The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-08-28

1t was a loud, aggressive sort of knock,
and Jenny went to answer it timidly.
What she saw treasured her-mcrely a
small man, with thin, grayish hair, and
bright little eyes, and a carpct.bag about
as big as himself.
lie looked up into her pretty, blonde
face with a sort of astonished admiration,
and came in without being invited.
81 don't want to buy anything" SAID
Jenny, with a suspicious glance at the
carpet-bag. "Oh!" as q sudden rccol-
lection of Toms words came into her
mind, ''you're the lightning rod man,
MIR Mr.. Dobbin2 Take a seat"
The little man sat down in silence, with
no diminution of the admiration in his
sharp eyes.
Jenny sat down, too, wondering a lit
tie at Mr.. Dobbin's reserve.
1t did not agree with Toms descrip-
ton of him; but Tom was slightly given
to exaggcration.
"Youll want a ladder, 1 supposcp
said Jenny, c~nCouragingly.
Mr.. Dobbin was evidently bashful.
"But where are the rodsl'
Mr.. Dobbin smiled a little, and
coughcd uneasily.
He was overcome with timldity and
embarrassment, evidently.
Jenny's soft heart was melted with
pity.
81 was relieved to find it was YOU"
she said, pleasantly, with "A desperate de-
sire to put him at his ease. II am OK
pecting somebody else-whom am not
anxious to see"
"Indcedr' said Mr.. Dobbin, finding
his voice at last.
His tone betrayed so much interest,
and his bright eyes, fixed approvingly
on her face, shone with such a friendly
curiosity, that Jenny felt a sudden lik-
ing for the little man, and an impulsive
desire to pour her troubles into his sym
pathizing ear.
at is my uncle" she said, with her
prettiest pout. And l abominate him.
I'm very unnatural, am l not2" and she
laughed.
The lightning rod man did not re-
spond; but he betrayed a sudden increase
of interest.
"Tm unnatural" Jenny repeated.
"But | don't believe an angel could feel
any other way in this case"
Mr.. Dobbin coughed again. and wound
one of his short legs around the rungs of
his chair.
"Might I inquire" he said, mildly,
"what this case isl"
at is the most dreadful you could i'm
agine.' said Jenny, impressively.
And, with an uneasy consciousness
that she ought not to contide it to a
stranger, she launched into an indignant
recital of Uncle Philo's unpleasant be-
havior, from her grandfather's will to
the present crisis. She even brought
Uncle Philo's letter, and read it aloud,
with scornful emphasis, pointing out the
hardhcartedness it indicated, and dwell
ing on its general wickedness.
$40 think" she cried, that he, with
all his money, should begrudgc Is this.
1t is not much; it would only make him
a little richer; but it is everything to us.
And father his only brother. He must
be utterly heartlcss."
Her soft eyes were bright with a pref
ty wrath, and her face was charmingly
flushed.
The lightning-rod man watched her
with fascinated eyes.
al have thought" Jenny went on,
m%usingly, "that if he knew how things
are, he might feel different. If he knew
how hard father has always worked and
hcw unfortunate he has been, and how
much he needed the money, and how
many things we'd like to do hat we
cant even now-how much ! for in
stance
She stopped suddenly, with a flush.
Mr.. Dobbin drew his chair a little
closer.
GLOW much you what, my dear?" he
said, gently.
Jenny looked at him timidly.
But there was a fatherly look OF kind
ness and sympathy in his bright eyes
which there was no resisting.
'How much l would like to bring
John a dowry-a little one" she said,
softly. I'll expect to marry him, you
know. And he is only a clerk: we shall
need it drcadfuliy."
The lightning-ro man was silent.
"I'm afraid | have bored you" said
Jenny, compunctiously; land it is quite
absurd to have told you at ALL"
Il am glad you have" said Mr.. Dob
bin. with a kind smile"
''But | have hindered YOU" said Jen-
ny, rising hastily. ''Of course you
wanted to be at work"
mot at ALL" Mr.. Dobbin rejoincd
'or-that ISL think will come to-mor-
row, if it will be quite the same"
He picked up his carpet-bag and Of
fercd a cordial hand, and Jenny watched
him to the gate with smiling eyes. He
was really very nice for a lightning.rod
man.
Tom was home early that night, and
Jenny met him at the door.
"Mr. Dobbin came, " she said, brightly.
"And l never shall believe you again.
He isn't such a talkcr at all
ale isn't" said Tom, amazedly. "Hc
was asleep then, or temporarily insane
'Im afraid, come to think of it. that
l didn't give him a chance, said Jenny.
"You must have been hard at it tC
keep Dobbin quietm Tom calculated
"What were you talking about2"
!, "Uncle Philo." Jenny replied. g.
, don't know how | came to; but he
seemed such a nice little man, and Sc
6 vm~nathetic-