Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-05-19

| and sacks and baby blankets. She's fitted most every baby in town, and while she's doin of 'em seems as if she jest dotes. She'll hold the little socks on her hand half hour together, them blue and pink ones, and look kind of smilin as if she was seein somethin that wasn't there. Now she's makin white blanket, and workin in rosebuds all over it, and she's real happy lookin when she's absorbed in that work. I've told her she might sell them things for hand some little sum, but she allus shakes her head. If she couldn't give 'em away it wouldn't do her mite of good. You see it don't cost her anything for clothes, and she puts that money she saves in wool and ribbins for the babies"
 "Is the cap'n at home now?' asked Mrs. Martha suddenly, as she ceased sucking the core of the pear.
 l "Yes; he's at home. Don't you see the smoke goin up from his kitchen chimbly? Got shipwrecked last wage off the Banks and come home with nothin but the clothes he was a-standin in, demijohn of old brandy and his Testament. But it didn't matter much to him so long as he come of with his life," continued Ann, as she squatted down by her shining stove to see how the little cakes were browning in the patty pans. ''The cap'n is pretty well fixed as to airthly goods. He's got more property now than he knows what to do with, and him not chick or child or any near kin"
 "Does he ever go past this house2'' asked Mrs. Whitcumb renectively.
 "I guess he does," said Ann with de- cision. "He ain't the man to go an inc' out of his way for nobody"
 "And does she see him, Ann, settin there at her window?"
 "I guess she does Mrs. Whitcumb, or she hears him every time, even when she's in bed with the cuttings drawed."
 "And does the cap'n look this way when he's passingP'
 "Haint turned his head or looked this way, Miss Whitcumb, for the past if teen year, not even when the laylocks and seringys are out in the yard, and them sweet scented rose pineys she had me buy at the fowerist's to take the place of the old fashioned red kind"
 "It beats all how contrary some folks can be, Ann. But I'll tell you what, she needs shock; it would do her a sight of good. You don't know but I've brought some dynamite along in my trunk"
 "Dynermite," said Ann, smiling and stretching the wrinkles of her face trans versely, thus giving it a grotesque ex- precision. The allusion to the trunk was 8 gentle hint that Mrs. Whitcumb de- sired Ann to help her convey the shiny black box up to her room. Ann had sworn off against carrying trunks or backing visitors boots. The latter offensive articles when put outside the chamber door were allowed to remain Ghere indefinitely unnoticed by the kitchen divinity. But Mrs. Whitcumb's hatteries had produced 8 certain soften ing about the edges, and now as she took the cakes out of the oven she said, not ungraciously: "I'n help you up with your trunk, Mis- Whitcumb, not as do it as general thing. let folks get in a man when there's heavy iftin; but if I remember right, yours ain't much moren bunnit box"
 Miss Mayhew, who was listening in the sitting room, with the white baby blanket she was knitting suspended in her hand, soon heard the pumping of the trunk on it's way up to the chamber.
 "I always did like this room," said Sister Martha, painting little from the tug up the stairs. ''Them three win dows are real pleasant and slightly, and there is good press to hang your dresses. I can look right down on Mis- Woods s front door and see the Wood girls beaux when they come to call. Does that old est Wood girl scream around in the front yard as much as she used top
 q guess not quite" said Ann; F'she's been gettin engaged, and shouldn't wonder if it he'd he'd subduin effect"
 "Gettin engaged, has she, Annp Why, that makes these windows real excitin. And there's the back of Cap'n Bligh's house and part of his orchard. What 9 sight of apples he's going to have on his trees-all g.afted fruit. The smoke is going up from his kitchen chimney straight as a column"
 "He's lived alone ever since his sister died. Don't hev no woman about ex- cept old Mis- Brewster. She cleans the house once a week and does his washin. He cooks his own meals all but bread, and that he buys at the baker's-ken, they say, brile steak and make coffee and johnny cake, and even pies, but | SnOuANLA WdAO IO Ctt1 any O4 OA1s
 "It's the strangest thing ever heard of," said Mrs. Martha, falling into a muse, ''that he should be Twin there and she here, only a stone's throw apart, just as if they was shut up each in a separate tomb"
 Ann went out and shut the door with. out making any reply. She had said all she meant to say about Cap'n Bligh and his affairs. Shell be kerryin things from me, and spreadin 'em over the town," was her inward, self rebuking re mark as she went down stairs.
 Mrs. Whitcumb soon followed. and after descending the shallow, easy steps opened discreetly the parlor door on the other side of the prim, cold hall from where Miss Mayhew sat at her window There was but dim light in the large room, for the shutters were closed, thu ' shades drawn and only A little rav hert