Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-12-01
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AuFtHer between MS knees, as IL W we're
a point of etiquette, painfully ~ oe OBJ
served, that the hands should be invisi-
bic. His eyes, wonderingly wide open
as baby's, were carefully directed to
objects which did not come we'll within
their sphere; as the shells on the high
mantelpiece, the clock face to his left,
and an almanac tackled to the wall on his
right Since he made it point of honor
with himself not TO move his head while
| he regarded these things, the effect to a
sympathizing observer was a little en-
barrassing. The greetings extended TO
him he answered in a deprecatory peace
making sort of murmur, and altogether
he was most exasperatingly humble and
unobtrusive.
! By and by, however, he thawed so far
as to observe that it was deadly cold,
and bitter seasonable for the time of
year; but Hepzibah's entrance froze the
conversational fount again, and he re-
sumed his sheepish examination of the
shells, the clock face and the almanac.
| Edward glanced now and again at him
and Hepzibah with an outer seriousness
which was belied by the twinkling of
his eye; and after pause, in which lit
tie was audible except the click of the
knitting needles and the rumbling of the
winter wind in the chimney, the widow
cleared her throat as if to speak, but
Hepzibah held up the ball of worsted
with an air of warning. and Shadrach
| spoke in her stead
THE night" said Shadrach, sis dark,
the snow comes down. The wind is like
persons frown; it stops the heart and
chills the blood, An does no mortal mon
no good.'
'Theer."' said Hepzibah, dropping her
work into her lap, and laying her hands
upon it with a look Of answered expec-
tation and wonder. Did you mex that
up as you come along Shadrach?'
Finished it that instant minute re-
turned Shadrach. mildly. Its a gift"
he added, "as 1 wouldn't tex no credit
for, not if it was offered me. The high
dears is put into the head. That's how
it is. They'm put there"
Realty! said Edward, and then bolt
ed with a haste which, to a bard less
simple minded. might have looked suspi-
cious.
When he returned Shadrach had some
what recovered from the seerlike trance,
and was talking humbly and with an OBJ
vious fear of trespass to Hepzibah and
! the widow.
That's how it seems to be. Hepzi-
ball." he was saying. Young Mr.. Hack
ett's said to have surrounded the old
mons scruples, and he's glen in his
consentment, and his promise to as much
as FIVE hundred dollars on the weddin'
day."
will Hackett?" said Edward rather
sharply. will Hackett isn't going to be
: marriedY
That's how it's glen out, Mister Ed
ward, the village over" returned Shad-
| rach.
If the bard had been less concerned
with the clock face and the shells he
would have seen that Hepzibah was sig
mailing to him, and had been from the
moment of the young mans return. ed
ward stopped over the table and turned
the figured papers about with an assump-
ton of carelessness.
And who may be the young lady
that's been SO happy to win VIII
| Hackett?" he asked.
| Hepzibah dropped her signals, and,
plunging back into her chair, took up a
dozen false stitches with her knitting
needles, and stopped the rapid clicking
to undo them.
]
/ Mister Edward" replied the unsuspect-
ing Shadrach-
There was silence agsia fer the space
of a minute or two. The young man
bent over his papers. took ~ his pen.
dipped it in the ink poi, I'D made an
unmeaning sign or TWO amongst his fig
ures. Then he spoke in voice of com
monplace with the faintest touch of
scorn:
THAT sounds likely story, Shadrach
Where did you get it?"
why" said Shadrach, fits not looked
on for likely sort o story, Mister Ed
ward. but it's known to be true. Mr.
Hackett's been a rackety sort of chap,
and Miss Howarth has allays been that
quiet and chapel-going, it's a bit of a
shake for folks"
HIM said Edward. 81 should think
So" He laid his pen down carefully
after wiping it on the skirt of his coat,
and taking the papers in both hands
shook them delcately into order. Il am
going out for a while mother" he said
as he bestowed the papers in a drawer
below the table. Il shan't be long"
! He stopped over her and kissed her
and said good night. He left the room,
| and a moment later the front door was
heard to close behind him. The widow
dispatched Hepzibah for a candle, and
on its arrival babe the domestic and the
visitor good night and withdrew.
well" said Hepzibah in bitter
whisper when her mistress back was
turned. "of all the wool-gathering fools
as ever wool gathered 1 do believe as
you're the king and captain"
why" asked Shadrach. What have
| done nowT'
Couldn't you see what Everybody else
in the village could see. as Edward wor-
SHIPPED the very ground as Mary How
arth trod on? And you must come and
blurt out afore him as hers going TO
wed that scamp of viii Hackett, ASH
mex her sup sorrow by the spoonful
afore she's done with him.
They didn't seem to tex on about it
much" said Shadrach. mildly self-de-
fensive. "nayther him nor his mother"
TEX on?" said Hepzibah. rising and
snatching at the knitting with a gesture
Of complete evaporation. What did
you expect him to do?-get on the table
and howl? And as for his mother, hers
creature as niver saw nothin' in her
born days and nd niver ha' found Sc
much as a church door unless herd had
somebody to arm her into il"
CHAPTER II.
In an upper room in the Pitvile Ho
J