Litchfield enquirer., 1869-01-07
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"You will talk toher, sometimes of me?'


 lisga sfShe shall never forget or cease to love rs yoqs Twill cherish her as my own child until. you come back to claim her. -Gmss Earewelll"g Before she could guess his Is purpose, ahehssed her twice between the E I earnest eyes, so luminous with love and 'a eompassion, they might have been those 39 of his guardian angel and she lost sight . oi him in the pelting sleet. Shutting out the chill and the storm, when she could no longer hear bis footsteps, Huldah went pack to the lighted parlor, to bow as he had done, above the slumbering babe, and a! 70 KISS the curls among which the fathers sd tears yet glittered. Then, through the still air broke the sound of low, abundant weeplng-soft rain that relieved-not wear led the heart, subsiding, by and by, into z the voice of prayer, sweet and solemn prayers for the lonely wanderer and his babe. for strength and comfort for herself, and for grace to forgive the wretched out cast who had wrought the ruin over which she mourned.
 Twelve winters had come and gone. It was the last day of December, bright and keen, and Hlldah Wright, with her adopt ed daughter had come down over night to the city for forenoon's shopping. It was enchanting work to Amy, and her happy face, radiant in youthful beauty. called forth many admiring glances, provoked more than one older visage to an answer ; ing smile. as she tripped by her guardian s side along the thronged pavement There was party dress to be bought for Marsh field merry making, beside host of pres ents for the friends she remembered by the score, and she plunged into the expressing business with zeal that interested Che spec tators, and afforded inte qualification to her chdperone. p-e
 "Pink silk and black lace, auntie, dear2 Or, shall it be that lovely green. with white velvet trimmings? she interrogated, with au anxious contraction of the brows and eager quiver of the red mouth, the hand some young clerk thought infinitely enga- ging rt5s g. a5 --as iE
 .' Please yourself, my love-" was the in- dulgent reply. ''When you have selected the color, will advise you as to quality. It IS poor economy ever to purchase a thin silk. - The salesman's expression of approba- ton of this remark was exchanged for watchful uneasiness, ill glancing from the iudicious customer to woman who had pressed closely to her on the side opposite Amy, and Huldah turned to look at her. She wore a fimsy silk dress, which had once been gay, but now was faded and plashed with black city mud; 0 tawdry
  ed with cheap flowers. She met the grave gentleness of her neighbours eyes with an insolent smile and nod of recognition. You have not forgotten me, I see, Miss Wright?" tH }sf3t
 Huldah's heart gave one frightened leap, and her hand moved slightly toward Amy, as if to thrust her away from 8 polluting presence. Then she said, in low tone, and apparently without perturbation: "I do know you, and I must speak with you. If you will wait for me outside, will join you in a moment"
 With another familiar nod, the woman moved away; addressed fippant question to a clerk near by, laughed impudently at his reply, and went toward the main en- trance of the store
 "Have you your pocket-book, madam?" asked the salesman, aside, of Huldah. That is Q doubtful character"
 sHuldah recalled the term as very tame, when having bidden Amy look over the goods at her ease while she attended to an errand elsewhere, she joined the forlorn wreck of womanhood upon the sidewalk. Every vestige of comeliness had vanished from features and figure. Gaunt and blear- eyed, her scanty elf-locks, streaked with gray, blowing about cheeks the hollows of which were begrimmed with rouge; her bony fingers poorly sconceealed by ragged gloves clutching the shawl together across her chest, the once brilliant Ethel offered a contrast to her dignifed interlocutor that struck the most careless passer-by as extra ordinary, even in the Babylon where the extremes of luxury and squalor a. so oft en seen side by side.
 Where and how are you iving?" be- gan straightforward Huldah.
 '.," Nowhere in pa1 icular-and by my wits, !" was the pert rejoi1.de-.
 ''I am afraid you are in great want," said the sister of mercy, as Q cutting blast Tapped the mean shawl from the hold of the shaking fingers. ..-
 "Well, can't afford to buy rich silks, and my laces are not of the finest, you see."
 If you will seek 0 respectable home, and abandon your present mode of life, will make you monthly allowance suffi- cient to keep you above want," Huldah continued, undisturbed by the allusion.
 Out of Ter money, I suppose" jerking 'h her head backward toward the spot where they had left Amy. ''I heard that he had made pile out there in Guinea; or wher: ever it was. I ought to sue the estate fol my thirds. There was no divorce"
 ''You are mistaken. MT. Narton procur cd one within two years after you left him. You have no legal claim upon his property Did he marry you?' queried the half drunken creature; peering into the pure face, and laughing aloud as it grew scarlet 4 at the insult. sa-s s.., ,arue"He never returned to the United States after he sailed for South America. He died in Buenos Ayres, four years since. - I have no right to use the property he be queathed to his only child. The allow -- ance I propose will be taken from my own funds. Here is my address, giving her a card. Should you accept my offer, write to me-"
 Don't be. alarmed for the safety of this respectable, elderly person, Charley, ' Ethel said to policeman who approached them inquisitively. "This is legitimate business, this is. Suppose"-to Huldah- "I conclude to try the respectable dodge just for change, you know, how often will .- you let my only child visit her own deyot- 55 ed mamma? may open negotiations ,', with her direct, If you are too sharp with