Middletown transcript., 1892-09-29

Mildew's bad for muslin curtains, u
with an air of superiority.
"Lor', yes" said Miss Griggs
"'twas your muslin cuttings 1 see
when turned the corner, ,-you hain'i
he'd 'em long, hev yoof"
"Jest a fortnight" said Eliza.
81 thought SO, said Miss Griggs,
cor I'd hev seen 'em. I suppose, F"
continued, TOO full of her subject to
keep still any longer, you've heard
of the show thet's come to town."
Susan looked up quickly. g 1 hev, "
she said. /" The play cards hev been
up for a week"
" Why didn't | know ?" asked Miss
Alvira sharply. "There l wuz a.
settin in the wagon as unconscious as
the unborn babe, when thet sinful
picter flashed upon me-"
Pictsr?" inquired Mrs. Whipple.
Yes, picter Of q female woman
with cloiher no longer than thet on, !"
pointing to her own sharply defined
knee that even her voluminous drap-
cries could not conceal.
Eliza and Susan dropped their work
to listen.
"I kin feel the shock to my dyin'
day." went on Miss Alvira, enjoying
the sensation she had produced.
And there before tibet picter wuz
half the men and boys in Petersham.
| met Deacon Alloway, and sex | 10
him Deacon, is this to be allowed
right here in Petersham? Eff it is,
what kin we expect ?" A Judgment,
Alviry.' sez be, a Judgment; it's the
edge of the devils wedge, Alviry-
the same wedge he used in Sodom
apd Gomorrah. You kin look for a
ljedgment, or may be the hull town'll
be given up to him. I hear there's
been all sort of mysterious goin' ON
up to Podunk arter the show wuz
there "Them wuz his very words, y
and Miss Alvlra dropped back her
calash and famed herself with her
black silk apron.
There was troubled expression on
Mrs. Whipple's gentle face.
"There's none of US been near the
placards," she said, "the Judgment
don't belong 70 US by rights"
Alvira noted the glance that passed
between the girls
/" Them gals have Sc en- it" she said
to herself, then aloud -
"No, Miss Whipple, by rights ii
don't, but it'll most likely fall on the
innocent, But" she continued. we
know in our own hearts who's looked
at that pictur wilfuI. The devil knows
his own," glancing at the girls.
A slight noise in the best room had
attracted Mrs. Whipple's attention
and hearing it again, she put down
her work and went softly to the door.
"Ah! that best room, who can de-
scribe its preciousness and sanctity to
its owners heart? Never opened ex-
cept on rare occasions; guarded from
dust and moths with jealous care en-
tered only by a favored few, and
those favored ones were we're glad to
escape from its tomb-like chill to the
cozy warmth of the kitchen an OBJ
iect of torture, but at the same time
one Of pride to every member of the
family. The stiff horse hair covered
chairs and sofa, the vulgar red-and-
green carpet, the high mantel with its
ornaments of birch-bark and brass
candle.sticks on the ends, and in the
middle picture ola widow, suppos-
ed to be Mrs. Whipple, weeping at
her husbands grave. all made from
hair. ALI these were dear to Mrs.
Whipple and her daughters hearts,
but the supreme object of veneration,
almost of worship, was the large FAM
lily Bible. given to Mrs. Whipple at
her marriage. 1t stood on a small
covered stand underneath the mantel
shelf. In course Of time it had be.
come receptacle for all the family
treasures, and between the leaves re-
posed the one love-letter written by
Mr.. Whipple to his wife, the records
of all the family births and deaths,
with here and there q marriage, re.
markable book. marks, besides many
other momentos.
AS Mrs. Whipple pushed the door
open a curious sight met her eyes
There, swinging back and forth Oh
her muslin curtains, was creature
whose like she had never seen before
Something fearfully resembling q
human being yet il could not be
the thought was too horrible to be en-.
tertained for an instant. But there
it hung, waving its long tail this way
and that, and chattering fercely a
her.
The faint cry she uttered, brought
Miss Alvira to her side in mement
She in turn gave piercing shriet
that caused the girls to drop theil
work and hasten to the spot.
"The Judgment is upon US J" shried
ed Miss Alvira, it's the devil him
| ..IciD