Year: 1875

Pii'0" uP0h lhC uPPcl DdICOuy VI d square
stone house, and man stood brushing the
dust and specks from his coat upon the
balcony below. The woman was Bridget
Goakes, and the man was Paul Lawson.


Now it happened that Just beyond the
church, down side street. was a little low
wing growing upon the body of painted
wooden house, and here lived Miss Alma
Disbrow, worthy maiden with frost-bitten
curls, who had always worn a rustling
black silk gown, 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 as when
the Governors wife rode to church in a
tp-cart drawn by oxen, and when the
town was lighted by glow worms instead
of gas. esas


But his daughter was fortunate enough
to live so lately as when the most desira-
BILE street Of flourishing commercial city
ran directly through the heart OF her faith
er's swamp lands. And still later, when,
in token Of her being unmarried, 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 as
pising adventurers, and shutting her eyes
against her brothers longing boys and
girls, she gave the best located lot of the
whole for a church and rectory; and then,
throwing out this modest wing from the
house OF her youngest and least disliked
brother. she settled herself down in it to
sit and look all day at her beautiful gift


But Miss Alma, had eyes as sharp as a
brass pin the better to see with my dear;
so, besides the high stone church, she per-
ceived great many things. And upon
this particular morning she sat in her Par
ker rocker. rustling and rocking, with her
eye.glass in one hand, and the morning
paper in the other. On the leather cush-
ion of an armchair, by the sunniest win
dow sat her confidential a black dog with a
white face, named Benjamin. This dog
had great deal more consideration and
many more favors than her brothers chill
dren and it was into his pointed ears Miss
Disbrow (whO had not another weakness
in the world, unless it was the matter of a
front tooth or so.) had the habit OF drop
ping verything, she thought, or knew, or
guessed. And the dog Benjamin, as q
man Benjamin might have done, always
listened without interruption, and never
repeated anything she said.


benjamin cried out Miss Disbrow, SO
suddenly that the dog jumped upon his
feet, "as true as you are born. Mrs. Baby
has only Just come to help about clearing
up after the church social. Well, now, /
do say If 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.
Greening, with her six children and all her
housekeeping cares. has been there hard
at work for fully half an hour. can't
stand such Sinking. lazy ways-I declare
l can't.


Benjamin yawned and stretched him
self. and Miss Disbrow moved her chair
nearer the window, and looked out on the
cloudy sky, the brown-touched trees, and
the wet walk, and she saw presently the
figures upon the two piazzas of the square
stone house at the corner. Ia s2fs.a


BY that time the ladies We're through
with their work OF cleaning up the YES
try. and had gone home in their high
heeled, Gathering boots the scrub woman
and the boys had done all their running
out and in, and stopping about with pals
of water: and the old, white headed sex
ton, in his round stcel-bowed glasses,
that made him look like gray owl, had
locked the door and gone to his davis
work, saving wood at grand house Oh
the avenue. So Miss Disbrow had plenty
of time to turn her observation and eve
glass toward her neighbor's balconies.
To tell the plain truth, between YOU and
me and Benjamin, Miss Disbrow had for
some time felt that the Lawson family
needed more looking after than they got
from the sun, moon and stars, and the
city watchman, and she had long been
trying to act the part of the good Smart
tan, and so with the oil and the wine,
when she would have discovered the ma
ture of the family wound. So, whenever
one of the Lawsons came in sight, she put
down her paper and put on her eve
glasses.


benjamin" said she. presently, drop
ping her glasses and rocking till her
dress rustled like an oak tree
in a north wind Benjamin, you cannot
guess what has happened now"


Benjamin did not seem inclined to try,
the task being so hopeless, and Miss Dis
brow went on:


That Bridget Goakes-she is a care


less thing-I've long seen that, and won-
dered Mrs. Lawson kept her so-she has
been and left pillow on the balcony
railing. Went off and left it OF course
the wind took it, and so there it lies, ruf-
fling. embroidery and all, right down in
the gutter, liable to be stolen by every
passer-by. Now, Benjamin, would you.
or wouldn't you, 60 over and tell them


Benjamn's 5 face, about one eye, was
black, and the rest of the face being en-
tirely white, this gave him peculiarly
knowing expression, when he cooked mn
that eye as he had way of doing. And
now he turned his black eve upon Miss
Disbrow with the appearance of winkine
at her. Perhaps, indeed, he did. Anv.
how, there was evidently some free.ma-
sonry between them, for Miss Disbrow
instantly responded, just as though he
had spoken.


well, then, will, BENJAMIN. Why are
we put in this world together, ifnot to help
each other? said she, as with an air OF
virtuous responsibility. she threw maize
colored rigolette over her weather-be
curls, and white breakfast shawl over
her shoulders. Then putting on her