Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-09-18


 though the glass front of the cage inter- vened. She came out from beneath her blanket ard reared slowly up, swaying a little from side to side. I have no doubt that shall be able to perform all the feats of the Hindoo charlners with a lit tie practice. Hereafter I shall have my queen of cobras out of her cage on the floor. I wonder what Sinfire will say to her!
 It is more than week, by the way, since Sinfire arrived here. So little occurs in our EloTotonous round of life that this event deserves to be recorded. lam per haps the least inhospitable member of our household, but even I, had I been asked 10 days ago whether it were possible for us to receive a stranger into the family, 1 and of all strangers young lady, should have answered Nor with promptness ! and decision. Mother indeed is woman of the world and profoundly versed in all social etiquette and behavior, but ''soci- ety" hospitality and cordiality are one 1 thing and the perennial kindliness that makes a guest feel wholly and perma- nently at home is quite another thing 1 Now, mother has many virtues. She is aristocratic, digniiied. courteous. elegant, i high tempered, headStrong and keen wit ! ted Nay, she has strong affections, too { in way of her own. but fancy her most partial admirers foremost among whom Is her youngest son) would hardly ! characterize her as q warm hearted woman.
 The perfection of her manners instead of putting people at their ease, as perfect manners are said to do, makes them sen sible of their own comparative bOorish- ness. The faultless taste of her attire causes the best dressed woman to seem dowdy. This is no fault of my mothers. It is simply matter of temperament of the sphere" as the mystic social phi l losophers would term ii. There is some thing about her that prevents her from uniting with others. She has made this same criticism on me and possibly with justice. though I thInk that in my case 1t is rather acquired than innate. We'll, this unassailable mother of mine has en- countered the exception that proves her rule She has met person who has clio ited her curdiality. And q very genuine. downright kind of cordiality it turns out to be, none the worse for having lain so long i'll the secret chamber of her heart Yet l should never have imagined that Sinfire was the enchantrcss who would have the key to that door. There is. for all any one can see, absolutely no com munity of feeling or experience between mother and her.
 John being at any rate a man is a less remarkable case. but even he outstrips anticipation. John has always seemed to me the ideal of an English country Efn 1x-,N,,ll In, l,, C., master of foxhoundS-a man able and willing to browbeat everybody. to domi- neer and be choleriC and vet to com mand the hearty good will of all. owing to their recognition of his unalterable honesty and Childlike kindness of heart John did not learn much at school. and he came to an untimely end in college, but where l made one friend he made twenty, and his truest friend was the one to whom. at the nutsct of their aC- Quaintancc, he administered the most terrible thrashing. John loves eating and drinking as much as any man, but he would starvr himself for a week rather than dock his mare of peck of cats or his dog of a biscuit.
 John has absurd, undemocratic theo- ries. and fancies himself the superior of every one he meets because he is the heir of the Mainwarings bur there is one per son before whom he hIunbles himself, and that is the English groom i'll his sta bles. John would face dozen footpads with heart of trust and would probably get the best of them. but in the presence of a pettiCoat tan embroidered one at leasD his big voice sinks to d quaVer and rumble. and his naughty glance quails and falls. In view of this latter fact 1t would not have been surprising if Sintre (who does wear an embroidered one) had put him to flight, but her distinction con sisted in having inspired him with new spirit in virtue of which he is rapidly emerging fro,n barbarism into civiliza- tion.
 Instead of talking with hoStler and roaring out an oath when his humor Is crossed he attempts polite conversation God bless him9 and courteous irony; in stead of drinking himself crimson after dinner he limits himself to six glasses and every one a toast; instead of start ing off betimes in the morning on lone ly hunting or horseback expedition he dawdles anxiously about the veranda i'll Comical anxiety tu secure i'll not too harcfaCcd d manner the monopoly of Cousin Sinfire'S" Companionship. This would be less remarkable were John or dinarily susceptible, hut can Vouch for it that every good looking girl within radius of +U miles has been tried upon him with the result only of putting him to flight. Cousin Sinfirc therefore must wield some spell unknown {" the com mon run of vnung ladies.
 Indeed I am myself put lnsenHble [" a peculiar quality III hes which ! can conceive to be very attractive to many or to most people She is pretty but it IS not that She is intelligent but # is not that And she has high animal spirits and g-acefa! v;vac;ty. but neither is it ILl-r N I'd jC2L-.- .- IL s2c,-ty p-.ccc::scIIy wL1c .t ::; -lc aLc2-d ba able to analyze her if anybody can, be- cause toward her, as toward the rest of mankind. occupy the position of an outsider aud dispassiunateo observer mere ly. Moreover, l have motive for mak- ing the analysis--that, in my role of gen eral caretaker of the family. I must de termine whether or not she Is q fit and proper person to become Mrs. Mainwar ing and thus to relegate mother 10 the position of dowager. for there is no doubt that John will marry her If he can. and after making all due allowance for wavwardneSs of q mailen's fancy it would not do to build too confidently on the probability of her rejecting d generous hearted, fine looking, infatu ated young fellow with $50, ,OOO a year to his fortune. At all events 1 shall make it my business to improve my acquaint- ance with her. and the fact that she evi- dent!y regards me as an inoffensive and rather agreeable person renders the exc cution of my design all the easier. She came upon us as abruptly and un-