Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-06-24
THE ATHELSTONS;
VICTOR AND vANQU1sHED.
BY MARY CECIL HAY.

had grown terribly tired of me during the last few minutes. So those are all at The Anchorage, except the tutor with whom Miss borden is smitten that iant slang, and don't feel computation At telling her secret. When she herneli dosan't keep it, what respect can I have for it?"
 "Then Col. Stuart was . widowes within year of his marriage-day ?" askea Lima
 "Yes. Wouldn't 1t be awful to marry Awidower? One would always be men, tally compared, disadvantageously, with the first wife; because, of oourse, ell the bad qualities of wife are forgotten after she is dead. I wouldn't be any ohild's step-mother or any mans step-wife."
 "Col. Stuart has no child, has he ?" asked Lima, laughing.
 "No," returned Marjorie, the reply rather hurried. "But did not say I was thinking then of Col. Stuart It is terrible fact to think how safely he ha. cast anchor as an old bachelor widower. was merely reheArsing my determination never to be any ones second love-"
 "Girls often make those determine tions, and act exactly in opposition" re- marked Lima.
 "Not girls like me. Now, I will tell you Col. StuArt's latest 'freAk. He has brought an artist-not at all first hero to take some sketches for illus trating book Col. Stuart's father wrote about HiRhshire. He found him out by buying a sketch that was for sale: for no one told of. or recommended. him. This artist has one of the cottages in Neither Lane, and he lives there in such queer huggery-muggery way q hope that's real word. The oddest thing is that, though of course he is getting Q good deal of money-at least, suppose Col. Stuart would give him a respecta- ble sum-he still lives as if he were as poor as he could be. His name ii Spendir; but you must understand how he lives, and how rarely he makes a purchase, before you can fully appre- ciate the dainty irony of the name. Fitz Spendir-isn't it an odd name altogeth- CT? He. too, iSaA widower, I presume (not that any she in Highshire knows or cares about it), for he has little boy who calls him father; boy quite as old as Jack Esdaile, so that his father must have been tremendously young-I mean very young,-when he married, for he ChAAOb Oo uUONc AOW. 4u0k0 only two cottages in Neither Lane, side "and they are such e contrast now. The woman who lives in one is a widow, though perfect old maid for neatness and primness and acidity. Poor thingi she has had cloud upon her way for years, and I do not mean to complain of her. Her home is a picture of order, and contains more of everything than she can possibly need through her ife- time whereas MT. Spendir's Is bare and desolate, containing only just meager necessaries but, to make up, there are book shelves and pictures and chiffon iers, and things actually painted on the walls, to represent real furniture. I rather like the idea-dont youP A queer life they seem to live there, the father and son, with no womAnhood to look after them, no one to do anything for either of them but the other"
 "Perhaps their neighbor helps them," suggested Lima.
 "Mrs. Cheere helps them l" echoed Marjorie, laughing. "Why, they wage perpetual guerrilla warfare! She con- siders it an insult that they were allowed to have the cottage next to hers, and she scolds at thsm-she would not con- descend even to scold to them-at every opportunity. take great interest in them, Miss Chester" added Marjorie. rather gravely; "and long to know how they manage, and if they are very wretched."
 "Do they look so ?" questioned Lima.
 "No, think not. Of course the house looks very odd and comfortless but the artist is not peculiar at all, and the boy, though q rather strong contrast to bright little petted Jack Es- daile, is not more odd than many boys about Churchill. I got Col. Stuart to take me, and introduce me, and show me the pictures, because I inherit my mothers curiosity-Eve's, of course, | mean--and I remember how chilly the room felt when the mystery of its fur vivid remembrance of it than of many handsome rooms. There was a rather barren tea-table, a hungry boy, e great gray cat and g restless, satirical, bearded man, By the way, would you like to go, Miss Chester, and see these sketches. which we are all expected to be interest ed in."
 "Very much, assented Lima.
 "Then let me take you. But forgot to tell you that MT. Spendir sings beau tifully-hs certainly doesn't paint beau tifully, so do not think him a paragon; have not only heard of it, but havo really heard him. was told one night that Mrs. Cheere-the woman who lives next door-was ill, so went to see her. While I was there, I heard mans voice singing in kind of lazy, dasultory way, as if the man himself were very busy. you know that sort of singing. listened at once, eager to hear. Oh, it was sing ingl And what do you think it was p- Mendelssohn's If with all your hearts : and-and-" Miss Castillain stammered little, as she wondered whether it was fancy which had brought that strange, still look of pain into Lina's eyes" and of course you would have thought then that he was goody, or classical, or some. thing of that kind but had no sooner left Dorcas' cottage. on purpose that might finger outside and hear moro. lhan he went straight of into Some Jyxxtu ,.ks, -l @l