Litchfield enquirer., 1860-04-19

, uDsavory game of trap-ball in the kennel ( the gloomy old court, which served as playground and pleasure garden for at leas 7 half hundred pale, noisy and ragged chi l dreu of both sexes, merry as kittens-climt ling about the old stone-steps rusty iron raj ings, or tumbling over the scraperS and gra , tings as they romped and chased each otie from pillar to post. The boy was glad t. see me he shook hands with me, forgetfu of the state Of his fingers-he had beel l building grotto of oyster-shells, cementet together with clay from sundry fower-pot : which adorned the window-sill in front O , his mothers parlor- window.
 ; found Briars in his studio or garret, n ' the top of the rckety old house. His nos
 was close to block of box, at which h'
 picked and scraped with his graver b,
 wore greasy black shade over his eyes and looked more cadaverous, care-wern, ant dejected than ever He said he was harl at work clearing out for spirited oilmar who had taken fancy to have his shop
 front and portion of Bishopgate Street put upon his bags and wrappers. Briars said business has been very slack, but now he had his hands quite full indeed, he was worried out of his wits by i'm patient custom. CTS. He had set up for several nights over a set of fy-and-beetle-traps, for which pat ents were being taken out he still regret ted he was not prepared to give mo my block yet but he had taken it up and laid it down, counting upon my generosity, Sc Four months ago, had given him an order to engrave the outlines of a knupsack and belts, then was very urgent to get it out of his hands, to send it with my article up on certain aecoutrements to the Cracker but now the Cracker was dead, and its last report exploded into thin air. was nc longer anxious about the diagrams of the kuapsack told Briars he ought to get assistants-journeymen, apprentices. He shook his head /; he had tried the game, got wood spoiled, and drawings thrown back up- on his hands. I then compared him to Bri areus told him there was work enough be- fore him for one hundred instead of taco hands. There was boxwood on the table, boxwood on the floor, boxwood on the chairs
 "Tom, where's your manners P exclaim- ed Briareus to his son why don't you hand chair ?-Pray, sit down you look fatigued," said Briarcus. Tom, why dou't you clear chair for the capting 2"
 The boy grows tall," remarked
 "A weed, sr-a weed," said Briareus, continuing his work "backward in his schooling, sir"
 He'll pull up for lost time yet, dare say"
 "Idle, sir-very," said Briareus fond CT of gun-powder than of his book"
 He must be soldier" said 1. "How's the battery, Bleatings p
 Don't encourage him, sir he did some damage with the brass cannons you kindly sent him shot the feet off two pair of his mothers stockings airing by the kitchen fire, and"----
 "Holes, father--only holes in one, and the heel was out of the other before r whned Tom.
 Don't contradict me, sir Don't mind him, capting he's a very careless boy grown of late, as, if his mother was at home, you would hear"
 l now showed Briareus the half-croum i; and after he had condoled with me upon the misfortune, and talked the matter over, we hit upon plan for getting rid of the coin. Justice being voted out of the question, and rewards and punishments placed in abcy- ancc, smprimss, Dgwood Briareus engraved the bakers name upon one side of the con and the number of the shop of the other. Then Tom went down to the kitchen, and hunted out an old condemned kettle of goodly proportions. He filled this utensil with cinders as directed, ramming the debris well home with poker. Anon, we knock ed off the spout, and beat out the handle :; then took pen, and ink and paper, and composed note to the baker and his wife, put it into an envelope with the half-crown, and covered it up neatly with the lid, rolled sundry old newspapers round the vessel, aud sent Tom out for more brown paper, twine, paste and sealing-wax. Anon, the parcel assumed most interesting and imposing ap- pearance. So well papered up, tied down, waxcd to perfection, by Briarcus's advice, we covered it with mysterious directions
 This side np with care,' &c.,, ria Bombay. Marseille, Bendigo, Ballarat,' &c. The ba- ker's name in several places and when the job was done, we surveyed our bandiwork with complacency. We pictured to our selves the bakers delight-his surprise on receipt of this parcel per Parcel Delivery Company. He would carry it iuto his back parlor the old woman (having paid the carriage) would be most anxious to look at the contents friends might drop in, we'll wishers and good customers be asked to step in and witness the ceremony of opening this casket of untold gold. It might flash upon his (Doughnail's) bewildered brain that he had some relation at the Diggings or that runaway apprentice, enlisted in the Com paDy's service, had married begun, or be- come nabob himself Ont of gratitude for the hard knocks and kicks he bad re- ceived in the bakehouse at home,' he might have sent to his old master and mistress some jewels, rupees, mohurs, pearls beyond all price and having followed the oaKef ID magina tion, we drew lively pictures of his doubts, his fears, his misgvibgs. his disgust as he unrolIed sheet after sheet with difii- culty. and came upon the note imbedded in cinders. A verse or two of that impromp- tu composition l preserve. Thus (to the bakers wife addressed)
 Yes, madam, you may stare and frown, As if you grasped nettle,
 To see once more your base halfcrown Before you in kettle.
 The next verses contained savory com parison about stale fish and cinders and | a n has l-1-- --s- A A