Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-04-28
THORNS and ROSES.
BY THos. P. lIoNryoRD.

Copyright by AN. Kellogg Newspaper Q
 Well, when you feel Inclined, then, he replied. "I believe that Miss Per kins is at the bottom of the affair. She's a vicious, spiteful woman and needs toning down occasionally. I'll get to the bottom of the affair and have the whole matter sifted, and so rest as- sured that you will be lighted"
 When we reached Mrs. Bonds went directly to my Eroom, leaving MT. Der nard and Mrs. Bond in the hall. An hour later Mrs. Bond came up, and my door being unlocked she walked in. She was in an unpleasant humor, and before she had hardly seated herself she broke out with:
 Well, Miss Owens, you seem to have n wonderful lot of tears, judging from the amount you shed. never see so much cryin' in all my life as you have done since you come here"
 "You never saw anybody whose life was so dark and miserable" replied.
 "Wel, that may be-" she answered. 'I ain't got nothin' to say about that. But whose fault is it if your life is dark and miserable? You can't blame any body but yourself, for it's nobody but you that makes it that way. You know that well enough"
 I looked at her in amazement, unable to comprehend her meaning. How was I responsible for all the misery had suffered from infancy up? How was accountable for the life of suffering to which had been horn? What had to do with my lone, friendless condi- tion? How could avoid the knots and gnarls that saddened my life and made me the most wretched creature on earth? How was to blame for my ex- istence being n long series of troubles, disappointments, prosecutions and sor- rows? Had I made it so? Had I the power to make it otherwise?
 "You might as well dry your tears," Mrs. Bond went on, after pause, land prepare to talk sense, as well as listen to it. We've got to have an understand ing, and want it now"
 'I do not understand you," said.
 "Well, perhaps you will directly" she replied. "I want an explanation of your conduct in connection with Der nard, and must have it, or else you must leave this house. told you once before that could not afford to have the reputation of this house ruined, and won't. I've kept still as long as can in justice to myself, and I won't keep still any longer. I won't have decent people drove away on your account, and I won't have any goings-on here that makes people talk. Scandal is some- thing that I'm not going to be mixed up in and I'm not going to have my house mixed up in it."
 "What?" I cried. Are the people here talking about me?"
 "Are they?" she replied. "Well, 1 should think they are. And it looks to me like they're not to be blamed for it, either. They have cause to talk" Il
 was angry now, and starting up. I cried:
 "Mrs. Bond, that is false. have not l given you or anyone else cause to ' me. You know haven't"
 Maybe do," she answered, a little | Maybe havin' married \ man here to see you every few days, an being closeted with him in your room ain't no cause for talk? Maybe havin' him sprucin' around you all the time and treating you with ten times more attention than he does his wife ain't no | cause for talk2 say maybe these things are right and proper in your es- timation; but they ain't in mine, and other people think as do."
 Mrs Bond said great deal more, all to tho same effect, then arose and left me, bearing herself with cold | dignity and lofty disdain that chilled | me to the core.
 Twas completely and utterly wretched | after that. To be so grossly misjudged,, and accused of an offense so heinous, was the heaviest blow that had ever be- |