Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1843-12-07

with downcaSt, swimming eyes, the tale Of her
privation and her sorrows, by the cottage
hearth, than on the pinioned and terror-strick-
en- stranger, vainly struggling for escape or for
utterance in the grasp of daring villany.
The morning call of Adolph at the cottage
was brief and constrained for the first glance
suficed to show that to both rescuer and rescu-
ed the night had been a sleepless one To the
latter, indeed, how could it have been other
wise! Even could the shuddering remem-
brance of the past be lightly banished, how
should she dismiss anxious, narrowing thoughts
of the present and the future? An orphan
among strangers, without friend or protector !;
but yesterday without care or sorrow, and now
lonely struggler against the necessities and
the perils of rugged world; without hope
or a prospect beyond food and shelter for few
hours or days-and this the boon Of one whom
her woman's delicacy taught her to regard,
however pure and noble, as one of the last to
whom she could bear to be indebted, even tenn
porarily for a maintenance-what wonder that
the night, which had been to Adolph one of
novel sensation and strong mental excitement,
had been to her one of deeper anxiety and
darker apprehension! He had resolutely shun-
ned the future; she was constrained, however
hopelessly or uselessly, to keep its vague black
ness ever before her eyes. To revert from
these to the sorrows or terrors of the past,
thence to be driven back again upon the bleak
region of the unknown, afforded small relief;
aud the student, when at length he venturedt to
call upon his charge, was shocked by the pale
and haggard expression which night of suf-
fering had impaired to her features, and could
only implore her to strive to forget her cares in
slumber for few hours, before serious illness
should be added to the full measure of her ca
lamities. Not to be himself the cause Of her
noncompliance, he but waited to enjoin her in
no case to abandon the shelter to which Provi-
dence had conducted her, until better should
be offered, and Immediately took leave, promi-
sing to return again with the shades OF the
evening.
That evening found each other more COM
posed, and Bertha more cheerful. The mother
" kindness of her hostess had not been lost
upon her the assurance that at any rate she
was no longer houseless, friendlcss wanderer,
in danger of perishing by famine, and in con-
slant fear of insult and outrage, was not with
out its soothing influence she had begun to
hope, if not to realise, that He, who in His
wisdom bereaves, may in His mercy comfort
and bless. Each, since their last meeting, had
bowed to the spell of Natures sweet restor-
err and been refreshed by its influences The
maiden met her preserver at the door OF her
cot, with lively gratitude, if not with cheerful
ness, and for few moments their thoughts
flowed in corresponding channel. Soon, how
ever, the effort to avoid the future became
tagged; at length it ceased. 1t became evil
dent that the point to which the thoughts of
both irresistibly tended could not be avoided
in their words the exertion was painful, and
could be sustained but by unmeaning common
place, or by emphatic silence; the pause was
but for a few moments it was broken by
Adolph, who, deeming farther forbearance use
less and unwisc, frankly asked his charge If she
had yet formed any plans for the future, and
It'll. h., ha OH ynh tn
ting them into execurIUu. =. Li--i- "A tLc v;"-
id recollection of her dependence, succeeded by
deadly paleness, and sob of deepest inten-
sity, constituted the response. She could not
summon words to reply.
Adolph was panied, but not surprised. He
felt the difficulties of her position as truly If
not as keenly as the sensitive being by his side
But he felt also that any proffers Of assistance,
much more any protestations of devotion, which
might have preceded this question, would have
been still more embarrassing, beside seeming
to be untimely and obtrusve, in view of her
bereavement and dcsolation. Gently urging
the subject az one Of which necessity required
the frank consideration, he forbore to aggra-
vate her painful sense of dependence by assu-
RANGES that she would he welcome to such
home az his means might provide her, so long
as she chose to accept it at his hands. This
was sufficiently understood, and needed not the
empty parade of words But when at length
he had drawn her to speak Of her plans and
her hopes, he was startled and shocked IN turn
by their repulsive barrenncsS. In the simpli-
CITY of his heart, he had dreamed out for her
some scheme of life not dissimilar to her own
"a situation as teacher, governess, or at the
worst, in some of the more graceful mechani-
cal -employments of her sex, in which the i'm
mediate future could be passed TRANQUILITY and
soothingly, leaving bright vista beyond, ira
dated by Hopes vague but blissful gleamngs.
Alas for none of these was the maiden fifty
qualified! Her life had been passed in seclu-
sion from society; the instruction her mother
had been able to impart was meagre indeed ;
and the student was not long in discovering
that her crushed spirit dared aspire no higher
than to some position in which she would be
allowed to earn the bread OF poverty, by the
unremitted drudgery of mental toil-and even
for this, neither her failing strength nor the
gentle nature of her years of happiness was
calculated to adapt her. She did not, for she
could not, wholly disguise her repugnance to
this mode of earning livelihood-to the con-
tumely, the tyranny, and 1.-The coarse revilings
to which it must naturally subject her-but,
poorly qualified as she was for this, she was
still less qualified for any other employment ;
and she did not despair of attaining eventually
to skill in her humble vocation which, ad-
ded to alacrity, docility, and unwearying in
dustry. should ensure her the esteem and kind
ness Of those with whom it should please an
All-wise Providence to place her lot.
Adolph had heard this without betraying
emotion. He had wished to know all before
hazarding any prohers which might wound
her feelings without necessity or profit: Now,
however, his spirit was nerved to the issue to
which it had long-numbering sensations not
hours-been tending. He took her hand in
his, while his frame trenbled and his voice
came at first husky and clicked with emotion
90 no~rost Rartha I I've mine he mine foreV.
err! God has willed it Let US not dstrust
his Providence! My hone must be humble
one, but with you it will ever be paradise
Poverty and want are the appointed lot Of the
scholar but love can tighten the heaviest bur-
den, and illumine the LOWEST cot Be mine