Litchfield enquirer., 1866-04-12
WHOLE NO. 21a6.
A ROMANTIC STORY.

An elderly lady, who ilivsd in One of the | small streets of the Faubourg St Jacqnes, sent to Brittany for young girl to wait upon her. She was far from being rich; an income of about 2,O00 francs (about ssol was her whole revenue; and she had to exercise no little economy to make this small sum last her the whole year through. -..... z--' -,
 The young girl, sent her by relative in Brittany, was named Perins, and she came with an excellent character. The old lady was every day more pleased with Psrine for, every day showed the young girl to be econom ical. tidy, careful, and most industrious.
 Twelve months passed away without SO much as an unkind word id between them. One morning she returned home in state of great agitation, and said to Periue: agis4se You must leave this house! Look out for a place this very dayl' '@ Do you send me away, madame I? exclaim ed Perine, bursting into flood of tears. No l do not dismiss you,' replied the old lady mingling her tears with those Perins shed So fast, I do not dismiss you, but can keep you no longer, for am ruinedv The old lady had heard few minutes be- lore that her little capital had been lost by the bankruptcy of one of her kinsmen. to whose hands she had con6ded it. .,.e--,-- ------,-.-sa If that's all. madame.' said Perine that's no reason why should leave you. At your age, you require some one to serve you 4ss9
 But my poor girl exclaimed the old lady, deeply touched, you do not understand what it is to be ruined. I can neither pay you nor feed you.'
 If that's the case, madame, I shall not ask you to feed or pay me, but as you have been mother to me, will treat you now as daugh- ter should treat her mother. will work for you and for me- 't
 The old lady protested against Perine's do- ing any such thing, but in vain. Periue ob- tained 8 situation in the neighborhood as maid patchwork, but she retained the right to give one hour every day to the old lady's ser vice, when she would make the latter's bed, sweep out the room, and cook the brsakfa {; and every night she slept in the old lady's chamber She would every day bring the lat ter some fruit or fowl--in short she acted tow. ard the decayed gentlewoman as if the latter had been indeed her mother.
 This patient selfsufering lasted two years | without an hours intermission, when broth CT of the old lady died, a brother she had quar l relied with years ago and had lost sight if not remembrance of for many year. He died . wealthy bachelor, leaving his whole estate to his sister, a..s4r4-
 As soon as the old lady came into posses sion Of her property, she adopted Perins for her daughter and hsiress. and placed her in one of the best boarding schools in Paris that She might receive an education suited to her new position, and marry as we'll as the heiress ot several thousands year might hope to do.
 .-.,
 A WESTERN WoNDER.-The greatest wonder in the State of Iowa, and perhaps any other State, is what they call the Walled Lake, To. cated in Weight County, twelve miles north of the Dubuque and Pacific R. R., and about one hundred and fifty miles west of Dubuque City.
 Tbe water is from two to three feet higher than the earth surface. In most places the wall is ten feet high, width at bottom fifteen feet, and at the top five.
 Another fact is the size of the stone used in it's construction the whole is of stone varying in weight from three tons down to one hundred pounds. ~t There is an abundance of stone in Weight county; but surrounding the lake to the ex. tent of five and ten miles there are'none.
 No one can form an idea as to the means em- ployed to bring them to the spot, or who con. structed it.
 Around the entire lake is belt of wood. land. halt mile in width, composed of oak. with this exception the county is rolling praiIis. The trees. therefore must have been placed there at the time of building the wall.
 In the Spring of 1856, there was a great storm, and the ice on the lake broke the wall In several places, the farmers in that vicinity were obliged to repair the damages to prevent nundation. The lake occupies ground sur face of 1900 acres, depth of water as great as ,@ kAA, Iha water is clear and cold. soil sau- dy and loamy. - -
 It is singular that no one has been able to ascertain where the water comes from, sud where it goes to, yet it always remains clear and fresh.