The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-06-09

"You no 90 to office Saturday, Miss
Kathleen. You come to Mt Tom. Sister
work all the time, bahia cry, no one to
make me look nice and fix Varum."
Thus ended Sonya's unexpected an
nouncement that at last she was to be-
come chief parsonage In one Of those
Saturday events at the Polish settlement
at which she had many times assisted
in other words, her own ito 60 mar'g."
1t evidently was an affair devoid Of
sentiment, arranged between her brother
and "fel, which is Anglicized Polish
for the man one ia to marry.
Sonya's interest quickened only when
the question Of dress arose from the in
cident, sin winter, when English girl GO
mar'g, she wear white dress or dark =?
SOnya questioned seriously; but "fel,"
wdo buys the BRIDES dress, settled the
matter with the purchase of figured
yellow silk, which dressmaker fashion
ed during the week between the an
nouncement and the marriage; and
doubtless, like the others with whom
these infants in English speech and Yam
kee shrewdness had commercial dealings,
played her part in the cause of the la
ment that Sonya tersely voiced with
staring, shocked eyes: "All take such
lot of money! Eel awful cry"
Saturday morning Miss Kathleen left
the train at Mt Tom and, breaking her
own path through the crust, started to
find the Polish settlement. Beyond q
bend in branch road, behind the pulp
and sawmills, and further shut away by
the thick, leafless willow trees that bor-
der the bend of the river where 1t loops
in the meadow to form the Oxbow, the
settlement lies. A street of tiny houses,
painted yellow or white. A few children
tramped there; an old crone bundled in
foreign style passed; younger wife
scrubbed porch with water that quick.
ly went to ice. But so still the little
street lay, so free from sound, that the
entire village thus unexpectedly come
upon might have been vision. Back of
the houses on the right was the river,
filled with logs and stilled by ice. To
the left rose the cold purple shoulder OF
Nonotuck. 1t had showed the day be.
fore, and during the night the moist
fakes had crystalized on the twigs, the
fence-rails and glittering on top of the
great white blankets over the fields, sc
that the scene lay in the dress thai
clothes Poland in fancy.
From the ancient dame, Miss Kathleen
inuuir ed at which house there wac to bt
a wedding. There is something rather
surly about the cast of these Slav peas.
ant countenances, and remembering also
the language difficulty, she hesitated be-
fore speaking, but the old, lined face IN
der the hood lighted as the crone re
sponded: ''You 60 to Sonya's wedding?
As Miss Kathleen neared the house
youngster from the street took upo
,, himself the announcement Of her arriva1
rhe house door opened into narrov
hall leading to kitchen. The right hal
of the hall was claimed by the stairs. A
the left doorway opened into an empt
% front room. Through the hall cam
"a Sonya, in appearance very tired, higi
~ colored and more untidy than was Gu
" tomary with her; silently embarrassed
l. though none the less pleased. She aske
Miss Kathleen into the front room
where Sonya's sister, Voleska, carryin
baba-brown little John followed.
There was a marked dissimilarity b'
tween the appearance of Sonya and v
leska. Sonya seemed built on lines 8
short and curly, and Voleska on lines a
long and straight. Voleska's hair hur
in separated lank strands to her eye
which were brown with hunted look
- them. Sonya's hair curled thickly fro
her forehead, and her eyes were blue al
I dancing. Voleska's skin was one ton
a, less brown; Sonya's was white vii
flaming color.
Sonya opened with lively delight 81
packages that Miss Kathleen brough
and voleska drew near and gazsd at the
contents sadly but interestedly.
his NOW, Sonya, what shall do?" ask
her Miss Kathleen.
1.nr Sonya and Voleska spoke rapidly
in gether in Polish and then to Miss Ka
'oo' leen: elk Varum." (''Varum" is
--- brides veil.)
This evidently was q matter OF con
quence; though just what she was to
Miss Kathleen could not understand,
she trusted as implicitly to developme
as they trusted her."
y "Varum upstairs" began Votes
y moving toward the staircase.
tDress upstairs, teo," seconded Son
and then, breaking into animation VI
y strained-"Ohl you no see dress u
. Upstairs to tiny chamber they W
On bed under the caves lay the c.
yp colored garment. Sonya approache
with the confidence Of possession. w
Az ka, still carrying John, again drew n
eloquent-eyed but silent. but So
spread it before Miss Kathleen's admit
ewes, and with the manner that m
more to come, felt among the folds Of
bodice until her fingers felt what
sought, and then with unmitigated I
and voice triumphant, announ
watch pocket"
rs. A half-grown girl with curious 20
face and pale bronze coloring had
in from the street, and the little boy
had announced Miss Kathleen also
climbed the stairs, and, on the ed
the silent group, peered with col
solemnity.
"oh, Sonya!'' gasped Miss Kathle
ssYou get a watch !"
Sonya nodded, too moved for sp
and with heightened eye and cheek
l ~, sapEa& 1f xxzExS AZ