Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-05-25

held it as she came limping forward in disheveled state pitiable to witness.
 "Merciful mani' she exclaimed as soon as her eyes fell on her mistress. sIf you aint a-laying right here on Cap'n Bligh's sofy, of all places in this town the most improperest."
 The tone of wailing had changed to one of sharp rebuke, like a distracted mother who, as soon as she has found her lost child, begins to shake him.
 "I couldn't find you nowhere, and I thought you was smoke suffocated. l tried to rush right into the kitchen part when it was all of light blaze. They held me back by main force, and I guess I fit and scratched like tiger cat. Them insurance men, if they choke me, can't make me say how it ketched. 1 don't know to save me whether it was the chimbly burnin out or ashes in a bar1. I sometimes he'd put ashes in a barl, but was always keerful about them bein cold and no sparks. If them insurance men use slow torture they can't make me tell; don't know.
 "Twas preparatory lecture night and was kind of hurried to get my dishes done and be of, for hain't missed preparatory lecture never since I came to the Mayhew place, and that was when Vinie was little; and the lecture room was warm, and sat in dark corner up against the wall, and the minister's voice went right on without change. knew he was sound in doc urine and could trust him, so guess l must have dozed of, for set right up with start when the church bell changed and somebody screeched frel and all the folks began scuttlin out of the room and after them as hard as I could pelt, for hain't missed fire no more than 8 meetin for over forty years. When I heard somebody say it was the old May hew place, seemed as though my head shot away from my legs, and I come right down on a kerbstone on all fours, and give myself bruise guess shall kerry to my grave.
 "When l got home see at once my part of the house was gone and all that jelly he'd put up. It kind of haunted me, that jelly did. The firemen were up on the roof hewin away with axes and sousin water down the walls. Mother Mayhew's chany and silver had all been took out of the corner cupboard that was plum up agin the burnin part and kerried mo- body knows where, and my clothes, they do say, are scattered all over Little6eld. When tried to find Miss Mayhew 1 went kind of blind, distracted like, and bumped up agin Frank Haley, and he said the captain had took her to Tuck erses. So over there went and there wasn't a soul to home; everybody had run to the fire. So navigated all over TNV1n "a presses and even looked under the beds, and did the same at Woods, but it want no use. So says to myself she's Tainted somewhere in 8 corner and been overlooked and Captain Bligh's got to answer for it. So came straight here and found her layin on the sofy and 1ookin as contented as 8 kitten in a basket of wool. Now Captain Bligh want you to pick her right up and kerry her home again. Her room hasn't had scorch and the beds aired and her things laid out for the night"
 The captain had pleasant twinkle in his eyes as he stood looking at Ann, and he said slowly and with great show of deiberation:
 But suppose your mistress has con- scented to stay with meT'
 "You can't hev herI' cried Ann fierce ly, like an old hen fighting for it's one chick. "And what place this is to ask a lady to stay in. A man of your prop erty should be ashamed of himself, Cap'n Bligh. It's downright heathenish, if do say it"
 "Don't be an old fool" the parrot put in casually, as if making mere passing remark
 Ann jumped as if she had been bitten in a sensitive part.
 "Oh," she cried snappishly, "Pd jest like to wiring the neck of that old swearir bird, as you've filled up full of bad lang widge."
 Don't get angry with poor old poll Ann. She learned those bad tricks al sea. The sailors taught them to her."
 "I don't like anything seafarin," said Ann, with her nose in the air, Gan old Mis- Mayhew never did either. We al ways agreed on them pints, though WI did differ some. She knew seafariI men is ungodly, most parts, and prodi gious swearers. guess she'd turn ovel in her grave if she could see her dartel a-layin there on that there sofy."
 The captain gave laugh that sounded happy and confident, and to Ann astonishment she saw that Miss Mayhev was smiling, too, and little girlsl , blush had stolen into her cheek. "Sup
 pose Ann," said she softly, tive were t ask the captain to come home and iv 1 with us. If we were to make him com
 fortable and happy he might forget al he has suffered in his lonely life, and al the evil that has been done him by un
 kind tongues"
 "Well, Leviny Mayhew, never di 2 hear the beat of that. It's just as if yo was throwin yourself at the captain
 head-as if you were offerin yourself" | "No, Ann," and she raised her voic 8 little so that every word might b |, clearly understood, Che asked me an
 I've accepted, seeing as he thinks IT worth taking though don't understan