Connecticut western news., 1879-08-20
VOL. IX.

father had been before him. He could read and write. and he had taken ad- vantage of every opportunity to improve himself. All the same, he was patient, plodding man, not looking much beyond the day, simply doing his duty therein, and in that state of life in which it had pleased God to call him, as the catechism puts it. He had Q very faint notion of Dorothea's aspirations and longings, only inasmuch as bis love for her deep ened his captions, as a great love will often do.
 Dorothea went on up stairs to Miss Sues room, Miss Sue being Mrs. Col. Floyd, who had come here bride two months ago. She strengthened the room, which was in some confusion.
 When Miss Sue was safely put to bed, Dorothea went away to her own attic room and ragged. She lay down on the floor, and cried, and sobbed. She knelt by the open window, and stretched forth hands of supplication into the darkness. She roamed up and down her attic until dawn. She made very little effort to control herself. Perhaps it was as we'll. Day in, day out, she was forced to keep herself under rigid control before peo- pie. She slept heavily when she did sIeep-so heavily that it was with diff culty she aroused herself when her mis- tress finally sent for her. Miss Sue and | party of her friends were going on a horseback expedition before the heat of the day. Dorothea dressed her mis- tress, pale and heavy-eyed as she was, then stole back to bed again.
 She was again awakened, this time about noon, and by message from Col onel Floyi. She found him in the i- brary, and who but Aaron with him. Colonel Floyd was middle-aged. com- fortable-looking man. He nodded to Dorothea as she entered.
 "What's this I hear? Want to be free, eh? What makes you discontent- ed2 don't believe any girl ever had a better mistress"
 "I don't complain never have com plained. But I do want to be free"
 "And here is Aaron with the money to do it-all but twenty dollars. He proposes that you shall go now up North somewhere-wherey you'll find yourself precious sight worse ( if than you are here-and that shall take mortgage on all his worldly goods for the rest. I don't know why should do this; do you? Come, what do you think about it yourself ?"
 For answer she dropped down on her knees, and with broken voice urged him to let her go. She was singulally beautiful, and as white as her master. It would have been hard to detect the flaw drops nf African blood that f1oWeG in her veins.
 Colonel Floyd knew not how to take this outburst. He cleared his throat. He felt that he ought to be angry; but he was naturally an easy. going man i; besides, the girl was so astonishingly good looking. Finally he said, "Well, we'll, I'll see about it. suppose shall have to ask Mrs. Floyd first, as gave you to her. You can go now, Aaron i; I'll see you again"
 There may have been something in the way Colonel Floyd told his story which reconciled his wife to the plan proposed. There are women who are jealous of any face they have heard some one pronounce handsome, of any voice they have heard praised and when Colonel Floyd praised Dora's face and voice, Miss Sue decided that she would rather part with her than not.
 So it was arranged. lncomprehensible and incredible as Dorothea's good fortune appeared to her, she nevertheless accepted it as fact. Miss Sue sped her going. She had always been in the habit of giving. She gave Dorothea numbers of things now, enough to supply decent wardrobe. There are some persons who compel giving to a certain extent-persons who are set apart by beauty or talent. Dorothea was one of these. There were expressions in her dark eyes and about her red mouth which irresistibly disposed Mrs. Floyd to befriend her.
 Do not quite mistake Dorothea, how ever. She had accepted Aaron's help because it was her one way of escape from bondage; but she had promised herself that she would discharge the debt. She had every confidence in he1 ability to do so. This confidence gave her manner certain distance and pride even when acknowledging r.. her in debtedness to her benefactor > fol benefactor, of course, Aaron was. She paid visit to his mother in their little cabin the day before she left. Aaro1 had supplied her with money to react Philadelphia, which was her destination and also to pay her board for fortnigh after arriving there. This exhausted his resources, to be sure, but it nor, than met Dorothea's wishes. She wal convinced that she could find employ ment for herself at the end of week at the end of month she could begil to pay Aaron back.
 Aaron's mother was bright-eyed } erect, active mulatto woman. She wen } on with her ironing while Dorothea pail her visit. She distrusted Dorothea , Toner she seemed selfish and grasping and she believed that Aaron had throw ) away his money, and all for nothing F The girl never meant to marry him. 3 A small baby crswled in and GU
 under the ironing table. It crawled u ] Dorothea's skirts presently, growing g 3 Ter. This was Aaron's nephew. Tn