Connecticut western news., 1889-05-08

contemplating expelling him from our members"
 tGuy always was a wild sort of chap" admitted MT. Paley. "But his aunts spoiled him. He never had any bring ing up to speak of"
 ',But this illness seems to have ex- erted a wonderful influence over his moral nature,' added Doctor Delfcr. And really think Dorcas has done it all. Her influence has been wonderful" "She deserves great deal of credit, am sure," said MT. Paley. 'I should like to see her and thank her. I've brought few presents for her-a warm shawl, silver snuff box and black stuff gown"
 Doctor Delfer gasped little.
 "She-I don't think she takes snuff" said he, feebly.
 "All these nurses do."
 Yes-but-there she is nowP'
 The door opened and Dorcas Wynter came in, carrying student-lamp, which she had just filled and trimmed anew.
 Mir. Paley dropped the silver snuff box in astonishment.
 "I beg your pardon, am surer" stam- mered he.
 And when the doctor suggested that the nurse had better accompany young Guy on the journey home, he assented without remonstrance.
 "Nurse, indeed!" said Miss Sophro- nia Paley, gaunt, high-featured dam sel of fifty. "As if pretty, simper- ing chit of thing like that could un- derstand anything about nursingl'
 "she does, though" said Guy. ''she's a brick, Aunt soph. And I don't be- lieve I should have been alive now, if it wasn't for her.'
 ''You are quite we'll enough by this time to dispense with her services" said Mss Sophronia. IA boy that eats the quantity of mullins and plumjam that you did at tea, last night, cannot call himself an invalid any longer: She has been here month, and"
 ''But she's not to go away for all that, Aunt Soph," said Guy, who was devouriug roasted chestnuts like g dragon. "Ask papa. She's to be Mrs. Paley one of these days, and"
 ''Mrs. Paleyl' Aunt Sophronia turned green and yellow. 'It's come to that, then, has it9 We'll, I've suspected it this some time. And all I've got to say is-'
 "Seven years from now," said Guy, with his mouth full of chestnuts, "l shall be twenty-one and she twenty-six. Not enough difference to signify. And, he uttered, with a grin, as his aunt f1ounced wrathfully out of the room ''youll get your walking tickets, old lady, when I'm married! I'd as soor have deaths head and bones around the place any time."
 He was sitting curled up in the easiest chair in the library, reading book, hall an hour afterward, when the door opened and his father came in.
 Something in the paternal glance and movement struck the boy.
 q never saw father look so young and bright before, he thought "some- thing must have pleased him very much. Perhaps Aunt Soph is going to marry some old fogy or other, and the coas will be clear"
 'So you knew all about it, Guy2' said MT. Paley, laughingly.
 ''About what, sir?"
 "About my engagement.
 The book fell with crash to tn, floor.
 "Your-what, father2"
 "At least you told Aunt Sophroni. about it. We'll, I'm glad you are pleased, my boy. And Dorcas says sh' shall always love you as if you were he own son. As general thing, I don' approve of stepmothers, but you and Dorcas love each other so dearly, that Why, Guy, what is the matter2"
 For the boy had rushed out of thu } room with an odd, suffocating sensation in his throat.
 He met Dorcas coming in from tht garden, with bunch of scarlet holly -ber ries in her hand.
 'DorcasI' he cried-'sDorcas, yo1