The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1879-10-08
tacles on the bridge of Els nose.

ettoiSo Oh tno pliuBS VI LIS uO5o
"There's your old fiddle" said Mrs Mar
chell; land I wish, after this, you'd be
kind enough to keep it at home, and not
go putting nonsense into my bound girls
head!"
'But it amt nonsense" said old Moses.
'She's got capital idea of music, Phoebe
has; and"
Nonsense said Mrs. Marchell. I.
"And very decent voice, if only it was
cultivated
"Pshaw (" cried Mrs. Marchell, and she
dounced out of the shop in rage.
But if Mrs Marchell was the chid's tenn
poral mistress, Music was her spiritual one.
Phoebe Locl1ett went quietly about her
work, in the years that followed but she
could not forget the divine strains which
the well -rosiued bow had drawn out of the
antique violin i'll the red glow of the Win
ter sunset, that january afternoon, in the
garret.
Mrs. Marchell had done up her front hair
in papers, assumed her gray flannel dress
ing-gown, when, CHANGING to look out of
the north kitchen window, she saw, or
thought she saw, the glimmer of light in
the top window of the barn.
{" L can't have been mistaken" said Mrs.
Marchell " it amt the time o year for
fire flies, and will o'-the-wisps don't go
dancing aud twinkling round our barn It's
tramps-t that's what it is"
l "Fiddlestcks = said Mr.. Marchell. Sleep
lily, from the exact centre of a downy feather
pillow.
tfhere was two men asked for a drink
of milk at the buttery door, just about
dusk, " added the lady. ''and 1 didn't much
like their looks at the time"
Its all right, dare say" yawned Mr..
Marchell. ......
"Wen" cried the farmeress, ener-
geticnlly, eff you don't go to look into it,
[ will"
And fiinging her husbands shaggy over
coat around her, and taking the lantern in
one hand, she started for the barn.
She was right. There was a dim tallow-
candle burning in the barn chamber, and
by It's flick ring light, Phoebe Lockett was
busy prnctcing on the violin, from some
sheets of torn and well tlIumbed music.
Size started up with cry, at the appari-
ton of Mrs Mareheu il the doorway-an
avenging spectre with a shaggy ovorcout
and dark lantern.
'~tngrateful grill" tragically cried ont
Mrs Marchell; how dared you to disobey
me ?"
Il meant no harm" faltered poor
Phoebe. Il hiredSthe violin from the vii,
lage music store, with the dollar Mr. Mar
chell gave me for finding his gold specta-
cles. and Mrs. Musard gave me the music;
and came out here of a night, SO that the
noise shouldn't disturb you"
"PLube,n said Mrs. MaTchell, "what
goose you are Why don't you stick to
your needle, and your rolling pin, and your
scrubbing- brush, as others girls do? How
do you ever expect to find bread ill the
strings of a tiddle?"
Phoebe hung down her head, and said
nothing in reply.
1--WE may az well break the charm at
once" said Mrs. Marchell. "I'll take you
to the concert at Bloomington tomorrow
night They t. IL me there's to be a girl
volinist there, plays like playing; and if
that Cont cure you of your silly ambition,
dou't know what will.
Phoebe Lockett crimsoned to the very
roots of the hair. %F
III can't CO." said she. !" That is,
not with you. promised Mrs Musard to
% TO her house; but perhaps She will take
i,.. oil +C
cert"
lit don't matter how you go,' said Mrs.
![archeiI, ''nor with whom, SO long as you
see read excellence and learn tbesfolly of
, your silly aspirations"
But" fnltered Phoebe, twhy shouldn't
be a good player some time, too2"
'Mhy shouldn't the sky fall, and we ali
;fttch larks ?'' contenptuously retorted
) Mrs Marchell. ''As for you, the best
) hing you can do is to go into the house and
90 10 bed as fast as possible"
And crestfallen Phoebe obeyed.
Mrs. Marchel dressed herself III her best
black silk, to go to the Bloomington CON
, ;ert. the next evening
For | suppose il viii besomething very
line" said she. Where's my eyeglasses,
a Qnuley? must take them along, if l ex,
pect to see anything, for | do declare I'm
, getting binder every day."
Il expect, mother - Charley had answer
ed, With "a little laugh, you'H see lot OF
things TO surprise YOU"
Tie concert had proved an unusually
great attraction in the neighborhood, and
hall was crowded when the Marchell party
i, arrived, SO that Mrs. Marchell was forced
to be content with camp-stool at tie very
back of the room.
Dear, dear! how provoking this is
! said the old lady. And Charley didnt
: ind the eye glasses after all. l shan't See
d thing!"
.But you can hear said Charley.
ssHush-sh. .sh - said his mother ''Isn'
lat the violinist--n pretty, Hght-com
xiered girl. III white, with roses in hel
nair? Now, do hope Phoebe Lockett is
here to see this"
The violinist was greeted with shouts OF
!, the delicious music rose upon the air, float.
ing upward like the halos we see III ancient
pictures.
1t was short capriccio, and, when ii
: ended, Mrs. Marchell was in tears.
ri never thought before that I cared SO
Q much for music said She to Charley But
such music as that Do yonknow. Charley.
J. seemed to me exactly as if my little baby
that died twenty years ago was whispering
Il in my earl Oh, il Probe could onIy heal