Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1851-12-25

chances again at his little company clears
his throat by powerful 'ahem 7 follow
ed bya powerful use of bandanna pock-
ct handkerchief; draws out his tuning
fork, and waits for the parson to close
his reading. He now reviews once more
his company; throws rsproving glance
at the young woman in the pink hat, who
at the moment is biting off "a stout bunch
OF fennel; lifts his music book. thumps
upon the rail with his fork. listens keen.
ly; gives another slight 'QhemP falls in
TO the cadence, swells INTO strong cres>
cendo; catches at the first word of the
line, as if he were afraid it might get
away turns to his company, lifts his
music book with spirit, gives it a power
full slap with the disepgaged hand, and
with majestic toss of the head, scars
away, with the women below struggling
| on in his wake, into some such brave Old
melody as--Litchdeld!
Being a visitor, and ia the Squire's
pew, you are naturally an object Of con-
siderable attention to the girls about your
age; as well as to great many fat old
ladies in iron spectacles. who mortify you
excessively b. patting you under the chin
after church. and insist upon installing
you for Frank; and force upon you very
dry cookies, spiced with caraway seed.
"You keep somewhat shy Of the
young ladies, as they are la'her stout
for your notions of beauty, and wear
stout calf skin boots. They compare
very poorly with Jenny. Jenny. you
think, would be above eating gingerbread
between service. None of them you inn
agine, ever read Thaddeus of Warsaw
or ever used colored glass seal with a
heart upon it. You are quite certain they
never did. or they could not, surely. wear
suck dowdy gowns and suck their thumbs
as they do!
"The farmers you have a high respect
for; particularly for one weazen>headed
old gentleman in brown surtout, who
brings his whip into church with him.
who sings in very strong voice. and who
drives span Of grey colts. You think
however that he has got rather u stout
wife; and from the way he humors her
ia stopping to talk with, two or three
other fat women, before setting of for
home (shough he seems little fidgety)
you naiYely think that he has high res
gard for her opinion. Another towns
man, who attracts your attention. is
stout old deacon, who, before entering,
always steps around the corner Of the
church, and puts his bat upon the ground
to. adjust his wig in n quiet way. lie
then marches up the broad aisle in a
stately manner, and plants his hat, and
big pair of buck skin mite MS. on The lit
tie table under the desk. When he is
fairly seated in his corner Of the pew, with
his elbow upon the top rail-almost the
only man who can comfortably reach it;
you observe that he spreads his brawny
fingers over his scalp in an exceedingly
cautious manner; and you innosently
think again, that it is very hypocritical
in deacon to be pretending to lean up.
on his hand. when he is only keeping biz
wig straight.
"Aftef the morning service. they have
an 'hour's in,ermission,' as the preacher
calls it; during which the old men ga
Their on a sunny side of the building, and
after shaking hands all round. and asking
after the folks at home. they enjoy
quiet talk about the crops. One man.
for instance, with a twist in his nose,
would say, Its rather CROWN season.
and another would reply, 'Tolerable, but
the potatoes is feelin' the wet, badly
The stout deacon approves this opinion,
and confirms it by blowing his nose very
powerfully. r .| -rt
"Two or three of the more worldly
minded ones will perhaps stroll over to q
neighbours barnyard. and take look at
his young stock, and talk of prices. and
wi ittle a little; and very likely some two
of them will make conditional 'swop'
of three likely ye'rlings' for pair of two
year Odds. @ a
"The youngsters are fond Of getting
out into the graveyard, and comparing
jack-knives, or talking about the schools
master, or the menagerie; or. it may be,
Of some prospective travel in the fall !;
either to town. or perhaps to the sea-
shore.'
Afternoon service hangs heavily and
the tall cEorister is by no means SO blithe,
or 80 majestic in the toss Of his head. as
in the morning. A boy in the next box
tries to provoke you into familiarity by
dropping pellets Of gingerbread through
the bars Of the pew; but as you are not
accustomed to that way Of making ac-
quaintance you decline all overtures.'
"After the service is finished. the wa
CONS that have been disposed on either
side Of the road ale drawn up before the
door. The old Squire. meantime is sure
to have little chat with the parson be-
fore he leaves; in the course of which
the parson takes the occasion. 10 say that
his wife is little ailing. a slight touch,
he thinks, of the rheumatic. One of
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