Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-05-09

beauty of his countenance.
 Fiftv-fiye his age was, and ten wears added wonld still have left his days behind his face -due to a half-weary expression of asceti- cism. and the pickering of an over-hanrinp brow. and an acidulated droop of the under lin. His dark hair, well laced with white. hung in decent profusion over the white col. lar of his coat, and his attire was gray. coarse stockings. stout broadcloth, furnished with dingy metal buttons, and square-toed boots. with soles thick enough to warrant him no Skullker.
 .If the moon wasn't clean should ai- low there was gale of wind ill the sound of the sea-"
 He yawned loudly.
 aWife, I've smoked enough, and enough is contentment to thankful heart"
 He rose to place his pipe on the mantel shelf, and reared figure that brought his head close to the low ceiling
 "Jenny is in her bedroom, and there she sits and sits. What ails the girl? Hast thee noticed her, Michaels" said Mrs. Strangfeld, who, though she put her questions with a touch of fretfulness in her voice, went on knitting very placidly.
 This was a woman to be admired for her pretty hands, soft eyes, and rich brown hair, neatly smoothed beneath a full cap.
 Otherwise, her face disarmed criticism by its vacant, good-natured and cheerful in sipidity.
 Strangfeld turned to look at her, and re- stunned his chair.
 "You have seen me watch her." said be- "Why, therefore, do you say. Hast thee noticed her, Michael? You are apt to speak without care, wife, Your lips go ono way and your mind another"
 "Well we'll I have my faults"
 Truly you have, my dear"
 "As gospel says, Who is without sin? Un- less it's thee, Michael; and that one should know by your readiness to cast stones"
 NIT. Strangfeld frowned, but was wise enough to hold his peace.
 "What ails Jenny, then?" continued the mother "You should know. You be a man of long sight. I never could hide a secret from thee"
 MT. Strangfeld sat for space behind his spcctacles, pondering, while his wife laid down her needles to pass her hand over her hair. F..
 "What should be the matter with herr" de- manded MT. Strangfeld, presently. "Her health is sound?"
 q hope sol" cried Mrs. Strangfeld, ner- vously.
 "No one has been meddling with her heart, to my knowledge"
 "Meddle! Certainly not. Should not know?"
 "Unless," continued MT. Strangfeld, 'she be fallen into that state against which the Apostle warned the Corinthian damsels put ting it in this way-that the unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord which was, doubtless, 8 true thing to say of those ancient people, but will not hold now"
 Mrs. Strangfeld shook her head softly.
 "If she had a sweetheart she would tell ever, at her husband, a woman might whose conscience does not place her perfectly at ease.
 "I could not imagine that she would not, " said the husband, sternly.
 "As to Mrs. Mead's gossip, it's idler than the wind. Being known to her somehow" continued Mrs. Strangfeld, who was not very easily repressed, and who, when she had point to get at, always travelled to 1t along the most roundabout paths-"for the chit will not explain how their acquaintance be- gan-is it not proper that MT. Shaw, who is a born gentleman and knows manners, should take off his hat to her and pass pleasant word when they meet? Now, through some blockhead neighbor, Mother Mead hears of their talking the beach, whither Jenny had gone for shells for a pin cushion. And to mo she comes with a wise tossing of the nose. But, says I, 'Ma'am, I am my daugh- ters mother, and what concerns me shall be my proper trouble, under Providence, that our neighbors may have full time for their own affairs That was well said Michael, dost thee not thinks"
 "Let Mrs. Mead beware how she meddle with Jenny's name! But there should be no cause, neither for her nor any other gossip, to talk"
 "Cause" cried Mrs. Strangfeld, opening her mild eyes, with little toss of the knit ting needles. "A pretty pass, truly, if MT. Shaw cannot pull off his hat to Jenny, and praise the weather, without his politeness be- ing called cause. A cause to set Mrs. Mead's tongue going? You need not stand on your head to do that"
 "I'n not have MT. Shaw's name chimed with my wench's," exclaimed Strangfeld. "Beelzebub himself is not harder on US than the doctor up at the schoolhouse"
 "Dear heart alive, know naught of Mr. Shaw" exclaimed Mrs. Strangfeld, with 6 cotner glance at her husband. "If Jenny has set him gaping, his mouth is not the only one her beauty has opened. like to look at his handsome face in the street when meet him and his eyes never were matched for the blue of them. These are the Lords doings, and 6 woman may admire the works of creation, hope But Jenny would not make a sweet heart of him without opening her heart te me-"
 "What does Jenny do in her bedroom al these hours?" said he. "These mopings have come upon her since her return from Syden ham. Did she leave her heart behind hel there?'
 "Now, how you talkl Were that SO, would not Rachel have writtenW
 "Jane, Jane, I do not like thy habit of flee ing. It is an old taint of sauciness."
 "rll go and call Jenny, and she shall argue with thee herself," said Mrs. Strangfeld quite unruf1ed by her husbands reprimand She put down her knitting, and leisurelJ rising, with pretty waddle left the room Up the staircase, wide enough for a big house, she went, and. with a smart turn o the door handle, entered a bedroom. Here all was dark, until few moments gazing exposed Jenny's figure seated at the window with the windy moonlight streaming upo1 1 her and the summer gale tossing her hair.
 "Jenny, Jenny!" exclaimed Mrs. Strang field, advancing quickly, "what sickness ar thou courting at that open window, foolisl child e-letting the cold wind fill your bones Come away from the draught, and shut tho window. Father wants thee down stairs"
 "It is past nine, mother. What does father want? I like this cool wind, and the star are pretty to watch, running among tn