Year: 1869

A woman in calico dress, with a towel
pinned over her hair, stood shaking and
beating up pillow, upon the upper bal
cony OF a square stone. house; and man
stood brushing the dust and specks from
his coat, upon the balcony below. The
woman was Bridget GeoakeS, and the
man was Paul Whiting.


Now it happened that just beyond the
church, down a side street, was a little,
low wing growing upon the body OF a
painted wooden house, and here lived Miss
Alma DiSbrow, worthy maiden with
frost-bitten curls, who always wore a
rustling back silk gown, a heavy gold
chain, and an eye glass.


Miss DiSbrow's father had been unfor-
tunate enough to be pioneer in this part
Of the lake country. so long ago rs when
the Governors wife rode 10 church in a
tip cart drawn by oxen, and when the
town was lighted up by glow-worms IN
stead Of gas.


But his daughter. Miss Alma, was for
tunate enough to live so lately as when
the most desirable street of 4 hourishing
commercial city ran directly through the
heart of her fathers swamp lands. And
still later. when in token of her being un-
married and an only daughter, she came
into possession, by her fathers will. of
the principal part of his rich inheritance.


Upon that, turning her back upon all
aspiring adventurers, and shutting her
ewes against her brothers longing boys
and girls, she gave the best located lots OF
the whole for church and rectory; and
then throwing out this modest wing from
the house of her youngest and least dis
liked brother. she settled herself down in
it 70 sit and look all day at her bountilul
gift.


But Miss Alma had eyes rs sharp rs
brass pin the better 10 see with. my dear {;
So, beside the high stone church. she per-
cieved a great many things. And upon
this particular morning she sat in her
Parker-rocker. rustling and rocking, with
her eye-glass in one hand, and the morn
ing paper in the other. On the leather
cushion OF an old armchair, by the sunni
est window, sat her confidential, black
dog with white face, named Benjamin.
This dog had great deal more considera-
ton, and many more privileges, than her
brothers children; and it was into his
pointed ears Miss Disbrow, who had not
another weakness in the world, (unlcss in
the matter of front tooth or SO had the
habit of dropping everything she thought
or knew, or guessed. And the dog Benja-
min, AS man Benjamin, might not have
done, always listened without interruption
and never repeated thing she said.


Benjamin" cried out Miss DisbrOw,
so suddenly that the dog jumped upon his
feet, las true as YOU are born, Mrs. Baby
has only just this moment come to help
about clearing up after the church social.
Well now, | do say, il that is not real
mean! Just come When there she is
boarding. with nothing under the stars to
/ do, not even to make her own bed; and
poor. little Mrs. Greeting, with her six
children, and all her housekeeping care:
has been here hard at work fully half an
hour. cannot stand such Sinking, lazy
ways-I declare | can't"


Benjamin yawnsd, and stretched him
self; and Miss Disbrow moved her chair
nearer the window, and looking out at the
clouded sky, the brown touched trees, ano
the wet walk, and she saw presently the
figures upon the two piazzas OF the square
stone house at the corner.


By that time the ladies were through
with their work of clearing up the vestry
and had gone Gathering home in their
HIGH heeled boots the scrub-women and
BOYS had done all their running out and
in, and stopping about with pals ofwater
and the old white-bearded sexton, IN has
round. steel-bowed glasses, that made
him look like gray owl. had locked the
door, and gone to his days work, saving
/ wood al one of the GRAND houses on the