Litchfield enquirer., 1880-05-13

such purposes-and another of soaked cracke yaWned near, the latter so doctored with lem on extract, sugar, and nutmeg as to meet tn palate with deceptive flavor of green apple
 Invited by Mol1y's eyes, the Captain sa down and tilted his char back against in wall. The kitchen was hot as furnace ht persplred profusely, but still seemed bent ol studylng pie-making processes. Perhaps tn rolling and neat fltlng of the under crust thu dellclousiy pulpy sound as the stewed frui was ladled ID the persuasive pat, pat pat O. the spoon, smoothing down the little hilloek tt level round; the delft whirl with which tb, upper-crust was cast like pail over plate ant contents, revived forgotten memories of far off home, and of days before the boy had be come an ecean-rover; but certainly the dis play Of Molly's fine arms, barred to the shoul der, as she poised the plate in the air to cu away the surplus drapery of dough, had 2 charm peculiar to the moment.
 Happily, Ballen was absent on business, anC Mrs. Ballen was kept busy tending the oven and plenishing the fire with brush wood their only fuel. True, the old lady, relieved from the clogging effect of her husbands pres ence, made ceaseless complaints in whining way, but neither Molly nor the Captain seemed to care one whit. They kept up rattling gos. sip. ILe Captain told his best stories in a characteristic vein of humor of shrewd tricks
 
 ten into ashore ill dozen ports and he wound up with bantering description of a burial at sea, where he had otficiated, to his own in. hnlte Jest and profane use of sacred text. Molly laughed at everything up to the last. Then she flew into temper, and called Mis- gill miserable, worthless old heathen. which 80 delighted him that he could scarcely speak.
 Preparations for dinner having superseded the general baking, Misgll went away to his room. He laid the greatcoat he had taken oft In the kitchen on it's back across the bed, bringing into view an inner pocket, bulging 1 with something done up in thick wrapner' This, unroled, revaeled to his admiring eyes, as ii for the first time, China crape shawl of vivid yellow, heavily embroidered in colors, Having held 1t out at arms length, he went so | far as to cast it over his shoulders where it gleamed ln gorgeous contrast to shaggy gray lsh beard and rough neither garments Start led by step in the hall, he flung it aside with a shame faced air.
 Molly's step. It passed into the adjoining room, whence he presently heard profound sigh, as of weariness.
 ''Poor little thing!" thought the old fellow eommiseratingly, II wonder them pretty feet ain't broke clean of, she's on em to that de- gree"
 | He listened awhile. No sound' of further movement. He stood irresolute, his ear to- ward the partition, his eye on the shawl where 1t lay in careless heap.
 Another sigh gave him the sympathetic im- pulse needed. Molly !"-softly.
 | No answer
 "Molly!"
 ''ls that yOu Capn?'
 "Me. Come out in the hall minute" Molly's face, still blazing from the hot | kitchen, was heightened in color-effect by a generous daub of four across one cheek. Her hair wa9still twisted up, carelessly, but pic turesquely, off her neck. There was aroused attention, curiosity even, in her expression as, standing in her doorway, she saw Misgill wait Ing Wl;h something exquisitely bright and 1 soft wrapped loosely in his hands. ''lts for you," he said, answering the spark- ling question Tn her glance and taking a step or two toward her, with a gesture as if throw ing it away, he awkwardly cast the shawl over the shoulder nearest to him, instantly turning on his heel, as who should say: ''Take It, It isn't worth thank you"
 How to bestow gift gracefully is rare expression of tact. Whether too great care lessness or undue impressiveness be more of fensive, who shall decide But Molly was not critical. She stifed shriek of delight; and l III five minutes had worn the gay thing in every cu. Now 1t hung squarely from her shoulders-a court train; now 1t produced a classic effect in it's unstndied falls and folds; now it shrouded her bright hair, her blue eyes peeping through it's long, silken fringes. The Capta in beamed delight as she paraded joyously up and down.
 Give us the ecachucha Molly !' he whisper ed. Il saw you at it last night" Y
 Did you ?" she cried, with subdued en- phass.
 Misgill explained hilariously.
 Molly laughed llttle too. "You were SO tlpsv," she said, "that was sure you would sleep sound"
 Not last night. I wasn't tpsy last night. 1 hadn' drank drop'-so protested the Cap tain mendaciously.
 Molly ignored this. Afiery earnestness came into her manner.
 Pm a-golng to be play -aclress that's what Pm a-going to be 7"
 "A-kicker ?" queried the Captain, illus trating with foot never designed by nature or the boet-maker's art for any pas
 Well, Im to learn to dance, too. But that aln't all. There's some pantomine people a. going to South Ameriky soon Jenny Gregg knows one of the women. I've most made up my mind to run away with 'em,''
 These last sentences were safely delivered into the very porch of the listeners ear
 ''On accounts of your pap, eh :'
 She nodded frewnngly.
 Il Woulden't a-dared stand ag'in him yes- terday, If he an me was alone. I tantalzed him a-purpose SO to have it out before you. But now Eve begun, Pm a-going on with it. l work early and late, most days; a pity cant have one off now an then. He's give me as much of hard knocks as I'll take, has pa. kind of dashed him yesterday-I could See ltE in his eye. It was an experiment.. 'a hot l~ any good But she'd only knuckle under."
 At that moment strident voice seemed to vault up the ladder by which the second story was gained. SIS .t.s.... .... ..-e ,.
 He's come home" muttered Molly, invol- untarily clinchiug her hands -'.the beast! !"
 The Captain did not look horrified He wished he might fully express his feelings to- ward Ballen. He considered that the signal had been given for him to slip quietly into his room.
 ''stop!" whispered Molly, imperiously. q haven't thanked you for this beauty" f- The Captain had wished she would not he changed his mind when he telt,a pair of plump arms around his neck
 ''There you splendid old das4fng!" cried Molly, with squeeze, and vanished.
 Like one in dream he stood, feeling her warm breath against his grizzled cheek for full five minutes after Then he shook him. self roughly, nuttering: You old gray ship rat, you blieve you'd snivel for the moon" Week after week the Barnacle lay in port, waiting for crew. Hands used to ropes had l taken to pick and pan. Part owner of his own vessel, such delays commonly made the Cap- tain anything but mild hammered But now, beyond rebuking his drinking habits and lay in an embargo on his worse oaths, Molly Bal len found him both agreeable and entertaining. His sobriety of palate and tongue astonished nobody more than the Captain himself He was convinced, although bad word did slip out now and then, that he was turning fright fully pious. He loaded his young friend with motley gifts-shells, a Spanish guitar, dress length of smuggled English silk, bright enough to gladden. any girls heart. silver-mounted opium-pipe, Chinese work-box, full of use- | less bobbins, and a clumsy ivory thimble, which Molly called a beehive; and, besides, countless costly edibies. f'. She shared all the good things with Jenny