Litchfield enquirer., 1860-02-16

LITcHFIELD THURsDAy, yEaRuARr 1e, 1860.

AA1Gl |foreixn - domestic ! By the reading a,,t study of standard authors. you can mak, yourselves almost any thing you desire, q by sitting up all night oyer fiction and non sense, you can pine away to nothing.
 TIE O1D MAN or THE MOUNTAINS. s From Sharpe's Magazine.
 THE WISH-A FAIRY TALE.
 A GREAT many years ago. before railroads and stage-coaches had chased the fairy peo pie from the green meadows and smooth lawns. where they loved to sport beneath tl,s soft light of the moon-and from the shady groves and sequestered glens, where they were won't to repose, during the long sum ncr's day, cradled within the bell of the modest cowslip, or the fragrant honey -snckle aud before Sunday schools, and national schools, and infant schools, had driven them from their homes in the hearts and imagina- tions of England's simple peasantry ;-in those days when the active. indnstiious maid. et would. on awaking fn the morning, Hiid "a tester in her shoe," and the lazy sloven who had been sleeping when she ought to have been working. would be "pinched black and blue ;''-when joy was often turn. ed to grief, and mourning to gladness, by fairy agency there lived in village in the west of England a young man named Rob ert. or as he was commonly called, Robin Maynard. He was the son of poor parents who died when he was very young. But the little orphan was not deserted his uncle, William Maynard, received him under his humble roof, and brought him up with Q father's care. rsa
 Robin was taught to read and write at the village school, and, as soon as he was old enough to work, his uncle began to in struct him in his own trade, which was that of shoemaker s.-....
 As Robin was clever, industrious lad, he was able in the course of few years to be very useful, aud by his attention and dil- igence, to make some return for the kindness which he had received from his uncle during the years of his helpless infancy. William Maynard was very fond of his nephew, and loved to look forward to the time when he would be a comfort and support to his old age. But this time was never to arrive William was taken suddenly ill earthly help was vain, and, before many uays had elapsed, Robin followed to the grave the re mains of his kind uncle. ....-... ..-.-.
 It is q sad feeling to awake in the morn- ing with an unde6ned sensation of grief ly- ing cold and heavy at the heart, and grad ually, as the memory awakeis, and the per captions become more clear, to feel, as the mournlul truth presents itself by degrees to the mind, that the dreams of the night. gloomy though they were, were not so dark as the sad reality. .......... ...
 Such were the feelings of Robin when hr opened his eyes, and gagged around the deso- late apartment. on the morning after his un- cle's funeral He had lost all that was most dear to him in this world, and he felt that he was indeed alone. ---iout i,o not or a disposition to give way to useless despondency. He thought how much cause he had to be thankful that so kind a friend had been spared him for so many years, aud he felt more than ever grate- ful to that friend for having brought him up in habits of industry and selI.denial.
 Robin now set himself seriously to consid. CT his present situation, and to arrange his plans for the future. He was nineteen years of age, strong aud active, and an excellent workman he certainly was but young to commence business for himself, but yet he did not despair of success he trusted that his nncle's old friends would not desert his nephew, and he resolved it shonld not be his fault. if those who employed him were not satisfied. He soon found his best hopes re- alized he was honest aLd obliging, and moreover he was the only shoemaker in the village It is not. therefore, to be wondered at that work came in rapidly.
 Now Robin was not only very good workman, but he was also very good-look- ing young man. His figure was tall and weIl-proportioned, and he had bright eye and white teeth, and dark hair whicl, fell in rich curls over smooth, open forehead, and, as he sat by his cottage door, on Q summer evening, singing at his work, it may readily be supposed that many bright eye peeped from beneath it's dark fringe, aud many TO- sy lip disclosed the pearly teeth within, as it parted in a smile of greeting to the hantl- some young shoemaker, us the village maid- ems passed and repassed, on their various errands of business or pleasure. Robin had funny smile and merry jest ready for all. but, after they were gone, he returned to his work and his song, with heart as light and as free as ever Yet there was oue gentle, qniet girl, perhaps the only one who took no notice of Robin, and probably for that very reason, because she did not look at him, he was particularly anxious to look at her But this is not love story, the sooner we come to an end of this part of our tale the better. Suffice it to say, that "where there is will there is a way" and Robins will was to beeom acquainted with the pretty Alice and to make her his wife, All this in due time he accomplished
 And now, instead of sitting alone in his porch on summers evening at his solitary labor, Robin had pleasant companion al- ways with him, to tighten his toll with her cheerful conversation. Aud, while he work ed with his awl and his last, she would sit by his side. aud ply her needle with skilful, busy fingers. l s9 % CHAPTER II. Robin and his wife were very happy; they loved one another, and they were general f,s- yorites amongst their neighbors, and Robins business went on prosperously.
 But clouds will arise in the brightest sky After they had been married nearly year, aa infections fever broke out in the village. Alice, who had recently become mother. and could not leave the house at the time,