Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1890-12-23


I don't imagine any tumbni pas-cn.
xvr. ticketed through Tor The guiliotine.
ever jol,ed along ino.o miscrably than ]
did taoss six miles. That morning had
lJvel Tom Jones ~ n brother. hal
worhiped the very ground ON which his
cousins No. ~ slipper trci; ] would
have crawlel on my knecr to have he-
accept the heart that WAS hers In i,s
every pulse. Now I hated that brcyet
second lieutenant with mortal hate. I
would sooner have mlxci my heart In .
DO, flip and profervl u 10 the BEARDED
/ lip of tho overturned than have leldci
IL To the tsnderrst tesccchings of thu
false. the pertidious. the shameless Detiie
blythe.
All things. however. even totturcs,
have an end. and In counc of time We
rachci "suiaiynook.- The minated
inistrcss ~ the manson was on the
porch. In the rnmmesi ~ caps and most
blankety of shawls. - sou as our slsish
whirlel into IN. cirrular drye. Miss
Anna few down the STEPS and twined
bsrself around Mis- Blythe. siili impli.
Gated In the fur. They wcrc wrapped
In each others arms should calculate
rome twenty seconds-they scmcl 90
ine ~ many minn,es--and. n they un.
coded. got the damagci rrmnant % q
confidence I distinctly caught the
whispered words. "the dearest ~ Gel.
lows ani "all Grei and rraiy.- from
the rsrfdious lip- o. Mis- Blythe. To
- at that moment the argus eyed spin.
s,sr. panoplici Ia immaculate cap and
ditto virtue. secmel q pitiful fagot of
weak prcantionS ! felt bitterly supc-
nor 10 her unworldlincss. AMI thrilled
with unholy satisfaction that under her
soguarlc,l ROOT was introduced GLANDS
tine passion none irvaincl 20 ave my-elf
A. for Mis- Anna. the sccncl blOnder
aud weaker anil more white moussy than
ever IN the reflection 20 the snow. alb
solutrly desId-sl her as the symbol %
fngiliiy Ia her scx-as phantom flower
without even the hber ~ womanhood.
Tom s-emc,i 10 shar my feelings In thi.
respect at least lie barely touched the
tits % her fingers. anil pared ca %
salute ancient Prudence In the porch.
Who conld wOnderi The girl looked
like hleachcd celery after tho spice plant
hs hail Just left
Dinner that day was a cheerful meal.
The oil lady at grimly al the head %
the table. with me on her night. Tom
ani hi. cousin opposite and the White
Nous az my side. Bette. frum wld
ctubcruncs ~ spirits. suddenly relap~ei
into lccp quie, that was almost sadness.
Tom. rcclning frahtically hungry and
eating dogg~lly. aid no word Anna
Belion never talked before her aunt. ~
the burlcn ~ convrration devolye,l on
me. A. have said. the ancicn, un.
welded was very deaf. and. like many
deaf r.roplc. she had the special GIFT Of
Yelling ,sIscially loud when shs desired
a. D. mot confidential. LcSs Tor her
conycnicnc. than o. fccd my new born
grudgc. rnunciated most cinphatically
all I sail O. her. hut At the guilty couple
opposite.
spoke most fcclingly on the sin Of
deceiylng doting parcnts-philosophic.
ally - the folly of impcunlous mar
riagys Tlis wa, q stirrup. and using u
a, onc-. the cll l,ly counted her hobby
with agility surprising fOr her years.
aad jogg-l along I'LL desert. In common
with every very cra,l-i spinstcr ever
net. she believed hsrself ESPECIALLY an
fait In the dsllcatr intricacie- % the
marTicl state. IIai her thre scOrs
years and ton been I,isscd with . succcs.
slon ~ inhuman hut rapidly removed
hushs.nis shc could not have rcposed
more implicit conllc.cc In her perfect
knowle,lg- u double infclioi,y. And
however sl.- might wander from ~. abe
Invariably ,aIne back to mODy az the
sole piyo, around which all happiness In
married lie rrvolyel.
"Fnghtful indeed would " BE-" wa
the pcrOm;.on ~ hvr long le'ture, III
young girLs were permitted 10 chcose fof
tncinsslVo- without consulting tho Wis.
dom % their elders What l. lhe Use of
our experience. our suffering. our mar
iyr,lom. N We may uot point ''ut 10 oar
children the true pa,h a. happine-sy'
"whai. ,adc.,iY' aSsentel "a strident
voice. and then aided as syur. "Ah,
how many a poor giilcaryes OF for her
sslf misc.ablc future by an i..consider.
ate choice and has'y plunge into the
dark gulf % marriel life
IIook,i full at Mis- blythe. who never
oolorcd NJ my words. nor even raised her
eyes from the pudding on her plate. A.
fOr Tom be ate his In grcat. absent
spoonfuls. and seemed 10 have joined
Nm. Jcllyby In one % her rainbles 10
Africa. Dut my shot was not wasted.
II scaiterr,l. and Que slug hit the spin.
s,sr. Ozark gulr' was good. and she
bridlei up In minated pride as she An
swvrcd.
How many. indeed. But rejoice 10
believe that some husbands are 80 well
regulated as 10 have the will of their
head both for their law and their de-
light Herr the old party raised her
voice To the confidential patch. some
where at A abo-l the line. MY own
experience Is a proof u my belief. for
next month my niece will
Mis- Belton turned scarlet. only %
grow more white and limp than ever. j
understood then that her engagement
must have been arranged and Affairs
hastened since her return; but the al
lusion seemed peculiarly painful 10 her.
"Aunty, auntyl' she cred, rising.
shall we not order coffee la the parlorr
A we rose from the table the old Lady
took my arm and lei mo to the post of
honor. the corner Of her special sofa be-
side the great fireplace. The others
grouped about the room. with the defiant
purro-e 10 b. agreeable, but u WAS not
written that the talk that night was 10
be pleasant to them. The aunt would
give me. at her highest confidence pitch.
the details of her strategy 10 surround
Goodwin, the enemy. and Of her cam
paign 10 crush incipient muiiny In the
White Mouse contingent That casti-
gaisi branch would wincv at each fresh
sentence. while the conscious couple
FROM P,keton quietly stole glanccs at
each other and weakly stroye TO turn
the right of our position. But ! had
taken y lesson from the team i had driven
into the snow hank that day. When the
old lady's slackenins pace gave symp-
| tosn. of fiayying. not the gray himself