Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-10-09
Her r Father'S.ViCtim.
BY THos P. MoNTFoRT.

Copyright by A. N Kellogg Newspaper Go. of nervous fi.i. Every one felt that she would not keep up this rigid deport- mcnt for many days, and they were as- surcd that when she did break loose there would be terrible explosion.
 Thus for week Aunt Mitchell kept the family on the needles of Suspcasc. Mrs. Blatchford grew so nervous in the meantime that every unusu2l noise caused her heart to cease beating. Blatchford worked himself up to such Q point of uncaSincss that he stood in mo- mcntury dread of some great misfor- tune. As for old Mrs. Spiclller, Aunt Mitchell knocked her clear out of the ring tt first sight. The icy bow and the piercing look she gave that old lady on the occasion of their introduction was sufficient to tGrrOrizc her for all time to come. Mrs Spiclll," was the possrssnr of considerable spirit, and many people h;lA quailcd before her gaze, but she was not equal to Aunt MitphVil'S cutting glance. She tried to avoid Aunt Mitchcll's eyes after that first meeting. and if by chance she did catch glance from them she wiltcd and shrank until she felt that she was Lut ;'M atom of hununity--a mere specli of ilr,h and blood.
 Uur morning the Blatchford house. I'd were assembled at breakfast. Wlicn Aunt Mitchell came in a little late. \ glance at her face as she cold " nodded her salutatiOn was enough to reveal the fact that her feelings were struggling vehcmcntly to break loose. She sat down to the table with snap, and putting herself in the most rigid at titudr, preserved a perfect silence. BlatchfOrd was detailing to his wife the particulars of plan for the repainting and repairing of the church.
 Ut can be done for q hundred dol lars" he said, "and that amount can be easily raised"
 "I should think so replied Sarah. ''Nou will give something, llnow.''
 ''Yr,. have already subscribed tlvcnty-iivc dollars. Ten for myself, ten for you and five for mother"
 Aunt Mitchell said nothing just then, Dut the corners of her mouth began to tWit, h and she jabbcd her fork into the food yiciously. Two or three minutes passed in perfect silence, then Aunt Mitchell laid her knife and fork down. drew a long breath, and said:
 Hiram, you re fool.
 The bomb had been discharged, and its effect was wonderful. Hiram sat with Us knife and fork in hand. and with his mouth and eyes open, trans EXcd. sarah turned all sorts of cOlOrs and trc!nblcd all over. Mrs. Spiclllcr felt herself diminishing so rapidly that shr thought sure she would disappear altogether in a little while.
 Hiram, you're a fool Aunt Mitch ell repeated after giving a contemptu- ous glance around. ''You'rc fool and worse You're a fool to think that yGu have got any religion. You're a fool to bc led by the nose, and you're worse than a fool to turn your home into an asylum for these Pickles while your own child is an outcast in the world. without friends or money I tell you, Hiram Blatchford, you haven't got as much religion as a buzzard. and you haven't got as much heart as a stone"
 "Why-- why, Mitchell" Hiram stam- mcrcd, having recovered a little from his aStOnishmcnt.
 "Dont why me, Hiram" Aunt Mitchell went on. II know what I'm talking about, and you know I do. The idea of you giving money to convert the hrathcn and paint the church and all that sort of thing, when your own child may br starving for food. It's shame and muvkcry, and wonder that God doH't damn you for it, The idea of you helping to convert the hcathcn! It's ridiculous. If there is wild nigger in .trrica that is any more hcathenish toward his offspring than you are toward yours, then I say God pity him. Oh you may vince. Hiram, but you