Litchfield enquirer., 1857-09-03

tre-nor does it belong alone to Paris. In our ow cities and women, who have grown old b the side of their counter and desk, to whom tn scent of blossoms, or breath of country zephyrs. as much stranger as they were to the poor ol maids whom he accompanied, as he herein so touch ingly informs
 The Story of Madeleine and Frances
 found myself in carriage with two mid dle-sged sisters belonging to the domestic ane retired class of Parisians l have spoken o above. A few civilities were sufficient to gail me their confidence, and after some minutes Was acquainted with their whole history. They were too poor women, loft orphans a fifteen, and have lived ever since as those wbt work for their livelihood must live, by economy and priyation. For the last twenty or thirty years they had worked in jewelry in the same house they had seen ten masters succeed out another, and make their fortunes in it, without any change in their own lot. They had al ways lived in the same room at the enc of one of the passages in the Rue St. Denis where the air and the sun are unknown. They began their work before daylight, went on with it till after nightfall, and saw year succeed tc year without their lives being marked by any other events than the Sunday service, walk or an iluess.
 The younger of these worthy workwomel was forty, and obcyed her sister, as she did when child. The elder looked after her took care of her, and scoded her with a moth CTS tenderness At first it was amusing af forwards one could not help seeing someth hing affecting in these two grey-headed children, one unable to leave off the habit of obeying, the other that of protecting.
 1 And it was not in that alone that my two companions seemed younger than their years l they kuew so little that their wonder never ceased. We had hardly arrived at Clamart, before they nvo!untariIy exclaimed, like the king in the chldrens game, that Mey dtd not Hinh Mc morld aeas so great!
 It Was the first time they had trusted them selves on a railroad and it was amusing to see , their sudden shocks, their alarms, aud their courageous determinations every thing was a marvel to them They had a remains of youth within them, which made them sensible to things which usually only strike us in child hood. Poor creatures ! they had still the feelings of another age though they had lost its charms
 But was there not something holy in this simplicity which had been preserved to them by abstinence from all the joys of life :? An accursed be he who first had the bad courage to attach ridicule to that Old Maid, which re- calls so many images of grievous deception, of drearness, and of abandonment accursed be he who can find subject for sarcasm in nvol- untary misfortune, and who can crown grey hairs with thorns
 The two sisters were called Frances and Madeleine this, days journey was 9 feat of courage without example in their lives The fever of the times had affected them unawares Yesterday, had suddenly proposed the idea ot the expedition, and Frances had accepted it immediately. Perhaps it would have been better not to have yielded to the temptation ] o;f,red by her young sister but " We have our follieS at all ages" as the prudent Frances philosophically remarked. As for Madeleine, there are no regrets or doubts for her she is the life-guardsman of the establishment
 We really must amuse ourselves sad she we do but live once"
 And the elder sister smiled at this Epcr- rean E:aXim. It was evident that the fever of independence was at its crisis in both of them
 And in truth it would have been great pity if any scrupe had interfered with their happiness, it was so frank and genial ! The sigh, of the trees, which seemed to fly on both 1 sides of the road, caused them unccasing ad miration The meeting train passing i'll q contrary direction with the noise and rapidity of thundcrbolt made them shut their eyes and utter cry but it had already disappear ed They look round take courage again and express themselves full of astonishment d the marvel.
 Madeleine declares that such a sight i worth the expense of the journey and Fran ces would have agreed with her, if she had no rccoectcd with some little degree of alarm
 the deficit which such an expense must make
 in their budget. The three francs spent upol this single expedition, were the savings of : whole week of work Thus the joy of the q der of the two sisters was mixed with It morse the prodsa child now and then turn ed back its eyes towards the back street o . St. Denis.
 But the motion and succession of object [ distract her see the Bridge of the Val sur rounded by its lovely landscape on the right ' Paris with it's grand monuments, which rls through tho fog, or sparkle in the sun ; on th f left, Meudon with its villas, its woods. it t vines, aud its royal castle The two workme
 look from one window to the other with excla 2 nations of delight. One felow-passenge g laughs at their childish wonder but to my ,l self it is very touching. for see in it the sig k ot long and monotonous seclusion they ar It the prisoners of work, who have recovere n liberty and fresh air for few hours. 70 At last the train stops, and we get out. v show the two sisters the path that leads h Sevres, between the railway aud the garden '' and they go on before, while 1 inquire abou
 the time of returning.
 It soon join them again at the next static, h where they have stopped at the little garde n belonging to the gate-keeper both are alread d in deep conversation with him while he dig