The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-09-08

And SO iC happened that as listened
to Maggie's puzzling expl anations [ was
secretly oppressed by a consciousness,
not of guilt exactly, but OF qualified
robbery in prospect. Meantime 40 min
utes passed quickly in helping her with
her sweeping and busting; then in max
ing the children as neat and tidy as Cir.
cumstances permitted. Befcr3 the time
was quite up we hes IL Miss Virginia at
the door; almost at che same moment
heavy step on the stairs and q rough
voice that said, ''Hell }! mind the turn
here we are!" announced the burly
head of the family.
ae pushed open the door and marched
In. Closely following was square built
aggressive young woman of the peasant
type, warmly dressed in short skirt of
plaid wooden hcmespun, green blanket
shawl, stout brogans over blue wooleD
| stockings, Q nd quilted stuff hood. Both
Mat and Allie stood in the center of the
room, surveying the scene with decided
| air OF proprietorship.
Little Timothy, as usual, threw him
self upon Miss Virginia at the moment of
ner appearance, and as she stopped to
him the door opened. She remained
! therefore half-kneeliDg, with two vigor-
Gus little arms clasped about her neck
and very clean and crisp head of sunny
| curls laid against her cheek.
How dye do, Aunt Allie2" said
Maggie, timidly pushing forward chair.
aye needn't gle verseP the trouble to
| 'Auut Allie me. This is my man.
And the new conner tur aed to Mat with
] an air Of command.
"Yis indade we've been to the praste
! Already" was Mats prompt. If some
| what sheepish, reioiHder.
Miss Virginia gave me look of shocked
incredulity. But with the instinct OF
self defense her courage rose to the stu
alton.
"You are young for such q charge"
she began. ''Let me relieve you the
least bit. Timothy here Is the rogue of
the family. All the rest are very good
children and easy to govern. Let me
have him and 1 will provide for him."
She turned to Mat, repeating: "Let MT
have him-and think your young wife
will get on nicely with the rest"
Mat grew red In the face as he rubbed
his bushy eyebrow with his broad, hairy
hand: "Give HIM to you! viii l give We
up one o. the children? Well-no not
one bit of 1t What kind of heart do
ge s'pose there is in me? Wad be 81
onthinkin' o. poor Maggie that's dead
and gone? She'd be risin' in her grave
she would, to hear We talk about me
givin' AVA her bye. L can work for 'em
all, an Allie here, moresoever, I've got a
good Job, and no thanks to gentlefolks
either. Maggie, ye fool, stop that SWIVEL
in an get to yer bit Of work.
Maggie, who had been wiping her eyes
furtiyely on the corner of her apr ID, had
burst into sob at Mats provocation.
Having finished his speech, he was
swaggerlng somewhat unsteadily about
the room with his stub pipe in his hand,
panf10 lnnkSnp fnp tnho @ kor
but where it was to be found, IN the
pocket OF his short ray jacket.
"Sure, Num-" he added more civilly.
81 couldn't see the like o. You fashin'
yerseP over the likes o. US. Allies 8
stout huzzy; she'll do tor 'em Illustrate"
SAM kape the b'yes in order, che will
she's got right guide heavy hand o.
her own" said Allie, eager to speak for
herself.
Miss Virginia was very pale. The
weight of long, lonely years to come
seemed to rest upon her as she rose slow
". With fra hands che unlocked Tim.
othy's softly-knotted fingers; as she
kissed him with long, s lsmn look of
farewell, he burst into an upquenchable
roar, but she took no heed. IC was for
Allies heavy hand to quiet the poor little
fellow, whose fortune was lost before it
was found.
There 10 q chilling incongruity between
the bright picture that we see in antici
patton of favorite schemes carried into
action, and the thwarting reality that too
often follows. | 1. Il it In its painful
hardness as set out the next morning
with little hope, to try my own small art.
of diplomacy upon Mistress A lie Mortar.
ty. My ONLY pl IN was poor and pro
sale one, and left Miss Virginia behind
me, too gray, too rigid, too resentfnl OF
life to be diverted by any reading, light
er heavy, that could propose; and too
hopeless, too sick of the whole future for
me to dare to suggest any possibility OF
success as the result OF my own mouse
like agency.
But mistress Allie in fell authority
was inclined to be gracious. She only
ly, when asked her to leave Maggie ir
charge OF the house and go out with me
ssto see little bit of the town. Her
vivid curiosity was hopeful and she was |
not stupid; on the contrary with dense |
ignorance was mingled no little native |
I i fatterad myself that I managed /
adr0itly. took her to q bake shop and |
Toasted her ON unaccustomed goodies; |
bawildered her country eyes with
glimpses OF the shop windows; then I |
went straight TO our model dat, OF which
had the keys, and took her In.
It was the most charming OF wonders /
her, coming fresh from Nero hovel. |
che welI-chOsen furniture, all so pretty, I
yet strong and servlceable. The cheer
eul carpet on the warm, sunny sitting
room; the beds, most luxuriously pro-
vided, TO Allies eyes; the pretty English
ware for the table the abundant stores
10 the pantry, even the little locked