Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-07-17


 Q time after the loss ot his wife %nIr,y had arrangeii several matcics for nim but his equal detereuce so all the mlrriageable maids and widows with whom he came in contact dsahuSed the popular impression as to his intentions, and he was finally decided to be welded for life to the dead woman and the rearing his daughter.
 "
 twilight came and with compieter union on the part of the assembled women. They had gosslped. recalled old days had presented the superlative merits of their husbands and detailed rosy and elaborate plans for the fu- ture, had talked over the maladies Of infancy, and the various herbs. tens, baths and other remedies for the relief of ailing habies and finally settled down into an exchange of con- fidences
 What these four young mothers. with their babes quiet and asleep in rockers, on sofas and lounges, discussed needs not to be en- tered on ill detail. Women of the kind thus thrown toGether in the soothing twilight, and animated by tea and cakes. and inspired by hours of interchange of gossip and reminscence, scale heights and explore depths which man may not follow. Much that was said in low tones and of that which reached the ears of the hostess little was clearly coInprehended.
 Finally there was pause in the conversa- tion. which was soon after broken by the chubby mother:
 Mary, why is 1t that you have mover mar ried?"
 "Yes. whyF said another "A girl as handsome as you might have had q dozen first class men to select from"
 "A sca:!daI" interjected another of the matrons But it must be all Mary's fault The men have more sensa She must be stony hearted to have refused all tho offers girl like her must have received"
 "Teil us all about 1t, you bad girl. What is the reason you have been so obdurate! Couldn't you find n man good enough to suit your taStdiouS tasteF'
 There were dozens of other queries 0ung on the hostess who, with reddencd cheek, a half smile on her lips, and un expression of remonstrance ill her downcast oycs. listened to tho deluge of questions and merry denun- citation.
 For few moments she Sat and thought, if aSitated by painful memories, and then suddenly seemed possessed by u new deter miEutOn Her face grew serious. n species of defiant flame gleamed in her eyes, and she said ill Il low, serious tone:
 Girls will tell you Gods truth, but you won't believe me! No man ever asked me to marry him. and no man, to my knowledge, | has ever sad to me one word of love"
 This statement, made with the solemnity of an oath, and uttered by the splendid crea- l ture before them, was received with derision.
 ".As you like!" she said "I have told you the simple truth. We are all old and inti- mate friends, and l will make confession was once fond of young man-not ill love with him, you must understand but liked him better than any other of the gentlemen whom knew. He was very tinlid and reti- cent, and acted as if he regarded me as too lofty being to be addressed ill the language of ordinary mortals,"
 "Who was itf" came from all the throats of the interested listeners.
 That 1 cannot tell you. He was splen- did young fellow, and l came nearer liking him than any other man have ever known. y "What was the outcome of itl Why didn't you get marrieGs Was there quarrel"
 II do not know He called two or three times and then suddenly stopped Our last meeting was friendly one, and I know no reason why he never repeated it"
 "
 At this point the chubby mother attracted the attention of the others by the exhibition of some very hysterical symptoms She com. menced choking, glggling and swallowing ir a manner that threatened serious results She was slapped, famed and patted by the sympathetic sisters until at length she recov cred somewhat her equanimity.
 "Wha: it1" came in q chorus from the bevy of women that crowded about her.
 'Oh, girlsr' she gasped, between sobs ana laughter II know something" And then after prologue of little screams, exclama tions of wonder and expectation from ths others, she said
 How ridiculous, and yet how seriousl know why the young man estranget from Mary"
 You dos What was itF All listened witt eagerness. The cheek of Mary. the hostess paled to deadly white and her eyes deep ened i'll their intensity.
 "Oh, it is absurd and yet so terrible Blu l will tell you. remember that there was little gossip about Holcomb and Mary. ant it was rumored that he was waiting OH her One Sunday evening my brother and som other boys were coming along near Mary house, when they saw Mir, Holcomb jus ahead of them carrying a basket of fruit an flowers. This, with great caution, h lifted over the gate and placed on tb upper step of the piazza, and then u stole away The young fellows saw the act and, as they wcro not seen by Holcomb, the , concluded that it would be good joke t steal the basket and eat the fruit. They di : 1 so, and now see it all. Mary never havill ! received the fruit, never acknowledged ii , | and he, getting no thanks from her for hi
 gift, thought he had committed on offens'
 His sensitive nature took alarm, he fancie 6 1 himself slighted, or that he was being r' !, buked for over presumption. and thereafte | avoided Mary"
 s 70, Mary was Holcomb the young ma " you were fond of and yet not ill love withf 2 A vivid blush ran over her face, but st f made no answer A moment later st Q rushed from the room. and soon after WI - discovered ill her chamber. with her fas 5 buried ill the counterpane, and sobbing wit e convulsive energy.
 s She now comprehended the mystery. H' e growing love had been crushed, her hapI g ness ruined, by the prank of . mischievo' h boy.
 This conclave of matrons ond babies Q l. cured year or so ago. It is confident IF believed among them that they will be SUI n moned to meet again at the home of Aal :, some time in the approaching spring. Ht ,r comb and Mary have been seen in publ a places together; he strong grave, with O. gleam of joy on his countenance; she sle