hulda was treasure. Mabel's first-born filled her heart so fully she could not let it expand enough to hold poor, homely little Jim. She was too good woman to neglect him, but he her. and gave ap is s9eSeGg eEShsf to 6 6 as all ha mother did, lisping before he could speak plain, when he wanted anything, ''Ts only Jim",.
 The old folks lived to see their grand-chil- dren quite large boys and, strange to say, both of them helped to spoil Ruthven as much as his mother did. They saw that he could not follow the blow, and as one of their cousins had colt which little training turned into a famous racer, they acquiesced in the novel idea that Ruthven must go to college and be put upon the worlds great race-course. MT. Blinn's patience was sorely tried. He gave up Ruthven to his mother but he claimed James as genuine Blinn. The good fellow had deal of pride. He knew nothing about the laws of primogeniture, but he felt that he could not lie easy in his grave if Rodney was not in the hands of good farmer. He would say to his wife:
 "Ruty is good to look at, anyhow, but Jin, is alters ool.gatherin'. I sent him this mornin' to yoke up; and after 1 got tired of waitin' for him, I went to see what was up, and there was Boze with the yoke on and Noze a walkin' round to suit himself yelled out for Jim in proper fashion. tell ye, and there the critter was on his knees on the barn floor with piece of chalk, drawin' lines he telled me, in jomatry. Says 1, If you don't know that your lines are fallen in pleasant places, I'll not make them so pleasant for you So shook him soundly and then cuffed him. felt kind of mean afterwards. for he didn's sass back bit. but owned right up, saying he was sorry 'Tother day old Niles was gone so set Jim to milkin'. He got along all right for pull or two, and then of all the cut ting up you ever see, he done then he upset the pail and kept on a milkin', gettin' what he called intersected lines What does he mean by talkin' about lines all the time"
 If it was Ruthven, 1 might suspect he was mathematician, but it's only Jim, don't know what ais him." .r
 s'He aint fool Parsen Hunt says he's first-rate to larn. Eve mind, when he don't do nothin' tell him to do, to keep him from his books. Hulda sent him yesterday to hunt up eggs, and when she went to hunt him up, there he was drawin' suspender bridge, he called it. He's fonder of his book, Mabel, than Ruty," looking at his wife earnestly, though we pay 50 much for Ruty's tutoring instead of his goin' to school" ..
 Mabel answered, "Ruthven has refined tastes. He is delicate and he cannot study hard all the time. He must save up his strength for college next year."
 ''Parson says he ain't anyways near ready yit"
 ''Not ready"
 'He don't know enough yit. Ruty is out too much nights and he goes with Squire Tempkins' boy too much. He's bad un."
 ''I like to have Ruthven with young gentle. men, James,"
 "Yes, Mabel, if the gre gentlemen, but this 'ere sprig wears fine clothes but he don't act ol talk one bit like Parson Hunt"
 "You would not have Ruthven as sedate as that poor, sick schoolmaster ?" ...-.-
 'No; but Pm kind of 'fraid Ruty don't tell things straight allers. where he's been"
 ''What do you mean, James? Pray do not speak to him. He's so high spirited. Let me talk to him."
 Hell coax you out of your eye-teeth and make black white for you"
 ''Let me talk with him" she pleaded, sob bing.
 CHAPTER III.
 The next evening the boys, now nearly full grown, were out until late hour. Ruthven by his fond but erring mothers consent, had s night key, and he could slip into the house af ter the family were in bed. Mabel often sat up for him, and on one occasion he came home intoxicated. She was so frightened and griev ed, she could do nothing but weep and follow his staggering footsteps until he was in bed.