Connecticut western news., 1898-03-10
PHEMIE.

" D ho us0 tIJluB, calu T uoluios Mother hates me, and everything I do is wrong.
 Your mother can't help it, Phe- mic" said Dr. Jasper. He was the new medical man, in huge favor with Mrs Albatross, Phemie's mother.
 Your mother is highly strung-quite a woman of genius, and allowances must be made for her temperament, my dear young lady Temperament rules everything.
 Indeed, Mrs. Albatross' temperament seemed to rule Dr. Jasper, the parson, the squire, the parish, but it did not rule Phemie.
 Look here, ? said the girl-sbe was just past 20-"you and mother are al- ways croaking about me, know, but you do nothing to help me. At least think you would, but you're afraid d"-
 Your mother used to take an inter est in you, but you did not meet her half way Is not that sof''
 "No, it isn't. When I was 16, she had fad of dressing me up in last oen- tury costume and making doll of me mot my style at all-just to show off her own cleverness and queerness at my expense. She said was ugly and only dressing could make me fit to be seen.
 "Well?" said Dr. Jasper, who was a rising young medico of 30, as he looked gravely and judicially at the pretty much tried girl, who only half believed in his good will
 Well" said Phemie, ''every one laughed, and 1 showed mother would not stand it. :"
 And then2''
 "Then she packed me off to school The mistress said 1 was sort of dazed for time, as if had been ill treated and so 1 had-and quite neglected, but they were kind to me there, and was very happy for more than year, except in the holidays, which were always odi- ous Then you came along"- And Phemie paused and stole doubtful glance at the doctor
 What then?" said the doctor, like a person coldly inquiring for ordinary in- formation, yet with certain little twinkle in his eye which did not escape the aggrieved Phemie.
 "1hen,'' said the girl, "I thought you were my friend at first, but don t now. At least"-
 At this moment Mrs. Albatross en- tered. and, turning sharply on Phemie, said with snap, 'I suppose you haven't fed the fowls or sorted the lin en or done any ything but idle away your time, as usual?''
 II was called when Dr. Jasper came because you could not be found. '' '.I'm sick of your excuses. Dr. Jas per does not want to see you. Then, in quite an altered tone, as Phemie shrunk away out of the room: "Do you mind coming up to my sitting room? want to have talk with you about those changes at the infirmary. am sure you will agree with me and you will be most useful We can't al low things to go on, 7" etc.
 Dr Jasper always did agree with Mrs Albatross, but somehow he mold ed her, and she usually came round to his opinion He listened and she talked. | He could wait and when he had taken | her bearings-without ever interrupt | ing or contradicting-she listened and he talked. and not then, but next time, she echoed his opinions and fancied | they were all her own.
 Ut is such comfort to find a sensi- 1 ble man to talk to in stupid place like this.'' said she, laying her arm con. fidingly upon the doctors as he sal smiling and agreeing with her.
 Mrs Albatross had worried one bus band into the grave-she was too clever for him-but her intellectual vivacity, imagination and enterprise made hel all interesting companion. She wal only little past 40, and very we'll pre- | served, and she meant to marry Dr | Jasper.
 Whether it was hypnotism or vii power the doctor came again and agail and would not send in his bill, and tht doctors bill never was paid. He paic himself
 Don't speak to me, '" said Phemit burriedly as she met the doctor coming down stairs after long confab witt her mother Mothers about. She out all tomorrow afternoon. I've got t, | out with sympathetic smile Sh know he would call and advise be abont painting the doors. He did call
 "What deal you know about mix ing paints and thingsl I'm sure l wan good advice great deal more thai mother does. But, then, I'm not cleve like mother" added Phemie, with little aggrieved pout. ''So it's not wortl while talking to me.
 "I do feel for you," said the doctor with an unusual warmth of manner "I have done all I could to get you mother to be fair to you, Phemie e"-h had never called her Phemie before and she felt her color rise. Whats tn matterp' he added hastily, for sudden l ly Phemie's eyes filled with tears, ID,