Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-04-27

country met him at the store door.
For a moment he did not recognize this
very slightly son of his, and when the
young man whipped his cane under his
arm and grasped the father by the
hand, that overpowered person only
stared at him a moment with his
mouth open and sat down on a dry
goods box and groaned. The son was
visibly embarrassed by this procedure,
and took off his hat to dry his forehead
with his silk handkerchief, when Joel
saw that his short yellow hair was part
ed in the middle; then he fetched an
other and greater groan and got up
from the dry-goods box and into his
buggy, that stood at the curb, and,
without uttering n word, drove off with
the corners of his big mouth drawn
down and the puffs under his eyes very
dark.
"Jove!' said the son, as he watched
his father turn the corner, ..evidently
am too flip for the governor!' And
he walked away.
Joel thought of John Earring; he
could not keep from contrasting these
two young men who had ridden his
knees when children. The one with every
thing to do and every thing to achieve,
the other never having had any thing
to do nor any object compelling him
to follow. "She done it; she never would
let him do any thing or be any thing
but a"-and he closed his big jaw
upon the sentence grimly. He was
probably thinking of Mrs. Whitney's
indulgent softness with the boy. He
was glum and bitter for some days,
while Mrs. Whitney was in a crickety
ecstasy over the return of her elegant
offspring.
But the big party was coming on
apace. and Joers iron mood died slow
ly into softer humor as he thought
upon his own behavior then and the
benignant warmth to be radiated from
that fine event. Presently the evening
came round, a moonless one. but clear
and itup by unnumbered stars, and the
radiant Whitney mansion was palpi-
tant with light and life and fra grant
fiutterings. Every body was there.
and the big house murmured and fair
/ ly pcrspired through all its rooms and
halls and closets.
Joel was greatly lifted up in spirit
by this popular and palpitating influx,
and was everywhere shaking hands
with some seen but an hour before
and welcoming, talking, introducing,
| joking and eXerting himself until quite
purple. Harry was very erect and
faultless of cloth and serene and pas
sionless, with his nose held rather high,
while his mother played the hostess
with florid dignity and exasperating
talked great deal, there could be no
doubt of that, and rather loud, too,
perhaps, but doubtless she could be
consistently forgiven, since well-nigh
every one was talking at a killing pace.
John Earring was there; for Joel
would let no one 60 unlimited, and the
young man was too magnanimous to
seem to resent 1t by remaining absent
He was talking little STRANGELY with
Harry, for something of the old-time
freedom had departed from between
them. Julius Popp was present, too,
and effervescing under tremendous
pressure of wit and ideas as ne went
about upon those infinitely small knee
junpings of his. with his prince
Albert coat buttoned tight at the
waist and flaring open at the breast with
a large noscgay in its lapel, and his eye
glasses high on his agitated nose. Yeslit,
too, was fine in a sweeping train OF
corn-colored stuff and unusually pro-
life of little ecstatic squeaks. She
talked with distracting rapidity and
squealed dclightedly whenever the sub
ject was changed or any thing hap
pened, and seemed always aching tc
ing in a stiff broadcloth suit, looked a.
if, were it not for the cool cross-eyec
Ether's presence, he might at any mo.
ment break away in n run. Salvo PopI
also, q good deal burdened with his slop
ing shoulders and inability to perform
glibly with his tongue. kept about the
corners, passing now and then a wore
with the still book-keepcr and watch
ing the others. He noticed that Joel
quiet accountant lifted his black eye
toward John Earring a great many
times during the evening, and tina
while he was outwardly composed h
seemed to suffer with the incessan
buzz of voices, and he wondered if tn,
book-keeper, like himself, was sighinE
within because he was not strong AMI
} tall and detinite-looking like JohI
: Earling.
Openstone had never hit upon
: freer. grander time. When the joll,
confusion had gone on q short time
= John Earling was standing at the in
terror end of the two parlors talkin!
with Harry, when he saw with surpris
the OLD lawyer enter. lie was Loosely
dressed and his eyes glanced abou
; under his shaggy brows as he nodded
! his big STOPPING head to right and left
Behind him came the superbly-moldet
Maun, softly swaying her shimmerinj
silks. John Earling's blood gave boun'
at sight of her, and Harry said: by Joe
l the old boy has let the bird out Of tn
cage at last" John Earling said moth
: ing, and they both watched her max
: her slow, willowy way to seat; the
:. they fell to talking absently again wit
= their eyes occasionally seeking her out
Q Other eyes followed her, too, an
among them the still book-keeper'
: with his thin cheeks mantling at tn
!: sight. Then presently every one wa
= drifting about, and John Earling an
: Harry found themselves not far fror
!; Maun. When she saw them she ros
U up with Guickened color, looking Ia