Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-04-25
IN THE MIDDLE WEST.
A Story of Life in the Great
Mississippi Valley.

blessedness of the Place of Posies he
don't want to forget that humanity is
rotten mess. Purgatory is necessi-
ty, it seems to me: u kind of cleanin =
up place, you know"
The old man gave a short laugh, and
drew out something from the cabinet.
"Now here, for instance" he began, sis
half of II bomb-shell that saw knock the
brain-bowl from a poor devils Shout
ders at Buena Vista. You see have
wired into it this pure white shell,
called Lilly" from the Indian
Ocean; one is the work of man, the 9th
err the work of God. Fine pair of
shells, amt theyP Of course, mans
suffers little in the comparison" and
the old lawyer broke into low bitter
kind of laugh. John Earling took
them into his hands and stood looking
at them, while the old man tapped his
foot a little and began humming a
gruff sort of tune as he rummaged in
the cabinet again.
One of the shells was very white and
shapely and veined with crystal and
pink, and the other black and ragged
of edge, and veined with glazed blood
and some short yellow hairs. While
the young man looked at them he
heard Maun running her fingers over
the keys of the piano, fetching little
sprays and low flights of sound, and
when he handed the shells back his
eyes were wet
The old lawyer had something else
in his hand, which, splitting quickly,
he began talking about He went on
about the room so, discoursing of this
and that object, and presently came to
the desk between the windows, and the
candies light being thrown on the
wall above it, John Earling started
back with q cry. A long serpent
skin was hanging there, spangled, and
striped. and glittering. against the wall.
The old man laughed ut the momen-
tary horror in the young mans eyes,
and gave the BROAD flashing hide a
stroke downward with the backs of
his crumpled fingers. "He was fine
fellow" he said. II got him in Mexico,
and come near making meal for tho
croeper in the bargain. What splen-
did belt his skin would make for the
Devil or his court Harlequin"
John Earring smiled and shuddered;
al hardly admire snakes enough to I'M
derstand how you can allow this thing
here" he said.
''Oh, my admiration for snakes
comes from old association, l pre-
sume," said the old man. ~ have
been great deal with them, for in
stance"-and he pushed the serpcnts
skin to one side disclosing the miniature
portrait of dark-eyed Spanish woman
hanging under it. John Earling looked
at it a moment and turned his eyes
upon the old mans face. The old law
yer let the skin swing back over the
picture and went toward the door.
Come, let's listen to the child play a
Bit" he said; lit will soon be time for
you to be going, expect"
The young man followed him into
the parlor, half smiling at the old
mans well-known brusquencss in dis
posing of people, as well as less scnsi-
tive things, and Maun, who was sitting
at the piano, got up and tioated toward
them in her soft willowy way and gave
them seats.
''Play us a bit, child" said the father;
''play us The Storm. And the
young girl went back to the piano at
the end of the room, with John Earl
ing's eyes feeding upon that musical
motion of hers, and flashing her eXqui-
site fingers along the keys i'll kind OF
prelude, began low, pattering move
ment. like the soft mingling of wind
| anu Itlus WI LoSC SlO" ~ IhbO u NSI-
uge of melody and crashed and ran
softly down into signing, whispering
space that grew again into thick rain
of notes and showercd and drove along
to thunderouS climax, with something
| like the tempests roar dying away in
the ringing caves of space.
| When she had finished, the old man,
who had been sitting with his arms
folded and his chin drawn in, got up,
and extending his crumpled hand tC
John Earring, said, in a low, husky
tone: Goodnight, sir; come often and
hear Maun play. Goodnight, daugh-
ter and he was gone.
i Maun came forward then with 6
smile dimpling about her mouth and
her dusky eyes aglow. She put ou
her hand and John Earling took it
feeling how electrical and alive hel
flesh was to the touch, and thanked
her for the pleasure she had giver
him, saying that her music was very
expressive and pleasant. The girl lief
her hand clinging in his moment il
a child-like innocent way. Music anC
father are all l have, or care fol
much,"- she said. "You must come
often, please; it's very dull some
times"
| AS she Salu lIllS Ill ncr MELLOW III
muring way. she let the hand that sh,
had given John Earling fall to he
side, and with her eyes down drew
the white back of her other han'
across her forehead with an artles
appealing motion. The young maj
could have kissed her as she stoot
there, so warm and lovely and like
child, but he only thanked her AM
bowed goodnight, and went ava
through the starlight to his lodging
Illuminating over this odd pair, am
hearing half consciously the whip
poor-wills calling among the plum
trees by the river.
CHAPTER XVI.
= John Earring did not easily find tn