Litchfield enquirer., 1869-11-18
TOM AND T..
BY ALFRED RUSSELL.

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 It is really true; Tom is to be married il, June. After all those years; after slipping the sweets of every flower, as I've 5often told him, he is, now, about toi! take unto himself a uidow! To me there is some thing unpleasant in thei of young man marrying widow. f It is not connect ed with the ages for often, as in this case, the lady is very little if any olderni And when we begin to analyze 1t it is hard to find anything to which. common sense could object. I can better understand and forgive 8 widower in. marrying a young girl, though that used to excite my indig- nation; to my masculine mind there is something touching in the wish, thus be- trayed, to be joined to youth, to keep the heart glowing and warm by contact with fresh heart, but when the case is reversed it seems unnatural, and have to smother a rising imprecation on the artful crea- lures. I am aware that have somewhat contradicted myself in my reasonings, but my own feelings remain the same. not withstanding. All this, as I have said, may be masculine predjudice; at all events it does not help on the story. I begin al- ready to ''feel like one who treads alone, J for Tom and have always been great friends and what I am to do know not. To give you an insight into the merits of the case, suppose ought for the time at least, to merge all feeling about the "wid- ow;" this is more easily done, because she is genuinely attractive. .alaI ne r.e .'
 We had educational privileges in our village; besides the 'Cademy, where Tom used to prop up his handsome, but some what lazy head, over Cicero and Greek Reader, there was girls school-a very select Family Boarding School" And Tom and used to go there. l don't mean to say we recited there, or that we stood under the windows and waved our hand kerchiefs and kissed hands. The princi- pal was a sensible woman, and believed in rational intercourse" she said, and often invited us there. And we used to go. and Tom made himself irresistible to a long train of girls successiyeiy. The inter- est unquestionably waxed deeper, as, through various. intermediate stages, he grew into a dignifed senior on the eve of commencement, and finally appeared as a young lawyer just admitted to the bar, his thick black locks carefully brushed and parted behind, and, moustache express lively twirled at the corners Of course there were some semi-serious affairs. One young girl, Agnes Inman, for along time held undisputed sway; this was in the ear Her years-the period of Byron collars on his side, and gypsy sun-bonnets on hers. Then came that experience we'll known, to all middle-aged fathers of families (howev- CT little they now may look like it), small envelopes slipped into the hand, and lay- ish expenditure of time and ink. This was kept up for Q long time, even after Tom was in College. and I .honrht ha had soft place Tn his heart for the fair Agnes for a loug time after. Whether was right or not the, sequel must show. But have hurried matters: not so he; leisurely he went through col. lege-took his degree win easy, noncha- lant grace, and after few weeks spent in his old hunting and fishing grounds, took up his abode in Cambridge Law School. In his vacation at home he still walked with the older girls at Mrs. w. ------'s school, or with some of the summer visi- tors at our village; butias, time slipped on. these diversions seemed more and more as if taken up for a passing recreation, and l began to feel quite sure that I should new CT be called on to resign my beloved Thom- as, and see him snatched away and wrap ped in the cold arms of naatrimony. -lapH When he finally departed from the law school and stepped forth into the lists, it was not with his old leisurely air, He ''blossomed out" into fine, busy, active fellow, drifted from old Massacousetts, and settled himself in one of our clamorous. thriving western cities. V But I've used to see him every year. He kept his heart warm for the old family roof, and you could hardly step into the old family man sion without finding Q fresh reminder of him; some new vases, an armchair, or tho mother making up heavy silk, and to all questions, the girls-meantime stitching 8 gentleman s collar or cravat-would an. swer, "Oh Tom sent themp' or, stWe've had 8 box from Tom. .'1i.R 10 sa754 E It will be seen that did not go west. No, from being bashful, awkward boy, l have stifened into silent, reserved man glum I'm called by the ladies. Eve put up my shingle here at home, and go up and down exploring the county and beating up cases when courts are not sitting. II be lieve I've grown more stiff and glnm, in the past few years. never had any real com panion but Tom, and this makes me more
 bitter about the, widow, r I rarely sec any ladies! except his sisters, and really thought that one of them felt sorry for me when the engagement was ann nounc: ed. .as~Ea asy at.f<rH es.IoI 7''4AosA-
 I remember during one of Toms visits at home-he usually spent month there in the summer-we were fishing and had had good luck. The sky was covered with a soft white haze which glimmsrcdu over everything. It was, in short, as every
 fisherman knows, just the day." and was bent on improving it. But Tom seemed to tire of Fortunes smiles, for, af- ter heFfirst, few bites he. stretched ihim. self in the boat, and laying this hand on my knee, abandoned to me the ancient, and Scriptural, business of fishing, and betook himself to talking. II think gloried in him, and, was more knit into him on that day and frem thenceforth, than ever before. C! In all that long summer day, when, iwedtwo young felleWs alone, went through all his condolences and Dex- periences, there was. AotI one word or thought which his two lsisters pure and good, might not have heard. A new sen- timent tinged my love for him; I Ireverenced him. his noble ,unsullied manhood, his generous chiyalric spirit. eaAH F.o~4t :,
 The shadows began to: lenEthen. the sunset brilliance was already kindling the tranquil surface of the, little. lake, and lighting up the brown trunks of the, trees on the shore. uniointed our poles and
 woundaup the lines, while Tom made bold etrokoe .frr fha Efflo in nl6f vharA nnrs ,s<,x.eI