The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1897-11-18

down stairs after long aconfab with |
her mother Mother about She's
out all tom orrow afternoon I've@got to
paint the doors - And Jasper passed
ont with sympathetic smile She
knew he would call and advise her
about painting the doors He did call
''What deal you know about mig
ing paints and things l m sure | want
good advice great deal more than
mother does But. then, I'm not clever
like mother, added Phemie, with a
little aggrieved pout So it's not worth
while talking to me. .4,
II do feel for you" said the doctor, |
with an unusual warmth of manner |
81 have done all l could to get your
mother to be fair to you, Phemie"-he |
had never called her Phemie before, |
and she felt her color rise Whats the |
natter" he added hastily, for sudden |
~ Phemie'S eyes filled with tears, and |
she just went off then and there, and |
left the paint pots and things. without
saying another word
DIR. Jasper's visits became more fire.
quent Mrs Albatross was constantly
seen about the village with him. They
met in cottages She was devoted, so
she said, to nursing the sick. It.was
certainly new development. She was
never seen with her daughter, nor was
Jasper, but he saw her daughter oftener
than she knew Still it seemed less and
less possible to do without Mrs Alba
tross. Her ability, her cooked foods and
port wine for leases, her influence
with the squire. who disliked and
obeyed her; with the parson, WHOSE
good will was important to the doctor
and who was afraid of Mrs. Albatross,
for she Browbe him in the chair at
parish meetings, picked holes in his
sermons and organized the penny read
ings, which he disliked, un-ur his very
nose-all this and good deal more
for Mrs Albatross was woman and
not above feminine arts-put Jasper in
rather tight place. Cd
He knew that Mrs "A lbatross wanted
to marry him, and there were days
yes, whole days-when he really thought
he should be obliged to marry Mrs Al
batross
The moment came 1t was in the lit
tie sitting room up stairs
Something had happened. DIR Jasper
saw that plainly enough.
The lady was flushed and excited,
and he missed the usual confidential
hand squeeze.
Ell wanted to see you, - she said
and paused Nothing has come to your
ears, suppose?'
The doctor looked inquiringly.
"Well, then, I'm dreadfully troubled,
annoyed beyond measure, put out Of
course, you know my maid, Susan. She
has been with me ten years and is not
gossip ....
"What on earth do you meanY Do be
plain. Surely with me you might be
quite plain. And he moved little
nearer, feeling at that moment curioris
kind of attraction which almost com
PEELED him to lay his hand upon her
arm and force her to be quite honest
Don't keep me Oh tcnterhooks.A' he
said eagerly "Tell mel
~ will" said the lady II feel :
can tell you anything. don't think
have any other friend i'll thesworld-at
least, not like you No one understands
me, no one has helped me as you have,
and we've got to part That is ALL
"What on earth, said Jasper, really
shaken and troubled-he had never seen
her grow pale like that or her i lips
culver like that, and she was not of
the crying sort, and she didgnot cry now
-" what-what has Susan been say
ingg"
"Only that it's all over the place,
and that she thought at last she ought
to tell me-
"You don mean, you don't mean -
He couldn't quite say it
Eyes, do, +" she said And she rose
and walked up and down the room full
of sort of angry vexation, mingled
evidently with conflict Of passionate
feeling she could neither conceal nor
subdue
"Sit down" he said He had risen
He took her arm. She was positively
trembling He led her to the sofa by
the fire
~ shall have to leave this place, >
she said in a sort of hard voice. The
angry tears came into her eyes He had
never seen her weep This was the
nearest approach to it. -.~
II know what you are going to say
Don't say it No. you shan't go You
are useful. The people trust you 1t is
your sphere am the marplot ''s'~
why should you go?' said Jasper,
hardly measuring his worda "Why
should either Of Us go? Why not stay
and stay-stay togetherP'
lyon don't mean it?' Men at such
| 81 ~ y
"Yes, yes-l-do. -
Jasper had taken her hand The wO-
man with the iron will, the keen intel
leot, the nature self contained, which
seemed at times as hard as nails, turned
toward him and in another moment fell
crying and laughing Historically into
his arms. At that moment, as i'll luck
would have it, Phemie, hearing unusual
sounds and thinking some one needed
assistance, entered
go and fetch some sal volatile Your
mother is not very we'll Indeed, al
that moment Mrs. AlbatrosR seemed tc
have really tainted away Whether she
tainted or not no one will ever know
The doctor himself was doubtful
Jasper never entered the house again
He went home, packed up his things
wrote hurried note in disguised
hand to Phemie. who on the following
day would be 81 years old and come
into $500 a year, which had been Ief
her. to the disgust of her mother. BY
her fond father-and Jasper went tt
bed
He must have risen early No one a
his lodgings saw him go out His no
water was brought up at s O'Clock. Hi
boots had not been put out over night
The servant knocked again at Tn,
door was not locked She entered Sh'
saw boxes packed and labeled Lief
| l.