Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-05-23

at the foot of the back stairs with broken arm, besides serious injury to her feelings.
 Of course Nezer and Aunt Comfort held discussions over the subjects of snakes and cells, during which a hand full of wiry apple sprouts were the convincing argument. They had an en- l livening effect on Nezer's bare legs, but failed in moral influence, for when l humble bees came it occurred to him that Hans, always slow and phleg- matic, would most likely be livened i up some by "bumbles." To Nezer it seemed happy thought, and he ac- cordingly trapped a few of those in- sects in jar, and deftly inserted it between the sheets of Hans bed late one night. That stolid boy was never before known to hurry in getting out, but this time he did, and without wait ing for call
 There was no end to the pranks Nezer cut~up at home, around the vil- lage, or at school which he kept in an uproar most of the time, until, no matter what happened, it became a foregone conclusion, 'Nezer did it. Of course Aunt Comfort, in her de- sire to bring Nezer up in the way he should be, provided a new suit with. brass buttons and collar pinned to the roundabout,s and bow of black silk from a remnant of an old dress, and thus arrayed, took him to church. But wearing this uncomfortable raiment, and sitting two hours in high-backed l pew, while the birds were singing in the trees outside, and trout might be 1 caught, was dire punishment to Nezer, and when breakfast and chores were over Sunday mornings, his red hair and freckled face were usually miss ing.
 Angie, however, was the bright par l ticular star in Aunt Comforts asylum, and from the day she entered it. bare foot and in tears, until now-well de- veloped and well poised-she was at once the life, light and guiding spirit of the household, and the idol of her aunts heart She planned the style and made most of Aunt Comforts and Hannah's dresses, trimmed their best ''bunnits, and as the asylum's income ] depended upon a few acres titled by hired help together with two COWS and flock of poultry, as soon as she was old enough she had applied for and obtained chance to teach in one of the outlying district schools a mile 1 from the village.
 She also, by rare economy, added 1 little to the home furnishing, and re- placed the old-fashioned melodeon in the parlor with modern piano, and 1 during many a lonely. evening taught herself to play. Like most country | girls, of whom she was fair type, she ! became self-helpful and self-reIiant at l an early age.
 l While Angie was the light of the 1 home Aunt Comfort may be called it's statue of Faith, Hope, and Charity combined Trouble, poverty, and self 1 denial had been her portion for many years; she lived and worked almost solely for others without complaint, and, except for Angie, would not have gratifed herself with a new dress or
 .bunnet' once in five years. She saw l only the best side of all; if they failed 10 do right, it was from lack of knowl- l edge rather than intention. Only l kindly words ever fell from her lips ! (except in one case, and that well mer- ited) and though urged to do so by Squire Phinney, she fatty refused even 1 to demand from David Curtis Angles rights and inheritance.
 Let him keep it if he wants to-" she said; The won't be the happier fort l in the long run, n soon or late the l Lordll see justice sarved."
 Tn fact, this ingrained faith that in due time the Lord would right all
 wrongs, was the keynote of her char I acter. David Curtis was, as all Green l vale knew, a pious hypocrite, a grasp ing miser, willing to rob even his or phaned niece of her heritage, as he had, and yet Aunt Comfort still be- 1ieved that he would yet be made to repent
 Her home was also as capacious as 1 her benevolence, an ancestral inheri- <tance. brown and moss-covered. It stood we'll back from the village street.
 with vine-covered porch flanked by li-
 laos, two oval panes over the front l door, giant naples, scared by count less augur holes, shaded the deep door 1 yard whose picket fence leaned zig-zag 1 and gray, and where peonies, sweet
 williams, and hollyh ocks grew.
 Inside the house was even more an-
 tique, with angular, haircloth furni- 1 ture and brass f1redogs in the parlor,
 Autographs of George Washington and
 Perry's victory on the walls, and green
 and gold shades, never raised except
 on state occasions. In the sitting room,
 more cheerful with bright rag carpet
 and chintz-coyered settle, stood tall
 . ''''' = 7 z