Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-04

was not disposed 10 dispute II. She did not dart
TO look at him She was biting her lips TO keel
from laughing, and at her dear professor too
She was surprised at herself She must be getting
| very wicked, she thought.
'The moth passes the winter In the larva state.
and In some instances In the crystals form. The
larye can be found alternating under the loosencd
| firm bark In trees which have been infested the
previous year. The moth from the hibernatinQ
larya Is OF light drab color on the body and legs
| and notified gray aud drao on the wings. It de-
poSitS its eggs In the blossom end or calyx OF the
| fruit from the middle OF April to the middle Of
May. More than one egg or larva Is rarely found
| seven 10 ten days after its deposit it gnaws
through the Periearp OF the fruit and begins ts
Thunder" calculated Mr.. Jack.
what Is it7' said the professor, peeEing over his
| spectacles.
81 have cut through my pericarp, am afraid, y
said Mr. Jack, with an apologetic smile. He held
up one OF his fingers, which showed q red bead Of
.How did you do it,
Il was carelessly opening and shutting this
knife blade. 1t is new and sharp, and pressed on
| IL too hard"
"Let me tie a rag around it," said she, and rar
out OF the room for cloth and thread Mr.. Jacl
water She found him there and IL took a. good
while TO fix IT. as the bleeding 1nconstderately re-
fused to stop. When she came back the professor
was deep In his work, and Mr.. Jack would not let
her disturb him. He could hear it in time, he
said They accordingly went into the sitting
room for some Mendessohn. They both loved
music, and she played beautifully.
And so-the short merry evenings ran on.
M.-ANp ITS WORK.
1t was half-past o'clock in the evening. She
was deep In the cushions OF an easy chair before
thoughtfully into the Goals. she heard the door:
bell ring and sound of step In the hallway. She
did not STIR but blush crept slowly on her cheek
Mr.. Jack came In exactly as II he had been ex-
pected lie walked over to her chair, leaned
gently over its back, ank kissed her on the fore
head. She bushed more deeply, but made no pro
test She still gaZed into the Goals. ssBuQS?n he
| asked gayly.
"No. not bugs" she said.
thought are at present alternating under the loose
| bark OF your brain?"
Al am afraid it is very loose, she said, slowly
| ana thOughtfully.
where is the professor"
ale has gone down TO the post-office. There is q
| meeting tonight. He will not be back till H.
He pulled chair up beside hers. He took her
warm dimpled hand In his and held 1t tendery as
Mimi" he said 1t was his nickname for her.
"What Is It, Jack?"
III have scheme"
| "You are always having schemes"
"But this Is beauty. Listen! On Thursday
will not go 10 the city, being unfortunately seized
| with malignant whOOping cough over night
will come for you wherever you say at 10 o'clock
precisely. The carpellary ovarium OF my Brewster
body shall be filled with turkey sandwiches, chow
chow pickles, and st. Julien, or some Ice and a
| TO Laundry Farm, see nobody but our two selves,
and spend an idyllic day In the shadow OF canon
i
Will read you Lucille TIL you are aweary, and the
day shall be as perfect as a dream"
She said nothing.
The little womans heart was beating very rap
idly, very painfully, just then. Fighting forces
were drawing her now this way and now that.
She had fought bravely for a long time, till she
had grown weary and almost strengthless with
the struggle. There was not hand to stay or q
soul to help her: II seemed craven in the book Of
| some time, and to strive to stem the tice seemed
OF little use, for she had lost all confidence In her.
