Connecticut western news., 1888-09-19


 sitting at her piano, continued to draw forth such melancholy strains that tho tears rolled down her cheeks.
 q must go away from hcre," she said half aloud. T can't bear it much longer; indeed, I can't, seeing him day after day, loving him as do, and knowing that matters can never be ad- justed between us He is as proud as I ---but, oh, dear! what am thinking off It wants just two minutes of eight. I must go down and close the furnace doors."
 Thereupon she lighted the lantern, and pro ceeded down stairs.
 Ugh! What chill draught was blowing in through ono of tho grat- ings!
 And there were strange noises all around.
 Lucy's heart thumped so violently she was tempted to turn and run up stairs again.
 But goodness! The furnace was dreadfully, dangerously hot.
 Lucy summoned up all her resolution, and, stopping down, closed the doors
 They swung to with a bang, and when she essaycd to open them again she found tho effort beyond her rstrength.
 What was to be done in case of the fire needing moro draughta
 She might after while find it nec- essary to put on more coal, and that it would be we'll to put on more draught.
 But while she was debating with her . self much more serious mishap oc- cured, for the inside of the lantern suddenly achieved the most inexplicable somersault, and she was loft in utter darkness.
 Moreover, to complicate the miseries of her situation, she now heard stealthy footsteps descending tho cellar stairs.
 Poor Lucy stood quite still, with her hands clasped together over her heart.
 This was burglar, undoubtedly. He had seen all the male inmates of the house going out an d the lights lowered, and had thus chosen his opportunity to come ln and conceal himself in the eel lar.
 The first idea that suggested itself to her was to creep under tho steps and remain there until Mrs. Collins return.
 Ere she had time to do this, however, a mans form became visible in the dim semi-twilight that was shed from the kitchen door above.
 Lucy, with a desperate instinct of se.f-preservation, put up both hands, exclaiming:
 ''Have pity on mel Oh, have pity and spare my lifcI'
 Upon this the burglar drew back, very much surprised.
 Miss HildeburnW he exclaimed, as he struck a match. "What are you doing here, and how can serve you9'
 Now, poor Lucy, completely uunerved and dreadfully ashamed of herself, sat down on a reversed coal scuttle and burst into a fit of weeping.
 Than MT. sangster knelt down beside her, and confused interchange of ex- plantations of various kinds ensued.
 The result was that at tn, expiration of half an hour, MT. Sangster took Lucy in his arms, and kissing the tear stained face murmured: "God bless you for this promise, my own darling."
 When Mrs. Collins came home two hours later the house was very quiet, tho furnace in good order, and neither Mir. Sangster nor Miss Hildeburn visi ble. But the following day Lucy con- fidcd to her secret, and Mr. Sangste1 absentcd himself mysteriously for about three weeks. After that Miss Hide burn also disappeared. "Gone to visit her sunt at Swath. more," Mrs. Collins explained to the other boar3ers.
 But fortnight later the carrier brought some wedding cards to the house.
 Ut was all brought about through the furnace" said Mrs. Collins, with { gleeful chuckIe.
 But Miss Jane was infinitely disgusted