The record-union., 1894-06-02

| ing above Ned Watson and not at him.
Couldn't a doctor have a doctor for q
wife, n ed?''
"Never!-no more than lawyer, q
novelist or a poet!"
.Why?'
You have read pretty nearly every
thing" he said with an impatient gesture
OF his head toward the hostel parlor and
the books. Didn't you ever run across
anything of the sort in them?"
MY. yesi Always quarreling," inter
rupted Sis in matter-of-fact way. as
though the lessons OF the books should
have been better learned.
And we would quarrel like them?"
mo doubt about it," replied Ned with
the air of a sage.
She sat little longer beside her sister
on the perch. Her eyes were still fast
ened upon the ceiling above, and as il
upon some point infinitely beyond the
| handsome, earnest fellow in the old raw
hide -bottomed chair. Perhaps in those
few moments the elder Postmistress OF
Sohonk became woman, mature in plan
and purpose. II not then, surely so be-
fore Ned Watson left her side.
her dream or musings were soon inter-
rupted by the notes of Mat Stuyvesant' s
posthorn. Sis brought the incoming
pouch from the cart, carried out the out
going bag and with il generous supply
of milk TO the dusty and hungry carrier.
and soon the two girls were busily en-
gagged distributing the daily mail. Mat
thew had scarcely departed on his up
valley journey, when merry voices were
heard in front of the ancint inn,
There's his Wheel" said one, as though
proof OF the presence OF a culprit had been
discovered.
And this is his lair," cried another
trlumphantly. What little rogues these
Postmistresses of Sohonk must be, in
deed, to win Ned Watson from the charms
OF us girls over at the lakel''
"Why, he's made love to score of us.
IN turn, over there,' laughed another.
HE gives promise of speedily attaining
line family practice. on graduation,n re-
marked another gayly.
And then lively party of young
women from the lake hotel burst into the
Sohonk Postoffice.
My, but this is an old curio,o shouted
one OF them enrapturedly, as she merrily
trlpped from place to place about the an
clent room. Gracious! l must sketch
this Instantly"
Her companions bustled about her.
provided her with seat, and then, gig
gllng, crlticising, taunting, teased her
with suggestions in her work.
"P!l show this to Ned Watson the next
time he makes love to me-" said the art
lst OF the party as she filled in the out
lines OF the interior rapidly,
ont that be jolly. thought" gurgled
one OF her companions. Get in those
bobbing heads behind the boxes, dov,
Thud! thud! thud! went the letters and
papers into their compartments with
more than usual emphasis and force,
'Oh. and don't miss those sirens feet
exclaimed another under her breath.
though loud enough to be heard by the
Postmistress of Sohonk.
rect? l should say So" chimed in
ahother. why. the very curving of
those rural toes have character in themi
Wonder if the anatomy of those toes
caught Ned?"
linen the group laughed that merry,
savage, high-pitched laughter that comes
SO cruelty from women's lips, when they
know they are stabbing other women
who are for the moment beneath them
and helpless.
But the speaker had certainly caught an
artlstlc truth. Twenty bare and pink
little toes, tense from mute INDIGNATION at
the cruel inquisition. behind the boxes
were curvlng down and inwardly upon
the old brick floor, like the trembling
talonS of birds as they are startled into
precipitate flight. Tears were also fall
ing so thickly that there was a little lull
in the humping and thudding of the let
ters and papers into their respective re-
ceptacles.
Suddenly the artist gave little scream.
Her companions crowded about her in
stantly. She pointed under the open
counter to where Ned Watson sat crouch
ing and undergoing his share of mental
torment, and then asked, in a voice of
mock tragedy:
''Girls, do you know the gay cavalier to
whom those tan Bluchers belong?'
'Gracious me'' MY goodness" and
'Mercy on ne," were at first their smoth-
cred calculations, and then they all loudly
chorused:
Ned Watson!'
''And Ned Watson is proud to have his
tan Bluchers in so innocent and good a
picture" said the young fellow, man
fully rising In his place head and shoul-
ders above the row of boxes.
'Ouch," cried the inquisitors, scram-
bling pellmell into the roadway in a
body-all but one.
That one was the imperturable artist
Advancing to the little window she took
good look at the Postmistresses of So
honk. She saw in their faces the first
tempest OF confusion and self-conscious
shame they had ever known or felt.
Then, with exasperating coolness, she
made little pencil memorandum at the
bottom of her sketch.
II will call It," she murmured as last
stab while writing: .'Stolen Sweets, or,
The Postmistresses of Sohonkv'
Then she rejoined her companions, and
moment later shout of taunting tri-
umph was heard in the roadway be-
low.
II awakened old Peter, who came trun-
ding and putting in as the elder girl was
handing Ned Watson the package of hotel
mail and diffidently sobbing TO him a
strangely said '.Good-by!"
What what whatt' blurted old Pc
ter. as he saw tears in the old hostel for
the first time since Aunt Katherine's
death las th' young man been sayin'
OF anythink amiss tye. dears?"
mo, no, no, Uncle Peter. 1t was only
the ladies from the lake"
"Don't mind 'em, dears,o said the old
man cheerily, taking one beneath each
arm and wheeling away with them into
the cosy old sitting-room for their mid
day meal. Ladies amt ladies as'll bring
tears to other ladies' eyesln
70 which comforting philosophy Sister
and Sis responded with something akin
to their accustomed cheeriness, and Ned
Watson uttered sonorous "Amen" as
he bowled away with his mail-pouch
upon his wheel, but with a heavy and
foreboding heart.
The same evening. just as the upper
mountain-top sunlights seemed to deepen
the shadows upon the broad Hudson,
there was a bright and CHEEKY parting
between the Postmistresses OF Sohonk
at the shore edge beneath crag upon
which the ancient village stood.
Far up the stream, where the river
seemed like mountain-rimmed High
land loch. putting and trailing of smoke
which had for little time been just dis