Litchfield enquirer., 1860-03-15
HOW MISS PHIPPs BECAME MRS. .t.....7 PHILLIPS.
4 LEAP-YEAR STORY.

most ridIcul0usly untruthfui types of chsrac
 ter upon us. For example, what is the con
 ventional notion of the British old maid
 Thanks to these unchivalrous caricaturists the phrase suggests . picture of a lady witt
 figure like ramrod, and face like a win terapple-a crabapple-reserving her smal remnant of sour milk of human kindness fo, her cat; as afraid of tue men as Horace. Chloe; and feasting like ghoul upon tht lnangled regulations of her youthful sisters
 Well, now, my reader, look round your circle of acquaintance, and tell me honestly how many of such yestal virgins you can find. never met with one, and, with your permis. sion, will introduce you to little body who is the very opposite of that abominable DOT trait-my friend. Miss Phipps
 As plump as partridge. as blthe as a mavis, bright-eyed as robin, Aunt Rhoda as she is called in some dozen families in- to which she has been lovingly adopted-is in request for all our erry-makngs, and
 lights up the sick-rooms, to which she will go just as willingly, like very substantial sunbeam. She doesn't petrify into hand crossed efigy in men-fok's company, but roundly rates the bad taste of bachelors in having suffered her so long to continue sim gle. Of course, like all women who are good for anything-it is only your selfish people (moral oys!ers) who shut themselves up, and take no interest in their neighbors -she is fond of 6 bit of gossip; and being a hot-tempered little dame, she can occasional ly say a sharp thing of, though far more fre- quentIy to, for she likes everything above board, any one who has happened to offend her, or--which is far easier mode of ronsing her wrath--who has offended her friends. But tf.ere is not grain of malice in her heart. She blurts out exactly what she thinks in volcanic burst, and there an end; far pref. erablc mode ofprocednre, in my opinion, to the polite, smiling way in which phlegmatic people dribble out their spite--in such small contributions that grievance will last them for month.
 | Such is Miss Phipps, as on the last night of 1855, she sits in her dolls house of cot tage in P"gis Parva, entertaining tiny party of village friends. Her elder sister, Harriet-also maiden--is really the mis- trcss of the house; but she, good, quiet soul. resigns the lead in everything to bustling Rhoda, who not subsequently bullies her. in a good-natured way, to stir her into life, and whom she watches, half adnliringly, half snxiously, as one might watch the china enduugering pranks of frisky kitten play ing with the tabe-cloth.
 The hearts of the Misses Phipps arc large, but their means are small; party at their house, therefore, is an event. They do the thing well, however, when they attempt it. Their neutest oflittle parlors-a although the process St, ms very much akin to the paint ing of the ly--is tdied up for hours before hand The best china--white as snow, with sprigs and rims of gold--is daintiIy dusted The heirloom silver teapot aud creanl;jug are secured until the quaint old plate seems almost asham, of that spotless polish which brings out in such bold relief it's bygonc fashion. Cake, both of seed aud plum, is cut up into the gcnteelcst of blocks and wedges. Wafer bread-and-butter is arrang- ed in graceful circling sweeps, with punches of laurustiuus in the centre. A round tow CT of toasted mufins rises on the fender 'fOotman.' The home-cured ham is slivcred into semi-transparent slices, and wreathed with classic parsley. The preserves and marmalade, for the manufacture of which the Misses Phipps enjoy five miles, fame, are poured. like liquid gold and rubies, into their shallow receptacles of crystal. Wax candles are placed in readiness for lighting on the tea-table, in massive silver sticks the Misses Phipps have seen better days with verdant coronals Que bottle of port and one of sherry are decanted, aud put aside with the plates of almonds, aud raisins, and oranges for pre-ceual refreshment. The supper-tray is ready laid; and then, after sundry ijunctions to the extemporsed par lor--as well aA kitchen--maid to mind her manners the sisters go up stairs to wash their hands, give the last touch to their toll. ct, and to see once more that the bedroom is in fit state for the reception of their guests when they visit it for the purpose of taking of their things
 Bonnets aud boas, muffs, shawls, and mautles have lain upon the counterpane for some hours, when my tale begins. Supper has been dispatched; and to counteract the richness of the hot game-pisce-.-Pogis Par
 va is in noted sporting county, and you may be sure that popular Aunt Rhoda has not to buy the birds she cooks so deftly the assembled ladies, with their feet upon the fender, and their skirts turned back over : their kuees, are slipping just leetle very weak braudy-andw Their tongues have not been idle at any time of the even ing, but now, fabricated by that gentle stim
 ulant. they wag like popular leaves. It il amusing to note the effect of after-suppe
 alcohol-however much diluted-on the fem inine brain. The topic of conversation is {
 Mir. Phillips, a shy autumnal bachelor, wh' has recently taken up his residence in Pogis So very shy is he that he has had his pew il church screened, not only in front, but als' at the sides, with lofty curtains, above which l when he stands up, the top of his head Cal just be seen by his fellow.worshippers. an' behind which, at the close of the service, h' remains perdu until the church is empty e having taken care to be the first to enter it
 All the week long, he never stirs from hi
 own premises, which he would seem to hay, # selected for the sake of brick-wall ana
 n.gh aolly-hedge, which shut them in on al
 s'ues. The rector is the only person win
 1as U. .:,, visited him. and he reports that Mi . fmlhps IS an intelligent and well-informed + but most r'diculously nervous. man. with T. perfect horror of womankind. His servants r to whom he rarely speaks. can pive na fn, h thcr qualification to their village rossins, cr
 riosity about him, than by telling them wha j. he has for dinner; that he spends the day i ! reading in his study, or moping in his ga, Eden; and that they often overhear him wall . :, ing up and down his bedroom at night, tall fl .. -