Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-04-14

~Mhat atf sharply querled the Doc
tor.
Alfred looked down at his long, white
hands and delicate fingers. He thought
over his possible means of support but
could not see one at hand. He fell back
on "glittering generality"
God will take care of me-"
The Doctor wanted to shake him; but
he only said:
Heaven helps those who help them
selves"
THAT is not in the Bible" said Alfred,
with an exasperating mildness of con-
yiction.
"Well, this is: If any man will not
work, neither shall he eat"
Il am willing to work. Doctor"
Good Lord~ calculated DIR. Packard,
having come to the end of his patience
as he banged out of the door.
There was but one thing to do; and,
inhospitable as it seemed, he determined
to do it. In capacity of physician, Dr.
Packard found the air of Bedford too
relaxing for Alfred's lungs.
"For his pocketsp snapped Mrs.
Packard; but the Doctor only smiled,
and, as the spring was just beginning
off at once to HaddOn and its pure,
tdry air. He had, however, the kind
ness to reflect that return to that moth
erless home and the sole society Of Della
and Hiram was cruel test of his ward S
obedience; and fer a long time before
the appointed day arrived he puzzled his
head over some alleviation of this soli-
tude. Just in time, however, he be-
thought himself of certain Mrs. Allen,
a cousin of his wife, a woman of some
culture and small property, who was
every summer on the lookout for cheap
place to board. She had two daughters
-one-a chronic invalid, one a school
| girl. She herself was one of those
suaye, smiling, seheming women, under
whose feline manner Turks the true fe-
line malignity. This the Doctor did not
care about. Like most men, he was not
afraid of any woman; and, in his care
less, masculine strength, altogether un-
derrated the power, which is much the
more dangerous from the very fact that
it is masked. He made his wife write
directly to her cousin; and he went home
with Alfred, in order to settle matters
with Della, who might interfere in his
plans, if she did not understand them.
But Della herself was tired of the lone
illness of this great, empty house; she
was propitious at one. So the Doctor
wrote to Mrs. Allen, having obtained a
listless consent from Alfred, and invited
her to spend the summer at Haddon,
with her daughters; telling her the real
truth, that his ward was lonely since his
mothers death, quite friendless, and the
Doctor himself unable to leave his pa
tients or to spare Mrs. Packard. Mrs.
Allen was delighted, but she did not
say so. An inexpensive summer offered
her a prospect of release from certain
small debts, and perhaps future repe-
tition of this visit. Most of all her most
was young, rich, guileless. Clem's edu-
cation was finished, at last She had
beauty, quick wit, sense, if not sweet
ness, and she must some time effect a
good marriage. Why not now? But, in
stead of expressing her delight, she ask
ed week to consider the proposition;
fenced with the Doctor in a lady-like
fashion; and, at last, in manner that
made acceptance great favor, signitied
her consent to visit Mr.. Horton.
"Pshawp growled the Doctor, fiinging
the letter sharply down on the floor and
looking over his spectacles at his wife
for he had only staid two days in
Haddon. penny, the wOman's cat"
"Well?" said she, interrogativeIy.
"Welll It's i'll. don't want that poor
boy scratched"
"It'll do him good! Wake him upl
said Mrs. Packard, who always became
calm when the Doctor was in a rage.
The Doctor glared at his wife in mixed
and anger; then he took off his
spectacles, and smiled blandly as an
owl.
"Penny, you are a remarkable wo-
man.. he exclaimed, still regarding her.
81 always thought so myself, Doctor
Packard; but L didn't know you had
discovered it," was the tranquil answer.
The Docter could not help laughing;
but in his heart he was sore about his |
boy, for, weak, unworldly, simple as he |
was, there was something wonderfully |
ovabie about Alfred Horton.
About the middle of May the three |
ladies' arrived at Haddon Center, whittier |
Alfred had sent his carriage to meet |
them. Della had swept and garnished |
the house till it was speckless; little |
ire of fragrant pine-b0ughs fiickered in
she parlor fireplace, for the day was |
fresh, as May days in Northern Vermont
are apt to be; masses of arbutus bios
SONS, which Alfred had himself gather
I'd from the woods, perfumed the air;
5he last, lingering cups of the liverwort
ooked with shy blue eyes at the stran-
gers; and ong sprays of Linnaa, SQUAT
.er vine, and trailing ground-pine fell |
from the old wood mantle and garland
ed the pictures. Quaint comfort, sim
pie but unimpeachable taste, and wide
breathed from all the ad-
uncts of that house. The great win
lows streamed with sunshine; the chairs
we're all easy the sofas broad, low, and
'oft; but there was no costly elegance,
10 fashion, no bric-a brac. Mrs. Hor-
jon's aim had been to make a home of
his old house; a place of rest, cheer, and
Would these invaders car
y out her tender thought or destroy it {?
Alfred was not metaphysical or anx-
Gus. He stood on the doorsteps, to re-
,eive his visitors, with the unconscious
'oul of dreamer, who does not look
forward or sharply recognize the pres
ent, but lives in that which has gone by
md, as he fancies, stranded him for life.
He had been prepared by Doctor Pack
lrd to receive these guests as a great
to them. Widowed and or
phaned, his eager benevolence went out
At once toward them, and he had bent
ill his energies toward preparing for
heir presence. He had, for once, listen
I'd to Delia's desire that some new arti-
lies of furnishing should be purchased.
lie commissioned Hiram to buy him a
pair OF horses and a carriage, to re-
,lace the steady old mare and shabby
single wagon he had hitherto driven;
md he had sent to the nearest town for
gardener, to attend to his mothers
lower-bedS.
Hes a-chirkin' up considerable, now;
inf ha na1rra >, |