The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-02-07


me-"
Accordingly, when she next entered
the parlor to receive him, she beheld,
seated in row on divan, three we'll
grown boys, all of whom regarded
her with looks of undisguised hos
tility.
"Alice, my DEAR" said Mr.. Bowers,
advancing to meet her, ''these are my
motherless little ones who will, l trust,
be a help and comfort to you. This
is George, the eldest, twelve years old.
Come here, George, and shake hands
with this lady. She is to be your
mother"
George favored his future stepmother
with fiendish leer. which caused her
blood to run cold at the thought of all
that it might portend.
The second boy refused to shake
hands, and the youngest, aged eight,
muttered sullenly:
81 amt agoin to call her mother.
Mr.. Bowers sought to excuse his off
spring, but the look which he private
ly cast upon them was indicative of
future vengeance. AMI when George
knocked vase of table, and Reggie
shrieked that Arthur was sticking pins
in his back, Mr.. Bowers thought it
time to go.
"Please wait awhile" the Widow
Wren gently said; adding with an
arch smile: "As you gave me little
surprise yesterday, | have one for you
to-day"
She left the room; and presently
there was a sound in the hall of light
footsteps and suppressed giggling
and whispering. Then Mrs Wren re-
appeared, closely followed by five lit
tie girls, the youngest of whom she
led by the hand.
''You have brought your boys to see
me, she said smiling; 'and now,
pray allow me to introduce my own
darlings-Helen, Rosa, Agnes, Lily
and Marie. Helen is the eldest, ten
years old, and darling little Marie not
quite three. Rosa is like her father, "
here the widow looked pensivelv at
the little one and sighed-'and Agnes
and Marie are thought to resemble me.
Do you think 500" she added sweetly.
To depict in words the expression
of blank surprise and dismay upon the
face of Mr.. Bowers would be impos-
sible. He could only stare and me-
chanically shake the hand of each lit
tie girl as she was presented to
him.
Then the widow led them to the
corner where the three boys sat and
five minutes thereafter the two young
est girls were crying, the next two in
a high state of indignation, and the
eldest engaged in a struggle with Mas
ter George, who was trying to cut of
her ringlets with his pocket-knife.
"Oh," said the widow, anxiously,
81 am afraid hope-do you think, p"
turning appealingly to Mr.. Bowers,
"that they could ever geton together:
My little pets are very good and ami
able but, you see, they are not ac-
customed to boys"
Mr.. Bowers answered vaguely, that
she hoped so"
But all the way home his mind wa.
in dazed and agitated state, as il
dwelt upon that group of eight chill
dren IL the Widow Wren's parlor
Eight children-boys and girls-and
none of them above twelve years o
age!
He thought of the family board,
with four seats on each side, and thu
constant squabbing of which it was tt
be the scene of the family pew, and o
how people would smile as the infan
tile procession filed into it.
Good heavens it would never, nevel
do He hated to give up the widow
and her fortune, but the sacrifice mus
be made.
And so, before week had passed
he had written to Mrs. Wren, express
ing his fear that, under the unforeseen
state of things, their marriage woul'
not be as happy or Us advisable as h
had Mt first anticipated.
And Mrs. Wren returned cheerfu
reply, agreeing with his views, and re
leasing him from his engagement.
And thenceforth, for six months