Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-04-02

"What The 'nnlcas' was We arc mol
authorized 10 state but whatever II
might have been Mr., Sykes muscd
long and earnestly over It,
b "She's very economical" said Mr.,
Sykes, mechanically staring out Of the
Q window "and she's not young @.
nough to expect acddlng presents and
bridal tours and all that sort oi thing.
I've noticed that she has worn that
black silk OF hers ever since | was
introduced 10 her, and Jones tells mo
she has an income Of her own. Quite
satisIlctory-qNilc sos aud really
think need u head 10 my house.
Charlie Il fond Of her too--not that |
would allow the preferences OF a child
like that to bias me-
And then at the entrance ofa clerk
with n bundle Of papers, Mr.. Sykes
plunged INTO n labyrinth OF accounts,
as a whale may be supposed to plunge
in.o tie icc-bound depths ofthe Arctic
sea.
Miss Rachel Ruhcns was sitting in
her snug little sanctum, putting patch
neatly into the elbows of her faded
toiettc;jacket, in which her spnstcr
soul delighted, when Bridget stalkcd
in leading little Charlie Sykes by the
hand.
"lIs . burning sbamc, so it is The
ould boy fly away wid h,m, barrin'
your presence Miss ~ was Bridgets
breathless salutaiory,
"What's the matter Bridget p said
Miss Rachel. "rhat's right Charlie.
Sit down by the fire and here's a red
apple for you"
Bridget uniolded her tale and a bun
die of black bombGzine at the same
time.
Sure its bad luck to put the poor
child in mournin' like but what'll
we do =! And if yez would rlorA 10
cut them out for nc, Miss, could be
maxim 'em at odd times
"Oh, pshaw Bombazine for child
tour years old y
"It's like him Miss. An there's
nothin' else to be got out Of him, be
hook or be crook
1--WE got some brown linen that III
cut out, Bridget, Just throw that
moth.caten stuff into the fire.
"And I'm wiilin', ma am" said the
delighted IIibernian. 'But the masther
do be gettin' more and more stipgy
every day Of his life; and | do be I
lieve he begrudges the very ground ;
we walk on and the air we brethe {
Sometimes | think can't stand it
no, not day longer, and then l re- :
member the poor little child, and set a
my teeth togetherjust to grin and bear
it," s
"Never mind Bridget" said Miss a
Rachel, leisurely pinnlng the paper b
pattern on to her brown linen there's b
a better time coming
"sure, Miss" went on Bridget, she d
Worried my missus into her grave I
with his sour looks and bis misery e
ways. She was always delicate slim
built sort of a creetur, shrinking away "
just as I've seen the lily-bel's do afore 5
a March wind and she never dare so {
much as open her mouth when he was U
in the room. The doctor--set him up
for pompous ould know.notbin'-
says she died OF consumption but | "
know well enough what allrd her ! e
She was bullled out of the world. | II
Just wish WAS judge and jury to give
nim his rights, the ould thief of the 81
world p
Miss Rubens made no reply, but !"
went on with her wolk, smiling quiet VI
y TO herself; and it was not uutil
Bridget had gone home, with her roll
Of cut out aprons in one hand and :"
little Charlie trotling by the other,
hat she allowed grave expression to -
ileal over her face. "
'I'm an old maid, I know said "
Miss Rachel, to herself, "and I've got
o marry for home, if | ever expect ~ ~
o have one of my own but for all -
hat may be Of some use in the world Wv
'et."
She was sitting by the starved rem al
rant of a meager fire, knitting away Ill
IS if she possessed an electric machine m
n both elbows, that very evening, Va
when Mr.. Sigismund Sykes was an Id
"
'Good-evening. Dir. Sykes said
Hiss Rachel, II see you are sbivering,
,ut make rule to put on three Goals ou
very half hour, neither more or less. yd
Ioals are terrible dear !" B'