Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-08-22

heightened the thin shoulders; she had never walked step since the casualty that nearly cost her her life. Only the face and hands were uninjured. Tho latter were exquisitely formed, the feat ures fine and clearly-cut, and suscepti- ble to every change of emotion. That the gentle reproof had not wrought peace- able fruits was apparent from her ex- pression. The misfit in her organiza- tion was more painfully perceptible to herself early in the day than afterward. She seemed to have lost consciousness of her unlikeness to other people while asleep, and to be compelled to readjust mental and physical conditions every morning. Hetty dreaded the process, yet was hardly aware of the full effect upon her own spirits, or why she so often went down to breakfast jaded and appe- titeless.
 '"I often ask myself" resumed Hester, with slow malignity, repulsive in one of her age and relation to those she condemned-''if children ever really honor their parents. We won't waste ammunition upon hGus-but there is my mother. She is pattern of all angelic virtues, and woman of remarkable mental endowments. You have told me again and again that she is the best person you ever knew-patient, heroic, loving, loyal and so on to the end of the stringI You tell over her perfections as Papist tells her beads. The law of kindness Is in her mouth; and her chill dren shall arise and call her blessed, and she ought not to be afraid of the snow for her household while her sister and her slave Tony are to the fore. Don't try to stop me or the toad will spit at you! say that this one would think impossible She, the modern rival of Solomon's pious and prudish wise woman-is weak and unjust and"
 Hetty interrupted the tirade by rising and laying the warped frame, all a quiver with excitement, upon the bed.
 You'd better get your sleep out"- covering her up. 'When you awake again you will behave more like a reasonable creature. I can not stay here and listen to vulgar abuse of your mother and my best friend"
 She said it in firm composure, drew down the shades, and without another glance at the convulsed heap sobbing under the bed-c1othes, left the chamber. Outside the door she paused as if ex- pecting to be recalled, but no summons came. She shook her head with a sad little smile and passed down to the breakfast-room.
 Father, mother and four children were at the table. MT. Wayt, in dressing jacket, slippers and silk skull-cap, acvp of steaming chocolate at his right hand, was engrossed in the morning paper. A pair of scissors was beside his plate, that he might clip out incident or sta tistics which might be useful in the preparation of his wide-awa!xe sermons. He made no sign of recognition at the entrance of his wife's sister; Mrs. Wayt smiled affectionately and lifted her face for good-morntng salute, indicating by an expressive gesture her surprise and pleasure at having found room and meal in such attractive order. Long practice had made her an adept in pantomime. The boys nodded over satisfactory mouthfuls; pretty Fanny pulled her aunt down for hug as she passed; even the baby made a mute rosebud of her mouth and beckoned Hetty not to over- look her.
 MT. Wayt's digestion was as idiosyn- cratic as his nervous system. While the important unseen apparatus carried on the business of assimilation, the rest of the physical man was held in quies- cent subjugation. Agitation of mole cular centres might entail ruinous con. sequences. He reasoned ably upon this point, citing learned authorities in de- fence of the dogma that simultaneous functionation-such as animated speech or auricular attention, and digestion an impossibility, and referring to the examples of dumb creatures to prove that rest during and after eating is a natural law.
 He raised his eyes above the margin of his newspaper at the chink of the chocolate-pot against the cup in Hettys s hand. The questioning gaze met a goodly sight. His wife's sister wore a buff gingham, finished at throat and wrists with white cambrio ruff1es, hemmed and gathered by herself. Her dark-brown hair was in perfect order her sleeves were pushed back from strong, shapely wrists. She always gave one the impression of clean. limbedness, elasticity and neatness She was firm of flesh and of will. The rrettier woman at the head of the