The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-03
THE LOST SPECTACLES.
By EMMA A. OPPER.

II laid EN- right down here" said
Mr.. Bennett; land now they're gone"
Myra looked up from tho long sup
pcr-tablo she was clearing, with a sur
prising lack of agitation. She had not
kept house for Mr.. Bennett for the two
years since his wife had died without
learning that he was very probably the
most absent-minded old gentleman in
tho world.
FLaid 'em right down here" Mr..
Bennett repeated, fumbling about on
the kitchen window-siII; "and now
they amt here. Funnyl'
He spoke querulou'ly; and after a
Iong, hard day with the thrashers it
was ot much to be wonde cred at
"Arc you sure you left them there2'
said Myra. She had put the same question
on hundred previous OCCASIONS; but
she spoke patiently. She had had q
hard day, too, o,-getting dinner and sup
per for eleven men was no light task,
but Myra's sweetness was never ruf1ed.
You could have guessed that with one
look into her soft, calm, pretty blue
eyes.
'Am I sure2" said 1Ir. Bennett,
sharply, dropping into chair and wip-
ing his face with red handkerchief
Nov, what's the use of saying that,
Myry2 Don't always know where I
lay my spectacles? Irecollect putting
EN- down there, jest after supper; and
then l stepped out to settle up with
Varick, and fused round the barn a
little, and n low come back and they're
gone. I Irecollcct it, - said Mr.. Bennett,
as though his recollection was a thing
not to be disputed. 'And they're my
best gold bowed glasses; I don't wear
EN- common. Idon't know what I put
them on today for. Jest to get 'em
stole, Is'pose."
"Sto!e2" said Myra, in shocked re-
monstrance.
"Wal, I've got my suspicious" Mr..
Bennett responded, crossing his legs
with a jerk. 'Ive got 'em. What
do you think, anyhow, O. folks that
hire out to Varick to thrash for a OIL
lar a day, a-wearing white shirts and
collars, and having hands just as white
as that plate3 Whit do you think of it2"
Mr.. Bennett demanded, conclusivelv,
Myra's gentle face, bent 1uo
butter-dish she was scraping, 44shed
warmly.
"Do you mean Mr.. Goodwin" she
faltercd
How'd you know him9" said Mr..
Bennett, suspiciously.
"Oh, 1--we met him!' said Myra,
timidly. "Ho's staying with the Blacks,
next door to Aunt Mary's. He's Mr..
Blacks nephew; and he's in Aunt
Mary's sometimes. I've met him there
'H'ml hev-hev you2' said Mr.
Bennett, with a contemptuous grunt.
oval, you better let him alone; that's
my advice. If amt loosing my guess,
he amt fit for nobody to meetw
Myra, red checked, and brushing the
table-c cloth with futtering hands, was
silent.
"Does it look jest right" said Mr..
Bennett, sternly, 'for young man
slick and good-looking feller though
he be-to be going around with Varick' 8
thrashers, with them citifed ways"
'Ho's doing it on account of his
health" said Myra, bravely interrupt
ing. ''He came away from the city for
country air and exercise, and he's inde-
pendent enough to take the exercise in
way that will bring him little
money. He isn't rich"
Glow do you come to know so
much?' said Mr.. Bennett, acridly.
Told you, eha Wal, it's my advice
not to let him tell you any more. Won t
no good come of it. tell ye I've got
my suspicious. It amt jest right,
don't care what you say; something
wrong about it. For folIer like that
to go round thrashing, in them
clothes-'
II suppose they're all the clothes he
has with him." said Myra, patiently.
'In them clothes, and with that air
O. his. You need't tell mel Mr. Ben
nett ended, vaguely but immovably.
eyes, his manners are better than
sgd Young's, or Varick's," said Myra,
looking ruefuIly at the stained cloth
where Varick had eaten. "But is that
anything against him, Mr.. Bennett9'
'Wul, know jest as we'll as I want
TO where them glasses hev gono to-"
said Mr.. Bennett, with stubborn irato-
ness.
'Do you seriously think that Mr.
Goodwin has taken them2" said Myra,
her pretty eyes rem onstrantly wide.