Litchfield enquirer., 1869-01-07

] Sne had answered the startling petition [ two hours alter it arrived. as [ will Stabe3 lowed quickly. ~ 'r' e'''' e''.1' M 4 will leave her with you on. Monday Ieyeniinng. (January. l1st) God bless you, foreYerIi aa!.aH b&FJg&sg ai o'.iisi.i >i'.l 1.:a
 There are women i in whom, the .j, maternal ,i, I instinct IS neither .sentimentalism nor "a cultivated sense of duty, but native. and living principle, lever responsive to ths sound of baby laughter; and tottering of baby footsteps soonest of aIlIasto the cty ot childish woe, wherever and wheneyer 1 heard; too often, God pity them! swelling, to acnlng, bosoms never pressed by in. fant lips, and brimming eyes that are 'neva CT to look through tears of almost divine, rapture upon the treasures purchased with I trava!l hard by the gates of deathl Phil I hp s intuition and memory had served him truly when he described Huldah as one whose mission in life was maternity. Even
 the thought of meeting hlm agitated her less than the imagination of Holding hiss chlid Ill the arms empty through so many years. ,ft,,. . I5..,js | s.,,,T1,..,[,I --r-'',;
 The wind was shriller than ever. and the sleet began to tinkle against the window when a carriage stopped against the .kats. She opened the door before the visitor could ring, and admitted figure wrappeds Tn travelling cloak. He carried a bundle, l enveloped Tn many shawls, and Huldah dld not stay him by untimely greetings. It | was not until the sleeping child was laid I upon the sofa, and divested by the ,hostess' I dexterous fingers of the mufflers that micht render her rest uncomfortable, that the long-sundered friends looked in each oth- CTS eyes and extended fervent hand pressure. -ln .i. .= ,.,,,-,.. ..,. s,1 s ,i ia.
 Phillip spoke first. his voice unfamiliar to her ln It's hoarseness and strained, mo notonOus intonations. rsH The down train until then ?".. AZ ''.s'''iE; si '''' l'i'ED1' 1 ..tI hoped you would remain all night. T, 1 answered the gentle tone the Gold asid' always used to the suffering little children: :" Cannot you spare her one day more-uh- til she shall be used to her new home?" lie shook his head, and his lips tighten ed into deathly pallor. Then he began to speak rapidly of the child's constitution, her diet an mode of life, and the manner, of his remittances for her support, until he regained a show of self command. Hull dah was not behind him in practical talk and attention to the business in hand. a,ii 1 :" believe we have arranged every thing now, he said, when he arose from the ta-, bie, where she had pressed upon his ac- ceptance Q cup. of hot tea,, and more sub.z stantial provision against cold and a ex-. haustion during his night ride. (" "Hul-, dahp' speaking her name for the first time. 'sl have not tried to thank you for your. surpasslng goodness to me and my worsel than motherless child.'' She moved to check him, but he went on. "she may live to repay you in some measure. shall
 not" l have. a sure presentiment that | shall never revisit my native shores after | leave them to- morrow. I threw away my only chance of knowing you arightnT do
 not say. of making you happy, fourteen years since. Believe me, dear friend you acted wisely in discarding me-. My life and myself have been a failure -pitifuf and completeP' 'l He turned away that she i, might not see his face, but his bowed form, and whitening locks appealed fmore power fully to her sympathy than the most pa- thetic recapitulation of his sorrows could have done. s,I Changed and broken though, he was by time and misfortune, he was i still the lover of her youth, the father of the child whose mother she should have been.. ~A.ae aAc F II !-i:iis."E =Aii,H u..ui9A There is time to retrieve it. vet. Phil.. this for Amy's sake"
 | There was brief silence, then he look ed at the clock, and took ap his, cloak.
 Regrets are vain, now, Huldah, and it is 1 late ln the day for explanations from which pride held us back in the days of our youth. But we may never meet again on this side the grave, and | would have all your nlena- E ories of Amyis father to be kindly and merclful If, Tn your retrospect of the past, which was ours together, you discern any root of bitterness which I can remove. name it now, and frankly. Some mystery hung over the rupture of our engagement, Was the fault all mine?' -t,aIt.aei Her resolution was suddenly taken. Phillip Narton, why did yon part, with the cross and ring you promised to wear htwaSs, ana tFy s to hide the fact from me
 His answer was surprised, but prompt. wrote to you truly that I had lost your keep sake in the sleigh, or in the road while was driving with Ethel on moon-l light excursion in which you declined to accompany me. I hoped, when you asked to see. it, that | should be successful in re., covering 1t. 2. My; chagrin at it's disappears ance was great, and dreaded to have you know of 1t, lest you should regard 1t as an omen of ill. A link of the chain had part 1 ed, as l discovered when Preached home, 1 after leaving Ethel at her aunt's door. and the tfinket had slipped off in the snow. I have never seen it since. e.''l'.'isi..o iaiiti4i'a
 "I am thankful to. know this. very elad and very gratefull' said Hnldah, smiling trustfully. ..t' T can rememb Der yon now as altogether truthful and. honorable.A This one doubt has weighed me down since I was led to believe that you were not deal ing quite fairl5y with me" As to our E, mis- understanding and parting-that is one of the >belongings of the dead Past. Let the dead Past bury itl For the Present, there is action the Future, faith! ,...a .s, .l
 /" l do not understand" he began pug
 Zled.9, tlaa 3isS ltaa a-l.i3'' ja'.' Ill lA4 {.
 .s..It is not necessary that you shopldl' she reioined hastily, and approaching the sleeping child. bent fondly over her, the smile thatshad not left her lips giving her beauty her youth had never known. ttShe is precious New Years gift, How lovely fshe isr'
 One little arm lay on the outside of the
 shawl covering her; the othsr supportedlher
 head. Her hair curled in short, soft rings about her forehead, and the long, dark Eeyelashes rested on checks flushed by slumber and the warmth of the room into