Connecticut western news., 1885-07-22
VOL. XV.


 "I was afraid you would not con- sent, Uncle Phineas." ....
 The old man snarled like an infuria- ted wolf; his wrinkled skin turned a dull yellow. -5 -a.
 "Ef we're so very independent" said he, ''ye can clear out O this house; my roof shan't shelter ye no longer. Clear out, I sayp'
 Rosamond stood appalled,. :.
 "But, Uncle Phineas, I've nowhere to go," she faltered.
 "Ye'd oughter ha' thought O that afore ye was 80 free with your money" growled the old man, as he held the door wide open for her to pass out.
 "But it's dark, Uncle PhineasI And it's showing hardp'
 "What's that to me?" shouted the old tyrant Do you mean to start, or must I take ye by the shoulders and put ye out? 60, sayP'
 There was something in the savage light of his eyes that appalled, his niece, even while she had opened her lips to remonstrate still further. Without another word, she glided out into the twilight tempest. Everybody in Beckersield remem- bered that January storm for years afterward. Young people dated back to 1t; old inhabitants compared it with the memorable storms of their youth full days. The snow lay for weeks, full six feet deep. Wild creatures, like foxes, wolves and weazels, crept out of the woods, and, turning traitor to their instincts, sought food and shelter near human dwellings. Roads were impossible for weeks; railways blocked up for days. And not until the spring suns unlocked the icy chain of Plimmit's Creek (one of the deep est and most dangerous streams in the neighborhood, did they discover the scarcely-recognizable remains of a human body, wedged among the roots of submerged trec. Had it not been for the scarlet shawl which RosRmond Foster had worn when she left the farmhouse, her remains could hardly have been Identified.
 But they brought her to the old Foster home, and Uncle Phineas gave her decent burial From that moment, however, he never held his head up.
 Il know they couldn't convict me in court of law" he said. "But it's murder, all the same-it's murderl And I didn't never know afore how fond I'd got to be of Rosamond. There ain't no hired help I've had sence as ever done as she done Poor Rosa mond-poor little grill And 1t was me killed herp'
 They sent for the doctor; but the doctor shook his head.
 Ut is not case for medicine" said he. "The man is not sick. He has something on his mind"
 "Ye don't keep no medicine to make a man forget, do ye, squireP" said Uncle Phineas, with ghastly sort of smile.
 of we did, our fortunes would be made," said the doctor. "No, my friend, there's nothing in the Phar- macopeia to meet your case, worse luckp
 So the solitary old man peaked and pined as the days went by, hanging moodily over his handful of fire, and refusing to speak to the sympathetic neighbors who came and went.
 But one day, when the chestnut trees were all in blossom, 8 carriage drove up to the door, through weeds that had grown knee-deep.
 Company" said Uncle Phineas with side-long glance at the window "Tell 'em to go away; won't see nobody"
 "But you will see nae, Uncle Phine asP" cried cheery voice. "YOu will see RosamondY' ..... #ses-s
 Rosamond it was, alive and bloom. ing, with cheeks like her name-Hower and blue eyes shining. Uncle Phineac looked at her with troubled face.
 '.aosamond was drowned" said he "How is thisP Are there too Rosa. monds ?"
 "Dear uncle, am so sorryr' ex plained the girl "But never heard until yesterday of the girl who wal buried in my name met the pool thing shivering on the road; sht seemed to have lost her way, and directed her as well as I could, ant gave her my little red shawl to tit around her neck. I took the train tx Scranton, and went to Jared. I didn't , know what else to do. And oh, uncle my hundred dollars has more thar quadrupled itself, and Jared's paten steam-saw is a successl He is a ricl man, and we can pay you now for al your kindness to us when we wer, children"
 "I reckon it won't take much to d. that" said Uncle Phineas, with grin sarcasm. "But Rosamond, ye'v lifted thousand-pound weight of my heart this dayi I've missed yol every hour, and every dayl You'l come back to me, Rosamond, won ye, dearY"
 For little while, if you want me, the girl said, blushing beautifully