Litchfield enquirer., 1869-08-05
BEHIND A SOFA.

BEHIND A SOFA.
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 I like to creep away into corners and hide myself with the fold of curtain, or half open door, or behind one of the great painted fre-screens, or in the shadow oi the, tallest furniture. There have odd lit: tie fancies all to myself, and wish things and dream things which nobody knows anything about. For am different from all the rest my parents are tall and hand some. and Louise is the prettiest girl ey- CT saw. Then my brother Harry, who was killed in the Indian Mutiny,, was like a prince in a fairy story. so brave and beau tiful. But I! I am small aad feeble. I cannot run and wrestle. and there is some. thing growing on my shoulders which keeps me from standing straight, and they call me deformed. I shall never grow any more; strangers think me nine or ten years old, but when I count the years from the date in the family Bible, find that I am sixteen. People speak kindly to me, with great pity in their eyes. and once in a while pity myself, but not often, Louise is like the lovely ladies in legends and bal. lads, and am like imps and dwaifs; when I read about them I look at myself in the mirror, and make grimaces, and whirl over on one hand and then on the other, till Louise looks distressed and begs me to stop. Being what am, of course I don t often go anywhere, except in summer when we leave town; and nobody makes me do anything; so roam all over the house, md read, and lie with my eyes shut for day dreams, and am merry and happy most all the time. wish were only six inches high, what fun would have in the world Then when we are in the country, Icould ride on the birds backs, and down in the woods l could sit astride of the great lush --or by the sea-shore, fancy, [ could grim little sprite. However, to be four feet high has its advantages. .s: soI sgi3
 When Harry was wounded. and lay in the hospital, knowing he must die, he wrote long letter to my father and moth CT. full of grief and comfort, too; and then he told them thing which surprised them girl in town in which they had been and how desolate she would be now: and he wanted them. to send for her, and to love her hke a daughter. l elapped my
 
 things to interest me; and the idea of poor Harry having fallen iu love For I know very we'll what love is: have read4 the ..:Faery Queen" all through, and great many romances. And some time ago I.be- gan a sly watch over Louise, on account of a certain Philip Rayburn coming to the house very oftsn. a5 g. a s.:.- .t ls-sJalfs.s But about Harry's lady-love. My moth nr6 6o~a mt like of osora vorv wol1s l,s1f. being for Harry's sake made Q difference, and my father urged the plan. aIAs for Louise.it seemed as if she could not be -ea- ger enough for the coming, of this Miss Emily Grey, she was so determined to cherish and love her. For my part, as home is all the real world there is for me, l like to have as many characters in it as possible. So when we heard Emily Grey was coming to England, we invited her to stay with us. ss4ei1 ,sel4E5 ! a&s Y tnaa
 She would not come at once. She was timid, itseemed; or.perhaps, Harry being dead. she would rather avoid his house. hold. But Louise pleaded for her, and wrote her great many loving letters, and at last Emily came. ssta75
 Emily came. The first evening when they brought her into the parlor, ' was ly- ing under the table withany head on a hassock, thinking about the Old Man of the Sea, in the Arabian Nights. and wish ing had been one of the genii in those days But when Emily entered, I forgot everything else, and peered out from 'un- der the table cover at her. What dainty little lady she was! 50 pale and slight, she made me think of frail. futtering, yellow butterflies; partly, I Iasuppose, because kof her yellow curls, which feii over her shoul.' ders when Louise took away her hat and shawl. Her eyes were wide and pale and blue, her cheeks were colorless, and she had frightened, deprecating way Of looking up, even after my stately mamma had embraced her. But Louise kept about her, and cheered her, and talked to her, till she began to look brighter. n'L Louise was so different, such | darling nut brown mayde, |" with honest dark eyes and rosy cheeks, and lips already to smile Louise ,s nv beauty. hei7J .3S1''s so aas3Hgn.G sdT
 My father and mother mot went tSa out after ttaf1, while, and Louise still talked to her guest, while lay very contentedly on the, floor, all cnrled up, just where I could see all that passed without turning ny head: Louise went to an etagsrs at the other end of the room to get little picture of Harry, and I kept watch of iEmily, That momept she interested me; her wide. pale eyes narrow ed and grew intense, she cast quick |, fur, tive glance after Louise and around, the room. curying her little white neck. and a strange bright smile fitted oyer, her lips. I thought instantly of Coleridge's Gerat- dine with the evil eye. and just for fun; l lifted the tabls7coYer and put my head, and shoulders out so that she conId, see me. 4 I an, ,afram gsnned st her., She ,shrisked and hnng her hands before her lace Lou iss came running back and asked what had irlenIened net glayemsz. asat4ao babissE
 "Oh!" she. whispered, l'ssuchs a! dreadful face pesred at tfmelfrom under the table! .There it is again., And she shuddereilsf
 "Charlesr' exclaimed Louise. looking around, .sseomsout you naughty boy lind speak to Miss Grey. j. It's only my lbrothes Charlie, our pet a1 He is full of freaka.sOne never knows where he is.' .alga1oom -i Emily Grey looked at me like thee and dest little creature that ever lived asl went up to her, and she reached ont Ehez white hand to me, and said, in a low. mus ical voice, s.So this is dear Charlie. II have heard of him. We will be friends. won't we?" s2nsasesl4TavaR v.ss1
 twill you tell me stories?" I asked. She langled merr1lY. s.s!Tad dtedAztiT e.slK ssVoa o&k kha,,r ,h:11