Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-03-15

- = ~ v LIN IN NJ LlEll2
rer9nrive memory as you SNOW very
well-but It isn't superhuman. At the
lowest computation, ! guess I've seen
about million mems faces in the course
Of my life, and it's ridiculous to expect
me to have 'em all sorted out and tick
eted in my mind like picture catalogue.
My memory is very fine"
Mrs. Smith recanted pleasantly. Her
husbands memory was good for his age
she was willing to admit, but it was not
hawless. About this young man, now,
1t seemed to her that if she could remem-
Der him at all, she could remember all
about him. These bitches in recollection
were provoking. It would have been
nice for the girls to find a young man
ready to their hands, bound to courtesy
by previous acquaintance with their
father.
She regretted that her husband should
fail to recall, and had neglected to in
quire, the name Of this interesting per-
son; but the knowledge that he was
there, and others beside him, ameliorated
the rigor of the situation.
Mrs. Smith did not care for the south
~
not her thoughts, nor their ways her
ways. In her ignorance she classed them
low in the scale Of civilization, deeming
them an Improbable race, whose days
were given over to sloth and their nights
to armed and malignant prowling. For
the colored people of the censured states
she had a profound and far off sympa-
thy, viewing them from an unreal and
romantic standpoint. This tender atti-
tude was mental; physically she shrank
from them with disgust, and it was not
the least Of the crosses entailed by a res
idence in the south that she would be
obliged to endure colored servants.
But all this was trif1ing and unimpor-
tant in comparison with the main issue,
Warmers health. To secure the shadow
OF hope for her boy Mrs. Smith decided
that anything short-of cannibalism in
her future surroundings would be en-
durable.
The information CLEANED from her hus-
band was faithfully repeated by Mrs.
Smith to her daughters, with some limo
cent exaggeration and unconscious en-
Enlistment. She always wanted to
make things pleasant for the children.
Blanche looked up from her crewel
sun6owers with reviving interest, but
Norma walked over to the window and
stood drumming on the panes and re-
garding the passers with a lowering
brow.
81 wonder what Nesbit Thorne will
think Of it all?" she remarked, after an
interval of silence, giving voice to the
inwardness of her discomfort.
"He'll hate it!' spoke Blanche, with
conviction; "he'l abhor it, just as we
do. know he will" Blanche always
followed her sisters lead, and when
Norma was cross considered it her duty
to be fearful. She was only disagree
able now because Norma was.
Percival, the youngest of the family, q
spoiled and lively lad of twelve, to
whom the prospect Of change was rap
ture, took up the last remark indig-
nantly.
''Nesbit won't do anything of the
kind, "quoth he. "Nesbit isn't spoiled.
airiied idiot of girl. He's got sense
enough to appreciate hunting and fish
ing and the things that are of importance
to men. I guess he'll want to come to
Shirley this autumn for his shooting in
stead Of going down to North Carolina"
Norma stopped her tatto and turned her
head slightly; the boy, observing that he
had scored a point, proceeded: "Just the
minute he gets back from Montana I'm
going to tell him all about Shirley and
beg him to come. And if he does, I'm
going cunning with him every day, and
make him teach me how to shoot-see if
DON'T" regarding his mother from
under his tawny brows threateninyly.
Percival's nature was adventurous and
unruly-he had red hair.
"Nesbit got back last night" an
nounced Warner from his sofa beside
the other window. 81 saw him pass the
house this morning. There he is now,
coming up the street. If his opinion is a
matter of such Importance, you can call
him over and get it. / don't see that it
makes any difference what he thinks,
myself" The latter part of the sentence
was muttered in an unheeded undertone.
Norma tapped sharply on the glass
and beckoned to a gentleman on the OPP
posite pavement. her brow clearing. He
nodded gayly in response, and crossing
in obedience to her summons, entered
the house Familiarity without ringing the
bell.
CHAPTER II.