Litchfield enquirer., 1863-02-12

l brook had been guilty. Having been sent t. New York by his father to collect a sum O money due him he had been aIiured to a ca ming house hy companion, and ther, induced to play. though not until afte, much persuasion. Having lost e part of tn, money in his charge. hs kept on playing. in the hope of recovering his losses but. a, might have been expected. instead of this he lost all that remained. Then thoroughly ashamed. and bitterly upbraiding himself for his breach of trust hs went home and confessed all ThiAeaaisssioa. Eas recsixsl as.ys have seen in such a way as to chill his con6denc, a:d excite his indignation. And now. he had gone forth from home wan1ersr ha knew not whither without one effort, on his father part to stay him.
 Let me do D aeon H.lbroek tho justice to Say that it was not his own personal loss that excited his rigor. He could overlook that, but not his son's weakness and crima. as he termed it. by which it was lost.
 After Henrys departure, the old ,hsass be. came quieter than before. All the life had gone out oft. Deacon HDlbrook him self was a man of few worls and his taciturnitv. had abated his wi:e's social tendencies. Very long very quiet and very tsli,as IF. tn. evenings which they spent together. On one side of the fireplace at the deacon, gravely reading through his spsctacles, the agricultural paper which came weekly Opposite him sat his wife her fingers actively engaged in knitting. her mind intent upon her absent boy. All was staid. quiet. snbdued. There was not even kitten to enliven the scena. Mrs Hnbrook had once ventured to introduce one into the house. but the deacon speedily intimated his dislike of cats and so pnss had been banshed.
 One night Deacon Hnbrook brought let ter and she took it eagerly and tore it open with unwonted haste,
 What was it made her eyes sparkle with joy7 The familiar handwriting did not deceive her. She knew at once by the peculiar four ish on the top of the H., that it was from Hen y
 She raad it through with grateful joy. It was from one of the mining tlsticts of Califor- mia. It appeats that Henry had worked his passage. having no money and. leaving the vessel at Sar Francisco had proceeded at once to the mines where he was new working. He had not been there long snoash to form an idea of what were his chancvs of surc.ss. He wished hi: mother to write, ani promised to keep her advised as to his movements. There was only one reference to hls father It was this: Il am afraid father still retains his bit terness towards me. Ifthis is the case do not trouble him with messages but if otherwise you may give my du,ifui regards and say that do not yet despair of making myself good and true man.
 Deacon Holbrook did not look at his wife while she was reading this letter though the handwriting must have told him, also, who it was from.
 Joshua. sni! his wife. using the rarely mentioned Christian name of her husband, this letter is from Henry"
 " Sc suppose said he, coldly.
 As lie spoke, he took from his pocket his weekly paper and adjusting his spsctacles be- gan to read.
 This WAS hint and SO Mrs Holbrook it. hat he did not care to pursue Inc suLje,t fu tler; but she could not help asking :" Wouldn', you like to read Henry . letter, Joshua ?''
 ..' You will obl'ge lie by not mentioning his name aga,a. said the deacon. sti ay. He has all claims 10 be considered son."
 So days months and even years passed. It lacked but month Of Eve years since Henry tiolbrcol left his home. There was little change in the air of the grave sober locking mansion of Deacon Holbrook. The deac, himself had failed more m those five ysurs than IF any five years preceding. His form had lost its ancient ersetnsss and was bowed. Ills tacs hau grown more wrinkled, and he spent more tlae in the houss. Mrs, Ho,brook Received tidngs of Henry at short intervals. He was well and .io,ng we'll he wrote, but did not enter into particulars Sometime he should return to see his mother. Of his father he did not speak. These letters were all brought home from the village post office by Deacon Helbrook but he never signi6.d any curiosity or interest to learn the contents. Henry name had not been mentioned between the two fur years; yet-a let not this sur prise the readsr-it would be hard to tell which thought of him most constantly. Be hind. the deacons taciturni,y and pride there beat . heart and that heart WIS more tender to his lost son than he would have been willing to confess.
 All at once. his quiet life was broken in m. on. and that in most cruel manner.
 One day he entered the house his face as palid as sheet, his> limbs tottering beneath him his whole expression that of great and
 mtolerabls angnish
 What is the matter. Deacon Holbrook Whats the matter Joshua!n Inquired Lii alarmed wife.
 Hannah, we are paupers paupers in oul VfA | .