Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-12-11

hr Joi1iNpIl WIS right MISS huHBitS
was first on watch
The watery eyed spinster foresaw many
personal advantages in the scheme of es-
pionage agreed upon by the boarders. In
the first place. nature seemed to have en-
dowed her with especial gifts of poking
and prying into the personal affairs of
others
Her eyes, expressionless though they
were. were remarkably sharp both at
short and long range Her ears. which
bHlged out like miniature cornucopias,
had very susceptible tympanums. which
accurately received and registered the
slightest undulation of sound Her nose,
long sharp and pointed, seemed framed
to scent out scandal. while her high. mar
row forehead betokened intellectual quail
ties in keeping with those other tokens of
inqplsitiveness and cunning
Then she had football as soft and vel
vcty as that of a cat She glded noise
lrsslv about the house, and was con
stautiy turning up in the midst Of inter.
O. in- domestic incidents The servants
sHid she had a disagreeable habit of looking
through the keyholes. One night. when
Young Mr. Jobson came home slightly uu-
der the weath her and Mrs Jobson began
TO moan and cry and threaten to return
To the aching bosom of her mother, Miss
Goggles was caught peering through the
tfansom Of their room She excused her
self on the ground that she thought the
wretch was numbering his unf rtunate
wife, and She wanted to be able to testify
against him in the criminal court
Mrs. Jobson came near tearing her eyes
out the next morning, and Mr. Job
son. mortified and Inundated almost be-
yond endurance. consulted scientific
friend as to the practicsbility of
securing the germs Of some malignant
disease with which to quietly iuoculate
the innocent. saintlike Miss Goggles
This showed Mr. Jobson to be a bitter.
spiteful man quite capable Of the awful
crime which the spinster suspected him Of
contemplating but a man cannot feel
friendly and dovelike toward a woman
who has witnessed and gloated over his
first counubial tiff
Then. Miss Goggles was pleased with
the new programme because it emauated
from Mr. Johnson.
The old gentleman had been particu-
larry attentive TO the spinster Of late He
had taken her to the theater several times
and grown tenderly sentimental over the
subsequent, oyster stews More than
once he had waxed confidential over the
parlor stove, and spoken of his financial
Affairs in a way which excited her to envy,
II 1t did not warm her to love
She felt herself blushing whenever
those kindly. twinkling brown eyes looked
into the literally liquid depths Of her own
passionless orbs. Affairs had reached
such pass now that Mr.. johnson had
only to whisper an afectionste word. and
she was ready to flop into his arms and
proclaim vows of undying devotion
But Mr. johnson did not whisper that
word. contcn;ing himself with an occa-
sional sigh and glance OF respectful ad-
Grafton. He sometimes called her Hen
rietta"-that was her given name-but
the word seemed TO come from him una
awsres. and he lapsed into moody silence
every time II escaped his lips
Now was the opportunity of her life.
she argued. as she glided up stairs to her
hall bed room. II she were industrious
In her espionage, If she discovered reck-
less abandon on the part of the fascinat-
ing Mrs Claypole, If she were the first to
procure proofs of unlawful conduct, Mr..
Johnson would be profuse in expressions