The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1882-06-15


hotel. dear Mrs Appledo~, said Professor
st. Clair Smith. making = eourtly bow.
and have come to beg for just one song.
/ The Professor was, 90 far rs outline aud
eoloring go = handsome man. His head
was what is commonly called dome-shsp.
cd. His wavy hair and silky beard were
bright yellow red and his rather large
eyes were blue. He sat down 10 big
chair ard taking . twin on each knee
renew my youth in children, he cried,
giving ihom a squeeze Doyou know the
song, The old times were the best when
you aud | were young
Oh, yes, said the widow, nervously turn
ing over her music, but can't say that l
feel so'very old.
Dear me, what blunderer | am, cried
the professor was thinking OF my boy.
hood I've always hated being grown up.
man has so much to fetter his imagina-
tion, You must have lost your husband
in the first flush OF your youth.
did. murmured the widow forgetting
that she was thirty.fve when the event
occurred. The twins were babies,
Song succeeded song till the professor
proposed duets. and Mrs. Appledore en-
joyed the music so much that it was mid.
night before she knew 1t.
Two months passed away. The profess
sor came almost every evening He had
hired small house little out Of town
that he might be undisturbed, he explain
ed-and relative had come to keep
house for him. He did not know how
long he should remain in Diyville. He
was preparing book for publication 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 a consul
ship at an important point.
The widows neat white cottage stood
by itself on the confines OF the village.
Deacon Bliss fields of dark green pepper.
mint and nodding wheat stretching along
the country road for nearly mile, joined
the garden. Before her abrupt refusal OF
him, the deacon had been accustomed to
drop in for little visit or to bring in a
neighborly offering of apples or fresh veg.
etables But these calls had ceased, and
cut of from her all her sources Of news
and pleasure. Mrs. Appledore stayed close
ly at home, practiced hor music and enter
tanned the professor.
But one sunshiny afternoon Mrs. Phlox
came bustling up the prim graveled
walk.
Rosetta Appledore, she chirpes, like a
angry blue-Iay, as she opened the door
though clod, which there are folks that
think different, I've come to ask you il you
know you're the town talky
The town talky echoed her astoni'he
sister
Yes. the town talk. repeated Mrs. PhloI,
with wonderful emphasis. Anybody
would be who had spent two blessed
months philanderin with a married man.
Who il marriedy
Your Professor Smith.
] don't believe it.
spose you wouldn't. but I've seen his
wife, said Mrs. PhloI, with evident salts
faction. Miss Merrills, she twas Pcarly
Aun Truesdale, wouldn't miss fndin'
out anything if she had to walk ten miles,
an she called on her, an told me. That
night sez to John, John sez /, a sisters
q sister, specially if she's younger an q
widder, an i'll 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 hitch mp an
take me over on the mile-strip where that
fellow lives, in Tony Allerton's cottage.
He wasn't in, but she was. an she was
wasbin'.
Tn Miss PhloI, sez l. an como 10 call.
Thank you. seq she. I'm Miss Smith, au
she set out the only chair their was in the
room. for me, an set down herself on the
wash bench
Air you Miss 81. Clair Smith, the wife
OF the professor2 sez |.
A sort of smile twinkled over her
mouth, an she sez. Yes, Miss st. Clair
Smith, though didn't know Mr. Smith
had adopted he 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. And then she
enquired il l thought she could git SEWN
in Dixyille when she feels a little better
an is able to do it.
Tears OF shame and anger gathered in
Mrs. Appledore's eyes as her sister spoke.
Is Mrs. Smith good looking? Is she an
interesting woman? she asked
cant say how interesting she is. She
seemed hluu VI tieu WI ~ w npoah' an
for looks, she amt any prettier'n you'd be
il you worked hard an didn't have half
enough to eat. said Mrs. Phlor, calmly.
Mrs. Appledore sobbed aloud. What
do people say about me4 What shall do?
she cried
They don'tsay nothin' yet, on'y that
you're dreadful foolish, chirped her sister,
rising aud putting on her calash, for it
was about supper time. | can't say
as know OF anything for you to do except
10 tell Mr.. Smith to stay 1 home. Taint
likely Deacon Bliss will give you chance
to say yes a second time.
There had been good deal Of pleasure
able excitement in receiving the visits Of
the professor. To dress herself in her