Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-02-24

man l know in most things, but he not
only will not do in Rome as the Rom
ans do, bat he objects to the Romans
doing things in their own way, as they
did before he came"
And sister Victorine, you know, re-
members past times, said, and that
makes her Il little unreasonable. Now,
the war was over when | was born.
so it was when l was born, " said
Harry Summers. Il find the people
down here delightful"
And l have spent five happy years
in New York, " said. Dear me, why
should we rake up dead ashes and make
ourselves uncomfortable in such beau
tiful world as this:''
Then we both laughed, and he asked
me for rose, (which l gave him and
which he put into his buttonhole.
Harry Summers was very nice, what
ever his father was, and heard Victor
inc banging away at her favorite tune
again, end from the parlor windows
the gate Of the vegetable garden was
not visible, SO We talked q good while
together, and when he went away we
shook hands, and | had made up my
mind that some day we should all be
very good neighhors.
Shortly had the fences repaired. and
the pigs 10 longer found entrance.
Things We're generally trimmed up
about the place, but Our flag was still
there and Mr.. Summers flung the
star spangled banner to the breeze from
flagstaff ON his roof, and they waved
defiance to each other until March rains
poured down upon them and March
winds tore them, when for their prcser-
walton they We're taken in, as dctiantly
as they We're hung out. Even then,
however, something was always occur
ring to widen the breach between that
highly respectable widower from the
north and my emotional sister, whose
chief boast was that she was ''sohthcrn
to her heart $ core. - The pigs being done
with, an atfectiOnate hound, who bayed
deep mOuthed welcome as we drew near
home and was prone to taste the stock
ingS of strangers; a cow with Il crum-
pied horn. who objected to sister Vic
torine's red cloak-a useful article with
a hood in which she wrapped herself to
run about the neighborhood- handy
man jim, who was always engaged
to work for the SummerSeS whenever
the CARTONS most needed him-cvery-
thing, everybody, CccasiOnCd bitter let
terS or W0rdy arguments between Vic
torine and the widowcr.
Harry and l, who had cOntrived to
meet very frequently and who would
have been very happy but for the bitter
"reminiscences and high principles of
our relatives did our best to reconcile
them i'll vain. Very often felt like
quoting Shakespeare and requesting
Harry to "bc some other name, since
"Summcrs was 50 intolcrablc to Vic
torinc And how things would have
ended | cannot imagine, but for the oc-
currncp of IN event which suddenly
altered everything.
NictOrine was eNtravagantly fond Of
novels of the romantic sort, over which
she often wept profuscly, and her can
die burned for hours in dangerous prOX-
unity to the curtains of an ancient
four post bcdstead which had been our
great granGmothCr' Nainly had |
striven to Danish it to the garnet and in
trodUce a modern brass one. Nictorine
denounced the idea as northern foolish
ness. The association of that bcdstead
endearcd it to her. She could not sleep
save under those dimity curtains with
candle light. Therefore one night a
catastrophe occurred.
The howls of our dog awoke me.
Through my open door | saw flashes of
crimson light. ST. Ike came pouring
in thick and black, and l knew that sis
ter E!etOrinc had set something ON fire
at last. 1 staggered ont into the hall.
Two strong arms seized me. WAS
borne to Il window, against which Il lad
der was proppcd,
1t was Mr.. Summers who had grasp
ed me.
"Victorine!' cried. "Oh, my poor
sister! Oh, my Victorine!'
Then other hands grasped me. l was
carried down the ladder that had been
set against the window, and Harry bent
over me and kissed me and dashl d into
the house again.
Aunt Emily. who slept over the llitch-
en-, was already safe. She claspcd ne
tight, and sinking ON her knees began
to pray with wild, camp meeting fer
VOr
20 Lord. O Lord, look down upon
us! 0 Lord, show de power of dy hand!
O Lord, help us! . Lord, help u.s.
For my part, was spccchless and
could only pray in silence. 1t was Il
terrible experience, but it was happily
Il brief one. The two men appeared at
the window, bearing Nictorine, wrap
ped in her red cloak. She was scorched,
breathless, hut not seriously harmed.
While we We're tutoring our thanksgiv-
ings. Mr.. Summers disappeared and re-
turned with our fathers portrait and
several ancestral peoples in black court
plaster.
THE fire is out" he said. My son
has qucnchcd it with Il few buckets of
water. Nothing is destroyed but the bed
furniture. But l thought that these
had better be removed from the walls,
invaluable relics as they must be. -
Victorine burst into tears.
SISTER Persis, she said, thank this
brave and chivalrous gentleman.
cannot
Madam, " replied Mr.. Summers, Il
rejoice to have been of service"
Really, although she had a black
smudge on her chin, l never saw Vic
torine look so sweet as when she smiled
upon the man from the north and gave
him her hand.
The vendetta is over" l said to
Harry an hour later, while he was wash
ing his face and hands, which We're as
black as Aunt Emily's with smoke and
finder smears, at the blue pump out
side the kitchen door. Tho vendetta
is over. l prophesy that Victorine will
make your father her special hero
henceforth.'
So indeed it proved. After sounding
Mr.. Summers praises for two days Vic
torine suddenly proposed to ask those
brave gentlemen to supper.
That is, if they will come, she add
ed, with gentle sigh, remembering
her many encounters with the elder of