Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-05-23
lire the seven sisters m tho ball0d, : what's his name, vaguely sObbed My

1kK0 606 S0V6u 6lSV6T6 HI Utlc OttA1uAS what's his name, !" vaguely sobbed My :
 s'Weil run away and 1.-Two on wild cAe = ries," said Flossy, the youngest,
 But Bella recoverS k..seif first.
 ''Let us disgust Eisl, siis, cries. brave ly. ..Let us frighten il ;n, away. Let us show him what it woul, be for an ol. man to marry a young girl who didns care for him."
 My tiarIings, here is Mir. Partridaa. come, hope. to make us n delightiUt'v long Nisit," said the mother to her daughters. five minutes later; but tao daughters shook hands With tho Tar tridge in a limp and unenthusisstic fash ion, and ra;reating to sofa, began lo gigg:c together in way that horri,iaa their mother.
 Gene. ally they were SO charming. Wh'-, when a fortune might be lost by it, won'.. they appear at their worst now? '. fact that Dominick Partridge intcnde.i to look for wife in her home Eusl b""n communicated to her by simon sti.!.i' who had managed to get himself sent over with u present of poultry.
 "He's sort O backward, on account uf gettin' on in life, the old man had said: '.but you kin encourage hlnl, and kno~ how solid he is and what he's worth" With which recommendation he cc- parted. And now the middle-aged man sat looking at the giggling girls, Mi might have been his daughters; and th,''r | mother, in despair at their conduct famed herself on her sofa and did hor | best to place them in favorable light. | But when she sent Bella to the piano, the girl, instead of playing A Cascade of | Pearls" or The Ripping Waterfall nicely, pretended to forget her notes, an she dared not bid Flossy bring her port folio of drawings, because the girl hai been making caricaturcs of MT. Partids" | nm, EiG EnnnS tn hal hnS in lnnu f,n.lyS ,.l | day, and was capable of producing th,s.:n. | And Myra was dangerous when vcXG,i. and she felt pleased when Mir. Partri ;.'' declared that he must see how tho gci.". looked and, rising, sauntered oat iuto <. | Then, indeed, she could scold her girl, in whispers.
 Dominick Partridge did not finger to listen, nor did he pause to look at the flowers he passed as he skir,ed the house. 1 and stopped a; tow window. beside | which a wons 1ri sat pncllns peachc4. She l was dressed in black n;ins $ yelling, nnI wore O white linen collar, ami :;tie dark crimson bow at her throat. Over her dress was tied check apron. She | bore traces of great beauty in her face, but she was fifty years old, and looked 1t.
 "Cousin Bee" said Dominick Partridge, "how are you?"
 She looked up and smiled at him. | "I'm very we'll" sho said. ''I'm never anything else; and suppose you aren't sick, or you wouldn't be nyin' round after the girls. I hear you're going to marry?"
 "rm generally refused, you know" he answered, ''so shah punt my chickens before they're matched, this time." | She blushed.
 l ..Have peach?" she asked ..They'co good."
 l He took one.
 "They don't hold candle to some of up my orchards. The place is sight to behold for beauty. Bee. The house wants l tixin'"
 ''For bride?" added Bee. l "Yes," said Dominick. "for bride. She should hev her own way about things. I could afford it. How do you like being Mrs. Squire Dobsons house. keeper, Beer" .'Like!" repeated Bee. .Oh, I don't expect to like nowadays; just put up with things. I can do. don't mind doin. She likes that She calls me
 housekeeper. I'm here because she 1 does; but do hard work for very little pay. The other servant they put cap on and call maid Maid and house. keeper Well, as I said, eff I wasn't called housekeeper couldn't stay, and I l l After your husband died," said Domi- | nick.
 After he went off," said Bee, sternly.
 "But he has been dead three years" l And I've had enough fur two all this
 while, said Dominick Partridge, softly. | "Well, I've no doubt one of the Misses l Dobson will share it," said Bee. When
 Si Millet told Mrs. Dobson, she was set up, can tell you. I'd have Bella eff I
 were you. She's got the most sense.
 They haven't any of them got too much,
 but they're pretty" "Pshaw!' said Dominick Partridge.
 "Bee- did you believe Simon Millet when he said was such an old fool as to want one of those little girls? I'm not an old man. I've got years before me. feel I
 hadn't orter be alone, but don't want dressy baby to bring up. What want.
 Bee, Is you. You re dear. darling little woman, and I've hankered after you all my life. When I heard for sure that your count"
 .He was baron." said Bee. l "Well, that your baron was dead, I made up my mind that I'd never left off l loving you and jest four days ago I said sons and ask Bee again. P'raps she'll l hev mo this time.'" l II don't know what you want of an | old thing like me-" said Bee; but she laughed, and he kissed her. '.Three young girls, peeping through the hedge hard by, saw him, and clap ping their hands softly, ran away to tell | their mother. And he is awfully nice, and she is ! awfully nice." they cried, in a musical l chorus 'and it was all n mistake of that ridiculous Simon; and you ought to be glad. ma, that you didn' let him find out what you thought. One of us and Mir. Partridge! Absurd. But it's splendid | for Bee, and romantic, for they were old