Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-05-04

ton," said Prof. st. Clair Smith, coming
to the rescue" and suppose you know
what that implies"
The night after the lecture was a very
stormy one, and Mrs. Appledore was
slowly twisting her hair in crimping-
pins when door-bell rang II could not
endure the loneliness of the hotel, dear
Mrs. Appledore," said Prof. st. ClaiI
Smith, making courtly bow, "and have
come to beg for just one song"
The Professor was. so far as outline
and colOring GO, handsome man. His
head was what was commonly called
dome-shaped. His wavy hair and silky
beard were bright yellow red, and his
rather large eyes were blue. He sat
down in big rocking chair, and taking
twin on each knee, Il renew my youth
in children he cried, giving them q
squeeze. "Do you know the song, The
old times were best times when you and
1 were young?'"
"Oh, yes" said the widow, nervously
turning over her music, "but can't say
that l feel so very old"
Dear me, what blunderer l am,
cried the Professor. 81 was thinking
of my bOybood. I've always hated be-
ing grown up. A man has so much to
fetter his Imagination. You must have
lost your husband in the first flush of
your youth"
Il did" murmured the widow, forget
ting that she was thirty-fve when the
event occurred. The twins were babes.
Song succeeded song till the Profes-
sor proposed duets, and Mrs. Appledore
enjoyed the music so much that it was
midnight before she knew it.
Two months passed away. The Pro-
fessor came almost every evening. He
had hired small house little way out
town that he might be undisturbe5, he
explained, and a relative had come to
keep house for him. He did not know
how long he should remain in Dixville.
He was preparing book for publica-
tiOn and writing several new lectures
When his literary labors were over he
was going to take trip somewhere and
rest, though friends of his, influential at
Washington, were anxious for him to
accept consulship at an important
point.
The widows neat white cottage stood
by itself on the confines of the village.
permint and nodding wheat stretching
along the country road for nearly mile
Joined the garden. Before her abrupt
refusal of him, the Deacon had been &C
customed to drop in for little visit or
to bring a neighboring offering of ap-
Piles or fresh vegetables. But these calls
had ceased, and cut off from her all her
sources of news and pleasure. Mrs. Ap-
pledOre stayed closely at home, practi-
ced her music and entertained the Pro
fessor.
But one sunshiny afternoon Mrs. Phlox
came bustling up the prim grayeled
walk.
Rosetta Appledore," she chirped like
An angry blue jay, as she opened the
door, though a clod, which there are
folks that think different, I've come to
ask you if you know you're the town
talk 2"
THE town talk ?" echoed her aston
ished sister.
"Yes, the town talk" repeated Mrs.
Pblox, with wonderful emphasis, ANY
body would be who had spent two bless
ed months philanderin' with married
man."
w no Is married
"Your Professor smith,
81 don't believe it."
81 s'posed you wouldn't, but I've seen
his wife," said Mrs. Phlox, with evil
dent satisfaction. miss Merrills,
she twas Pearly Ann Truesdale,
wouldn't miss findin' out anything if
she had to walk ten miles, an she call
ed on her, an told me. That night seZ
to John, John say /, "a sisters sister,
'specially-if she's younger an widder,
an if be clod I'm gOin' to the bottom
of this;' AN sez he, Emma Jane, think
you'd better, an the first thing he did
the next mornin' was to bitch up an
take me over on the mile strip where
that fellow lives, in Tony Allerton's cot
tage. He wasn't in, but she was. an
she was washin'.
"'I'm Miss Phlox,' sez I, AN 1 come
to call Thank you,' sez she, I'm Miss
Smith, an she set out the only chair
there was in the room for me an set
Eerself down on the wash bench.
"'Air you Miss st. Clair Smith, the
wife of the Professor sez l.
"A sort of smile twinkled over her
mouth an she seZ, Yes, Miss st. Clair
Smith though / didn't know Mr.. Smith
had adopted the st. Clair name. That's
my family name An then she went on
an spoke of her husband,an' of how am
bilious he is, an how he feels his spear
in public life, an how she is willin' to
do anything to help him. An then she
inquired if thought she could git sew
in in Dixville when she was able to
do it,"
Tears of shame and anger gathered in
Mrs. Appledore's eyes as her sister spoke.
as Mrs. Smith good looking? Is she
an interesting wOman?" she asked.
Il can't say how interesting she is.
She seemed kind of trod on, so to speak.
As for looks, she amt any prettier'n
than you'd be if you worked hard an
didn't have half enough to eat," said
Mrs. Phlox, calmly.
Mrs. Appledore sobbed aloud. "What
do people say about me? What shall /
do? she cried.
"They don't say nothin' yit, on'y that
that you're dreadful foolish" ehirped her
sister, rising and putting on her calash,
for it was almost supper time. 81 can't
say as know of anything for you to do
except to tell Mr.. Smith to stay t'home.
'Tain't likely Deacon Bliss will give you
a chance to say yes second time"
There had been a good deal of pleas
urable excitement in receiving the Wis.,
its of the Professor. To dress herself in
her best mourning, and to sing her ia
vorite songs to an appreciative listener
had been something to look forward to
during the humdrum work of the day.
The thought, however, of what her ac-
quaintances were saying about her en-
Uttered her life, and when the Profess
sor again called one glance at her face
told him that she knew all.
Dear Mrs. Appledore,' he began, but
she checked him.
"You had better go home to your wife,
Mr.. Smith," she said coldly.
Tears, real tears, came into the Pro
fessor's big blue eyes. But love you"
he cried, "and she has always been an
incubus upon my SOUL"