Connecticut western news., 1885-02-18

Jim to marry; but of all girls, that one r and she rocked herself to and fro,
 "There's been quarrel" she said at last, "and she's written this to make up. If he never got it, he'd Inever speak. know his pride. She come of 8 poor lot. I hate her; she's bad wife for Jim. I tbink it's my duty not to give it to him. I'll think it over" Then she opened the drawer of her bureau in which she kept valuables and money and thrust the letter in and locked itup.
 She had time to think the matter over before Jim came in. for he was late. and "that girl" grew more distasteful to her every moment.
 "Going to the picnic, Jim ?" she asked, as they sat over their tea. And Jim answered that he hadn't thought of it. .~ ,<
 'I'd go if was you, and take your Cousin Miranda" said the old lady. "She expects it, guess" And Jim, only moved by the remembrance of Nell lie Barlow, and wish to make her jeal. ous, agreed to the proposition. He took Miranda to the picnic next day, and Nel- lie was there, and saw them together; and remembering her note, written in moment of softness, when the wish to re- call certain angry words she had said to Jim, was strong upon her, she grew sick with shame. She had held out her hand h reconciliation, and he had not taken it. Could anything make woman more indignant? After that she never even looked at him.
 Old Mrs. Wadsworth having kept Jim's letter a few days, felt that toe much explanation would be necessary were she to give it to him after so long a delay. Besides it would be we'll for her son that he should not see it. Fl, would, of course, marry his cousin Mi. randa-only second cousin--a girl she liked, and who would never set herself up above her mother-in-lsw-ag girl who did not, like poor Nellie, look aggrava- tingly stylish.
 But Jim did not marry Miranda. No one will ever know now whether Miranda would have accepted him or not. After awhile she married Mir. Wiseman, who was better off than Jim, and old enough to be his father; and Nelly, too, mar ried. While her heart burnt with re- sentiment against her old lover, she chose @ new one, a dark, moody, silent sort of man, who carried her away to the city, whence there came rumors now and then that she was not happy, that her husband led a wild life. Once some one declared that he was very madman in bis jealousy, and locked her in her room at times. But no one knew whether it was true or not. Her parents would never say anything about her.
 As for James Wadsworth, he had gone to church to see her married ana had gone home with a headache. The next day he was delirious; brain fever had set in and the doctors shook their heads over him. What he said in his delirium only his mother understood; but if she could have undone the deed that she had done, she would have thanked Heaven. For weeks he lay at deaths door, and then pale shadow crept about the house-the wreck of bright, handsome Jim Wadsworth. His beauty was gone, and no one felt quite sure about his mind. He answered sensibly enough when he was spoken to, but voluntarily he never spoke.
 After awhile he grew strong enough to do farm work, and did what his mother suggested, and she grew used to his al- tered ways. And 80 matters rested when, ten years from her wedding-da Nelly came back to her fathers home in widows cap. And the people of Kornhill learnt that her husband was dead, and began to wonder whether he had left her money.
 Jim, blowing in the adjoining field, saw her as she sat upon the old home- stead porch, and stood, for 8 moment, staring at her. Then he left his blow in in the furrow, his horses standing where they were, and went home. His mother saw him coming. He tramped over the beds of vegetables, and trod down the young corn. He sought no path. As the bee flies he sought the doorway at which his mother stood staring at him, and walked into the kitchen past her without look.
 "Jim, my boy" said the old woman, "what is it ?"
 He made her no answer; but went to his room and straight to bed. For hours he never spoke to her. Then he began to babble. He uttered Nelly's name; he reproached her with incon- stancy; he called her tender names in one breath and cursed her in the next. Then he gave one wild cry and sprang up in his bed and dropped back again, with his eyes staring toward heaven. He was dead; the mother knew that be- fore they told her SO.
 The next day coffin stood in the low-ceiled parlor, and in it lay a pale statue with closed eyes--all that was left of Jim Wadsworth. One by one the friends and neighbors came softly in to look at him, and went away more softly, often in tears At last came one woman-a fair woman, in a widow'l cap and veil who stood longer than the rest looking at the still, white face, and at her own request was left alone witt it, while curious people in the othel room wondered whether it was true that Nelly and Jim were once engaged ant had quarreled. For this was Nelly, il her widows weeds, who had come tc look at Jim for the last time.
 As she stood there, with thoughts fol which there was no words troopinE