Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-12-10
.And you never willP"

 room, which she had no sooner done than her husband took the letter from under his foot and opened it so hurried ly that dozen sheets from it fell onto the floor; and as he gathered them up his wife, on again entering the room, would have seen what had happened and noticed his confusion, if she hadn't been interested in another letter that she held behind her with the evident intent of concealing it from her hus- band.
 When MT. Hornbill had crowded the sheets under his coat and gathered his scattered senses he said: "Who was it, my dear?'
 1.-The postman, who wanted to know if he had left the right letter. l told him that it was all right"
 "Was that alI?'' asked her husband.
 ''Yes, my dear"
 "He wanted nothing else?"
 'No, Horatio." "You are sure2" 'Certain, my love-" ''There can be no mistake, and you are not telling me fib?"
 Mot f1b.'
 "And you never did tell me flo. Hannah?" "Never." "Well-then, Hannah-well-I will get the curtains ready, and you needn't hurry" said MT. Hornbill, as he left the room.
 His wife wondered at his actions, but was glad to be alone for minute, as | the postman had given her letter that | he had forgotten to leave before; and it had aroused her curiosity, because it, 1 like the mysterious document that her | husband had received, was marked ''private." When MT. Hornbill entered the parlor he found the street-light insufficient for reading purposes, and returned to the sitting-room so suddenly that his wife had barely time to thrust her letter in her pocket "You had better arrange the curtains" |" he said, "for can't tell the tops from the bottoms"
 ''very well. my dear; you needn't hurry" she answered, as she left the | room.
 MT. Hornbill at once opened his let | ter, and smiled when he saw it was from his sister, who had arranged lit- l tie surprise for Hannah in the form of a play called ''The Tin-Wedding," which was to be given by herself and her brother Horatio the next night, and which was to be kept a profound secret | by the two performers. Tho words of the play were inClosed. Let me see," said Mir. Horubill, in soliloquy, as he looked at the play: "l am in love with Arabella-quite nat | ural-and as we part say: One more | kiss, Arabella,' and then"
 Here he was interrupted by the very sudden entrance of his wife, who ask ed: What did you say?"
 Nothing, my dear"
 "Who is Arabella?" she asked. "Ara-what?" | "Arabella."
 "Was she invited to the tin wed. ding2"
 "Never! Where is she?"
 II don't know her, my dear"
 "You should not speak to persons whom you don't know. Horatio, heard you say Arabella, as I entered, and want you to explain"
 'Certainiy, my dear; for you see was reading aloud from the paper and read her name."
 Mrs Hornbill thrust the paper in her | husbands hands as she said: ''Show | me the name of Arabella in that paper ! if you can." Mir. Hornbill took the paper with trembling hands and looked up one col umn and down another as he remarked: "1 don't remember whether it was in the market reports or Congressional proceedings"
 Perhaps it was shipping item,'' suggested his wife.
 "Yes, very likely" he said.
 ''Or perhaps it was a-a-lie," she said. as she burst into tears.
 He tried to soothe her and to explain that it was only joke. and that he said it was in the paper just to satisfy her. Forgive me. Hannah," ho said. "It that you heard me say Arabella."
 "Then leave me to compose my nerves" she answered. And he had no sooner left the room than she brought her mysterious letter to the light and saw that it was ritten by her brother, who said he had surprise for Horatio in the shape of a new dress-coat which, to quote his words, lis a much better present than a tin wash-boiler." Mrs Hornbill's reflections were interrupted l tailor's boy with the coat referred to- She could not resist the temptation to open the package and take look at 1t, though John had said not to open it. and Co keep it a secret until the next evening; and so great was her delight at the sight of it that in moment of playful thought she put it on and walked about the room. But her fun was brief, for she heard her husband coming, and just as he entered one door she went out of the other and, leaving tho coat in the hall, returned to the sitting-room.
 Hornbill.
 "Who?'' she said
 ''That man."
 'What man2 There was no man here. "
 "But saw him go out of the door,"
 "Ohl that?'