Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-04-27

iect of creation. 1t is curious world,
and perhaps he had encompassed the
truth, or at least, the seemingly nat
ural outcome of our condition, and
perhaps he had put his arms about q
shadow, or even an able-bodied lie.
At any rate, his big house was fin
ished, his head was bald and gray, and
he had deal of property, but his I'M
happy eye often dwelt longingly upon
a picture of big-domed building, that
ornamented the corner of a map upon
his inner Office wall, with something
of the expression that one might have
who looked upon the gates of Paradise.
He often caught himself wondering in
what bright particular part of that
stupendous pile the halls of Congress
lay, and once he called the still book
keeper, and under cover of an inquiry
as to the Capitol buildings dimensions,
asked him in which wing of the edifice
our great Assembly sat. The still
book-keeper snapped one of his black
eyes at the columns of figures he re-
turned to, after satisfying Joel. and
the corners of his thin mouth twitched.
Joel thereafter seldom entered his
inner office without dropping his
ure upon the map. Sometimes,
alone and try to fancy a time when he
should ascend the great marble flight
of steps into the great structure with
the great men of the Nation, and
again, when closeted with politician.
he would sometimes cast his eye up at
the picture and forget their planning
for a moment as he felt himself in
fancy coming down the massive steps
with some great man on his arm. But
he astutely said nothing touching this;
he was always helping others; guiding,
directing, advising, providing, shaping,
serving and protesting against receiv-
ing any thing in return beyond good
| will and fellowship. Indeed, he was
very generous there, Enthusiastically q
good fellow. Then he went to church
oftener than in other years, and, per-
| haps, little oftener touched hurried
glass against some other in the liquor
ing halls of Openstone.
| Now Harry was coming home from
college, and that event, coupled with
the Completion of the big Whitney
house, was to be hit off in a crushing
| social event. 1t would not be truthful
to pretend that Joel suggested to Mrs.
| Whitney the making of a big party
purely for display or entertainment or
an offering to society; for, while he Sc
cretly gloated at having his large pos
| sessions stuck well into the world 8
| eve, he vet had kind of horror of the
light and finery and perfumery of an
| evenings social show. 1t was so per-
sonal. so open, so near upon one, that
out of necessity nothing could be said
in earnest; q sort of meaningless play
ing of tag with the tongue in the midst
of display and inspection. He some-
how never liked it. But in this case it
seemed fitting; besides and with Joel
it was the main incentive-if the polit-
ical map of the district was ere long
changed, with himself stuck solidly in
its center like golden pin, some lit
tie social illumination about his person
might hasten the wandering moth OF
eyesight of his fellows. To this end
he wished that the selection of their
guests might be very impartial,
leaving no strata of respectable
Openstone unrepresented. But here
he collided violently with Mrs. Whit
ney's desires, for Mrs. Whitney cared
very much indeed who were and who
were not invited, while Joel cared only
that the selection comprised every
body, or at least as much of every
body as the house would hold. In the
end he had his way, but with the pro
vision that the first party being gen
eral in its compass, should be followed
by Mrs. Whitney giving other partic:
as she chose, and of quite as elegant
swollen n character as she desired
Mrs. Whitney insisted that the finer
portion at least of the furniture should
, be purchased in Chicago, but Joel. will
an eye on the political armament
| wis inc sfa hnN n
t in Openstone. In this he had his way
t as he did in most things touching thi
| single secret ambition of his, but il
: not much else. For Mrs. Whitney. a
her eyes and nose indicated, was we'll
{ | nigh infinitely fertile in ways for thu
, | pleasing of her own heart, and usual.
succeeded in firing the ponderous Joe
f | into acquiesccnce.
At length the day dawned-a pleas
= ant one in September-which SHOULD
t bring Harry Whitney with it from tn
: East. In honor of the event Joel al
r | rayed himself in clean linen, though n
! occasion could be conceived of suf1i
cient magnitude to make him dres
| we'll, or divest him of certain inerad
b icable horror of fine clothes, while Mrs
n Whitney did herself up in her lates
Y lincry. But Joel was imperativel
7 | caIleu INTO Tue country ny sohlethlh
h that occurred upon one of his farms
$ and Mrs. Whitney drove alone an
= with a tluttering pulse to meet the trai
: that should bring her son into Oper
d stone. AS she neared the depot, anon
:, good many other people, she notice
a John Earling walking up and dow
II one end of the platform with his hand
If behind him, and exchanging an occ:
e sional word with Absalom Hea
a err, who. in his mealy mil
e er's clothes, was leaning again:
s. the building. At that moment til
&c train came rushing from behind Ion
n string of greenhouses and elevator
J, and her horse SHE'D and began to bacl
y but Absalom sprang out and caught
v and John Earling helped her to align
d AS she smiled and thanked then
d Julius Popp, with twirling cane an