Connecticut western news., 1884-02-13
VOL. XIII.

else." And away he went.
 "God bless the corn !" thought Thorn love.
 "Why don't Mir. Hobbleden come tc see us, I wonder ?" that evening said Ophelia to Mir. Thornlove. ''1 declare it seems lonesome without him."
 "You'n have chance to keep feeling lonesome for some time to come. I dc not think he'll ever darker these doors gain"
 "You don't mean he's dead?"
 'Not quite, my love; he was lively enough this morning; he was corned. Ha, ha p
 ''Intoxioated2 Poor fellow Lonely, suppose"
 ''Poor fellow That's pretty well. If I had been drunk 1t would have been horrid monster. He wasn't intoxicated, but had corn on one of his dear toes. I joked about it, but he went off in a rage"
 "He is very sensitive; corns are pain ful. I'm sorry"
 "I'm glad. It will be company for him, now that he don't see you"
 "You make yourself so disagree able !"
 "So is he. Uncomfortable to him. self, too. Wears tight boots to make his feet look small"
 "That was needless; always noticed he had very small feet.
 "No smaller than mine, said Thorn love, elevating foot. He prided him. self on his small feet.
 "His are two sizes smaller, at the very least," said Mrs. Thornlove, re- vengefully. "Yes, nearly three; yours are like horse-c cars compared with hisi"
 "This is unbearable!' he exclaimed. Always pitying and praising Hobble- den, always neglecting and sneering at mer'
 "And you are eternally hinting--"
 "Don't talk to me!'
 ''Nor will I; hope you'll have nice, sweet, quiet nights rest, after all this" And she hurried tearfully to her chamber.
 "I ,reciprocate just what you mean," he brawled after her, and went scowling to his private couch.
 Mrs. Ophelia ThornIove did not ap- pear at the breakfast table next day. Frederick unused gloomily over his lonely coffee.
 ''I was foolish, very, to make such fnss about my feet" He held them up and drowned at them. "Now that I take partial view, they are really none of the smallest Besides, the right trotter-case looks longer than the other. If I hadn't bought 'em, shouldn't SUD- pose they were mates. He pulled his pants up. By ginger! they are not mates! One's shorter than t'other. And I hope to be happy" he added, with increased earnestness, as he exam ined the leg of one, Eff here its't the name of Paul Hobbleden! This is discovery Oh, powers of darkness, who bring so much to lightl How does it happen that Hobbleden's boot is on my leg? Is the thing called Hobbleden a man or monster? Or am lunatic, and this name, Hobbleden, no name at at all |? It is not my boot. How could it come here unless Hobbleden walked in with it? But now-now-" and he struck his eye softly with his frenzied fst-"now, I have it! Hobbleden's boot has betrayed him. The fiend in mortal shape must have been in this house last nightl Oh-Ophelia!'
 He rang the bell and his servant, Babble, came.
 "Babble, take care now what you say - don't be alarmed though - I believe I have always treated you as a father would a brother-I mean as a brother would his son-darn it, you know what I mean-answer me truly; was or was not Paul Hobbleden, my particular friend, in this house last night? Take care "
 "No, sir he hasn't been for long time."
 ''Was he here for short time ?"
 ''No sir, not at all. :"
 "Babble, that's lie. Did you black these boots this morning?"
 'I did, sir"
 ''Did you black my others ?' 'No sir, did not, sir. No sir.
 "Look at that leg."
 "Paul Hobbleden," said Babble, reading.
 Precisely, And of course that boot belongs to him. Now, how could it be here unless he was ?"
 Babble swore that if Hobbleden had been in the house, somebody else must have let him in, after he, Babble, had gone to bed.
 "Babble, you may go-that is, you may stay, in my employ. Bnt mind you, don't say anything of this to my wife-o1 I'll discharge you"
 Babble turned pale and faded out oi sight.
 MT. Frederick Thornlove was very solemn for several sullen, watchful days One day he came home and found Ophelia painting a watch-ease. At frs she tried to hide it. Then she said il was intended as 8 surprise for him 1 With a ghastly smile--he said he knew 1 that
 The horrible corn gave Paul Hobble den such dreadful pain that finally h, repaired to MT. Chiropedowski, tn, great conductor and Polish exile. H' gouged it out for him, with heroic lacl of emotion
 ''But these little trifes sprout again