SELF During all the evenings OF all the weeks OF
all the months that the professor had been bend
ing over his desk In the library he had been sap
ping the foundation of her w1fely egotism. con-
vincing her in her own mind that, as q wife, she
possessed attractions none at all. Since he had
lost all his interest In her, since all his Old
thoughtfulness all his little gallantries had dis
appeared, since 1t took only sucn poor thing as
dusty study to wean his love away from her, she
must be growing Old and ugly and unworthy. Her
constant brooding had not improved her looks or
her manner. There was an undeniable change in
her, and her mirror was an accusation that added
sharpness to her sad and silent thoughts. But for
Jack she would have believed that sue had lost all
those pretty destinations which she had once De-
lieved 80 potent; all those dainty charms OF her
sex which win and hold mems love- Jacks appre-
citation alone stood between her and her belief In
the complete unworthiness OF herself.
There are In the world such things as wives who
are tempted to forget their wifely duty solely by
hungering desire TO retain their w0manly Selr-re-
spect.
The professor had gone down to the post office In
a letter from prominent New York publishing
firm and read Its contents he beamed with delight
IL had been accepted. IL would be published. II
was regarded as a '.most timely and valuable con-
triDution to the literature Of special science" He
could scarcely contain himself. With long, eager
strides, he started back to his house to tell the
great news to her.
" should be a surprise. He would put the letter
usher her eyes without word, and watch her de-
light as she read He softly mounted the steps
and crossed the yeranda and tip-JOed into the
house toward the sitting-room door. But he
some one there, and he listened to discover who 1t
was.
''Win you CO. dear7" the voice said.
"Dont ask me, Jack" she said, pleadngly.
''But you have no amusement no recreation. no
one TO talk 10. Nothing but that beastiy old
treatise from morning Till night. You are GER
my life Is so lonely-so lonely" she murmured
sadly, half TO herself. She looked into the Goals
through and beyond them, into the sunless dark OF
Mr.. Jack leaned forward. There was a rustling
| as she stretched away from him.
Please 90 not" she said.
The professor stepped forward He was wild
BTI ne sS1PPed gpped the door Casing and held
| sound He was peculiar man. the professor and
| he did a peculiar thing. He turned very white,
tip-toed noiseeSsly out OF the house and sat down
on the steps. II was DARK. He leaned forward and
| bowed his head in bis hands. Ten minutes passed
and still he sat there mOtionless figure, without
grass toward the gate slammed the gate and
| tramped noisily up the gravel and the steps He
| hung up his hat IN the hall and walked into the
Sitting-roOm.
Good evening, Jack he said, cordially. SHOW
are the people at homer"
80. So" said Jack easily. They're all gone out
| TO some meeting"
AYES. was going myself but felt a little shaky
down at the post-oilice, and thought would come
home"
| you do look pale DEAR" she said.
| They chatted for q while, and soon Jack rose to
go. The professor went with him as far as the
4 door. He went further. He went outside closed
| the walk. The mans whole aspect had changed
| In an Instant His face and neck were dull red
with passion and his eyes glared murderously His
big shoulders were bent forward, his hands were
raised and his fingers were curved. He looked like
| Wild beast ready 10 spring.
| There Is one part OF my treatise you have for
gotten" he said with husky, deadly distfnctness.
mo true fruit grower will shrink from his duty to
| Kill out this pest" -
The last word fairly Kissed through the mad
/ mans teeth. ado you understand me?,
| Mr.. Jack understood. He was cool: cool as a
| man Is apt 10 be when he knows that a trifiinp
inisstep may leave him throttied on the ground.
| IL do" he said.
| "Then co." The professors appraised arm
pointed away from his home. And he went
| The professor waited for time for his heart To
| stop beating and the thirst to pass away. Then
| he went back TO the sittlng-roonl
| "My dear" he said with apparent gayety ait is
| a great success" - -
| as IT." she said eagerly. al am so glad
| III Is great success" he repeated almost bit-
| terly. "Can ever repay my dear little wife FOR
letting 1t take from her so much OF her husbands
| timer"
| There was horrible agonizing fear In his hearr
that her love had forever gone from him, but only
\ a faint culver could have been noticed In the
| strong mans voice.
| Tears sprang 10 her eyes, she clasped her arms
4 tightly around his neck and buryfn0 har haad An