Litchfield enquirer., 1835-01-15

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 place, with few small bottles, not bigger than doctors largest vials, in the dusty window. However poor many of the working classes may be, it seems to be their pleasure to squander their little re- maining money upon number of these places, as if they wero determined that the persons whom they employed to sell them { poison, should dwell in the midst of luxury and splendOr. do not mean 10 say thai we have right to throw all the blame upon the master or the mistress of gin-shop. For my part, should not like to keep one, and be obliged 50 get rich apon the money 1 of the poor infatuated creatures who will ruin both soul and body in gin-dsinking but, at the same time, the naaster of the gin-shop may say. "I Isdon't force lhe peo- pie to drink they will have gin, and if do not sell it to them, somebody else will. :" The story of "The Fools Pence" whict, follows, is worth attending to.
 A little mean-looking man sat talking to Mrs. Crowder, the mistress of the Puncs,- bowl: "Why. Mrs. Crowder," said he, |" I should hardly know you again! Really l must say you have things in the first style. What an elegant paper what noble chairs what rair of 6re-screens all SO bright and so fresh! and yourself SO we'll, and looking so we'll ''
 Mrs. Crowder had dropped langudly into an arm chair, and sat signing and smi- ling with affeetation, not turning a deaf ear to her visitor, but taking in, with her eyes, a full view of what passed in the shop, having drawn aside the curtain of rose.co- lored silk, which sometimes covered the window in the wall between the shop and the parlor.
 "Why, you see, Mr. Berriman," she re- piled, "our business is a thriving one, and we don't love to neglect it, for one must work hard for an honest livelihood; and then you see, my two girls. Le.itia and Lu- cy, were about to leave their boarding school so MT. Crowder and wished to make the place as genteel aud fashionable us we could and what with new stone copings to the windows, and new French window-fr frames to the first floor, and liule paint, and a little papering, Mr.. Berrin,an, we begin to look tolerable. | must say, Mir. Crowder too has laid out deal of money in fitting up the shop, and in filling his cellars"
 "Well, ma'am." continued Mr. Berri- m9 yBI,! @ t 6a,. i@prozs.ase Aud .l.e quite at stand s,ill. There's my wife al- ways begging for money to pay for this or that little necessary article, but l part from every penny with pang. Dear Mrs. Crowder, how do you manage z"
 Mrs. Crowder simpered; and raising her eyes, and looking with glance of smi- ling contempt towards the crowd of custo- mers in the shop; "The fools pence, 'tis the FOOLS PENCE, that does it for US" she said.
 i,,st then opened, and left ajar by Miss Lu- ey. who had been serving in the bar, that the words of Mrs. Crowder were heard by man named George Manly. who stood at the upper end of the counter. He turned his eyes upon the customers who were stan ding near him, and saw pale sunken cheeks, inflamed eyes and ragged garments. lie turned them upon the stately apartment m which they were asse mbled he saw thai it had been fitted up at DO triAing cost he stared through the partly open doorway into the parkor, and saw looking glasses and pictures, and gliding, and fine furniture an0 cIC0 ChTpcts dHu N'"S A"Sy U" !" S'" gown sitting down to her piano forte; and he thought within himself, How strange | is by what curious process it is. that all
 this wretchedness on my left hand is made
 to turn into all this rich 6nery on my right
 "Well, sir, and what's for youl''
 These words were spoken in the sams
 shrilI voice which made the ( fools pence
 ring in his ears.
 George Manly was still deep in thought
 and with the end of his rule, (for he was
 carpenter he had been making calcnla ton, drawing the figures in the little Pud dies of gin, upon ,he counter. He looked up, aud say Mrs. Crowder herself, as ga. as her daughters, with cap and colore' ribbands flying off her head, and pair " gold ear rings, almos. touching her pluml , shoulders. "A pint of ale, ma'am, is wha I'm waiting for tonight" (no more spirit !. he thought within himself, will l touch ; 2 and then. as he put down the money for ,h ale. he looked her calmly in the face. an said, "There arc the fools pence. an ? the last fools pence l intend to pay dow } for many long day." George Manly haslened home. His wif and two little girls were sitting at work They were thin and pale. really for wan } of food. The room looked very cheerles' , and their fire was SO small, that is warml