Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-05-17

Winston without living voice to give me a word of comfort and advise me-
 "To Winston! This time O nighti But come in, come in!" cried the old woman. lowering her voice with involuntary relish of this new mystery that had come to her very door, and looking backward at the staircase to make sure the tailor was not listening.
 "Leaving father and mother for goodI" said she, leading Jenny to a chair, and push ing the candle close to her that she might see her face. @Whatever are you doing that for?"
 Because father suspects me of speaking falsely" answered Jenny: land I cannot bide with him to be thought sinful, and spurned at by the people"
 aAnd for that your are leaving homep ex- claimed the old woman, who showed no symptom of sleepiness "And you are going to Winstons What to do there, Miss Jennya"
 My cousin, Bridget Lloyd, lives at Mar pies, and the coach passes Winston at eight in the morning. To Marples am going, to ask Bridget to give me shelter until I can find my living"
 "Well, indeedl And do ye mean to walk five mile to-nighta Why, ye says t coach doth not pass before eight, and where will ye stay till it comes?"
 "I have not thought" ," answered Jenny with heavy sigh. "But will not sto D in Grey stone to be mocked. Oh. Mrs. Meadl to-mor- row morning father would take me to Lon don to show him the church where I was married, and this I cannot do. What then will he thinka But it is not only because I cannot prove myself my dearest ones wife that I am leaving home. Because father thinks me wicked sinner and liar I am running away, and because all the town who have not fathers heart for me will think worse things of Jenny. Oh, may God lend me wisdom to know the right thing to do, and forgive me the sorrow this night cause my mother!'
 She bit her lip cruelty to restrain her tears, for she feared that tho sight of them would move Mrs. Mead to hinder her desperate reso- lution.
 Before you move a step or say another word ye shall have something to mend your spirits with," said the old woman, briskly, and entered her bedroom, whence in a few moments she returned, with a gown ard little flask of cherry cordial, of which she obliged Jenny to swallow glassfuL
 1t is strange thing for you to do," said she, resuming her chair and twisting her scant gray tresses into knot at the back of her head. 'Doth your cousin, Mrs Lloyd, know you are coming to herF'
 ''No," Jenny answered "1 did not make ap my mind to leave home till father told me to get ready to quit for London with him in the morning. should fear to be with him if we could not find the church. If he does not think me truthful then I am sinner to him, and not fit for his house; and that is why am leaving him foreverr
 Her eyes flashed as she spoke, and the hard look of her mouth might have reminded Mrs. Mead of the deacon at his sternest But tho anger melted away, and she cried piteously, You will tell my poor mother that you have seen mo, and why have left herr Fathers harshness to me is breaking her heart, and what will she do when she finds her pretty one gone| and she paused again to battle with her tears.
 "Miss Jenny, if ye are wise, yell go home, said Mrs Mead, nodding her head. "Why, whatll folks say when it's known you've room away? Sure enough they'll call ye guilty wench, and you would not like that"
 "They will call me that if I stay-why should they not, if father thinks it?-and never could go into the street, nor meet human eyes, with this shame upon mep she cried, despairingly.
 Its hard to knowi it's hard to knowi' groaned the old woman. "Would ye wish your mother to hear where you are?"
 "Nol" she answered quickly. "So that I am living and with friends, as you must tell her, Mrs Mead, she will not despair. But no one must be told where am-not one, Mrs. Mead Promise me that! Swear it"
 "pll swear it if you please, Mrs. Jenny, replied Mrs. Mead, sympathetically giving the girl hor wifely prefix. "But before ye make me take an oath just think awhile. If l swear, they may drown me and not get the truth. Suppose Mr. Cuthbert-"
 "Ah!" exclaimed the girl, with a short, passionate cry, Eff he should come-why, why, Mrs. Mead, you would tell him ill- stantly; he would be eager and mad to find me, and to be with him. o, heavenly Lord! if thou wouldst but give him to me now!" she cried, raising her clasped hands, while her voice died away into a soft, ex- quisitely musical plaintive note
 q don't like this business-truly I would rather have no hand in it." said Mrs. Mead, slowly turning her face from side to side. "Thy father would come and burn my house down if he knew had helped you to leave the town"
 "You need not help me, will go away now, Mrs. Mead, and leave you to your rest.
 "That you shall not" cried the old woman, jumping up and laying her skinny hand on Jenny, who had risen. "Sit down, sit down, my pretty. Why, how long will it take ye to walk to Winston? Two hours, will iti And so you shall come to the village at three r the morn, and have five hours to count the daisies in afore tn coach comes Sit down! sit down! Yell not leave this house yet bit, rse warrant"
 But I will be on my way before the light comes and the people are up," answered Jenny, still standing.
 "So ye shall, but not afore the light comes. Sit, mistress. Lord save your heart, 'tis easier nor standing, and for one niver car think on my feet. Nowheers like bed fo, thinkin', say I, and then you're flat. Yell be changing your mind, doubt, if yell sit and ponder. "Do not say that Mrs. Mead. have al ready left home, and it is as bad as if I were thousand miles off. will not go back, in l deed. Bid me goodnight, and be sure my heart is warm to thee for thy kindness" "Ah!" cried Mrs. Mead, forcing her, but not untenderly. into her chair, Eye come from an obstinate father, and arguments as I've | always said, is wasted on sitch. If ye near to go, I'll not stop you-and who should know best but you9 But the job needn't be worse nor it is. I'm one" said she, going to her cup 1 fl