The New York herald., 1871-10-28

NOrwalk Is In q ierment. modest little city
seated among the somDre, broadshouldered hills OF
Southern Connections, which sweep down in waver-
ing slopes to the SOUND 1t Is 30 dgnied and conser
vative In its way that the spirits Of the Puritan
fathers seem forever casting intangible shadows
over It's everyday life. and begetting for 1t quiet
and nerveless career But just now It has
SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.
ana accordingly talks. The people talk. The heart
OF the good city is somewhat sh0ckci the OF
the old ladies-proverbiai goddesses OF the tea-
table-are palpaDly unstrung; the memory OF the
Oldest innabtant Is sadly taxed for parallels to the
present event. the dignity and pride OF che doughty
old farmers, who are, after ALL the stamina and
backbone of the populace, is painfully pelturbed
and tenderer topics are excluded from youthful
lips by the sordd intrusion OF the one which
is now paramount in the public mind. Everybody
thereabouts Is astonished to a greater degree Than
1t fell to his lot TO be before, else cannot
Judge from
THE COMMON TALK
that palpable thermometer OF the atmosphere Of
public thought What most causes excitement is
the transfer Of the estate OF Woodward out OF his
hands. 1t causes world OF conjecture, doubt and
hope 10 its truth or fasty. But the town records
Ike
SCROLLS OF FATE,
verify the story in every particular There can be
no doubt that an ingenious web OF mortgages, re-
leases and deeds has been woven so as TO tic the
property OF Woodward too strongly to be wrested
away by the arm Of the law.
The story of
THE FLIGHT OF WOODWARD
is yet invested with much mystery. There are
divers opinions as TO Its destination. Some assert
that Europe win be his resting place, and others
shrewdly maintain that he Is hot yet far on-no
further on Than New York.
The representative OF the herald yesterday while
in NOrwalK, went to the fountain head Of knowl-
edge, the town oracle, that wise myth, the oldest
inhabtant When the reporter accosted him he
was standing In a fog of drlzzlng ram aud both
looked at each other with udicrous uncertainty Of
gaze. Fs.,s-.--.: : .a-ss..- = .A.-s
THE OLDEST iNHABIrANT
was in pensive attitude, ever and anon casting an
owilike look-wlse and dubious-at the place
where the sky used to be before the mist was. His
hands were thrust in the pockets OF his wastcoat-
| queer garment decked with great brazen buttons
| and striped broadly with red and green and
! shaggy yellow-gray locks hung out from under an
| extremely venerable hat.
"Well, something has happened, ] understand,
| hereaboutsf'
The town oracle stepped about gropingly in the
| damp and took another owllook upward remark
| ing,
| "Yaas. summnt.n
"Did you know Woodwardr'
| 'Know 'em well ennw: 'em often enow, and
used fur to talk with 'em before this rumpus;
havn't mad nothin' to do with 'em since that: fact
isn-and he looked steadily out Into the fog-"fact
LOOK DOWN ON SIGH A MAN.
do Tell you'll Pm oldest man hereabouts;
an once on time We used to think II disgrace to
| steal. FAINT so now, though. Tn biggest thief
is the best man, you Know. But tell you--and the
| coat pocket and sunk them deep In his pantaloons
while his small watery eyes-of palpable azure
e Keen look OF nnmor:w'reii You It's kinder % funny :
naow, giltln' out o. the way like he did. Previous
cum down here. IKnow'd 'em well, cause ] sold
'em heap o. apples a year ago. We didn't
enS WE neerS S about that air ansferrn Nv lanas
and then ! tell you, the people did talk. We
but then we gun to git douStu Ike and now
don't know as there's any one but what would call
S @ nss, ne r. hss
mats my name-"Mr Adder" said he, II mink
| they won't kept mp long
you know. I looked at i'm kinder elost-
answer from man. He looked at me and Hooked
al INN. sez /, .Mr woodward. think for one lnai
lie began to turn little rounI, and Just then the
train came mp and he Jumped aboard That was
went away afterwards and guy out to me that she
were goin' to Chicago. They do say she was goin'
o heTe Se Gs
pleaded engagement and toddled away.
is short distance IRON from South r SorwaiR village The
cottage n,a ns sits oyer ION. on The eastern SIDE OF HILL
cumps Of tees now sobre ana win skea rnsse
tinted tint il foliage; . The sIcanSs are are anaussiSs
ns oaH @ SShen e Sy kS sses
ana shaded BY NAPLES anu oaks. Beside one
d the statue Of @ which graces hs
front OF Tammany Hall; the broad, sinewy foot OF
| the aboriginal hero, planted on the shoulders OF
| hpPe which lIe9 the rock. Near another
| pain Is q fbe statue Of Venus de Medici. The
cottage GyerS1Ss Norwak ~ Harbor @ Looking away
dimly outlined hills Of Long Island. woooward's
land juts out at intervals into the bay; the
| sadness are now IN their October days, glow
Like silks of samarcsnd.
There may be pretticr spots than this, but none
more lifting Ior repose, quletude aud happy re.
fection, away from the temptations and cares OF
business.
A STRANGER
yesterday walked leisurely through the grounds OF
the Woodward mansion, looking with critical eye
hand in placing there. lie approached the house,
rang The door bell and waited. The door was
sm ana n eae az H. neas re sa s sTSa
"Is Mr.. Woodward a, homcg'
mo, sr;r with a haiI-amused CLEAN from pair
wien did he leave homer'
Last Monday, slr.o
And where has he gonef"
lie started for TO go up to Chicago, believe, SIR
early on Monday morning.
"And he started at New York, supposeT
Eyes sir.v
When is he expected to returns'
~ don't know.n
'.Is there any one here who kDows''
mo, SIR except perhaps Mr.. Beatty and he lives
up town s0mewheres.o
what took Mr.. Woodward TO Chicago-busi-
ness ~
II don't know tQnizzically) leone TO view the
ruins, supposeW
As the gentleman turned to depart che said,
''P,rhaps they'll be back next week.
Are you sllrefo
III don't know. May be the housekeeper would
know;- and she went upstairs, humming the tune
or .No One to Love- Tne hOusekeeper pretended
To know NO better than the girl The door closed
ana the dun panels again stood IN their place. The
gentleman weaded hls way across the grounds
toward
THE PALATTAL MANSION OF JAMES II. JNGERsoLL