Litchfield enquirer., 1872-05-23
haR. ANONYMOUS.
PRESENT.

In the house of Pnrnkin Brothers came to a close. These events were not pscnliar to that particular day, but a story must have beginning. The numerous clerks closed their ledgers and slowed away their papers with far greater alacrity than they had shown in br. r.nging them out some six or seven hours before; and as they put on their Oyercoats, hats and gloves, they be- gan to chat with each other. One had got an order for the theatre for two, and asked another to have chop with him. somewhere, and then go thither; others were members of volunteer corps, and were in hurry to get on their disguises and go and be turned half-right some where. All had some personal object, pertaining to love, war, pleasure, or some dinner in view; Ill short, the striking of the clock had a magic power, u,id turned them from mechanical cogs into men.
 One young man went up to the head of of department, and from him received papers, which he put into the breast-pock- ct of his coat, and then walked of without speaking to his fellow-clerks, beyond bid ding good afternoon to one or another. and assenting once or twice to the fact of the weather being fine.
 "A mean beggar, that Mapleson,' said Jones, as he arranged the flower in his button-hole.
 ..Ay,' replied Brown. He dimes for a shilling
 And inks the rim of his hat s Perhaps he is poor. suggested the charitable Robinson.
 Poor ? cried Jones. Who isn't? Mil ionaires are not commonly found on clerks stools. He has his salary, and he is not married; and yet he stints, and nev- CT goes anywhere, or does anything
 Perhaps he has vice, suggested Rob- inson, who always fought the battle Of the absent.
 'Ah! he may have. certainly replied Jones the Just.
 But it isn't only his meanness,' said Brown, who had made overtures to Ma pleson, which had been met with more politeness than cordiality: he is SO con- foundedly stuck up. Now, of all pride, I hate mean pride
 The uncounscious subject of ali this dis paragement walked down Cheapside of St. Paul's church-yard, where he stopped before bonnet shop.
 Still there, he muttered; that is lucky. How we'll it will become her r
 He entered, bought the bonnet which had taken his fancy, and with the little card board box in his hand, started off in the direction of Islington. In vain did Hanson cabbies raise the whips, and om- nibus cads cry "Ton Ton He walked every step of the way home.
 Home was parlor on the ground floor -a bright and cheerful parlor, the orna ments and furniture of which, though not costly, were in perfect taste. There were flowers; there was 6 piano, open; music and books lay about in a comfortable, but not untid dy way. Home was girl of 19, who welcomed him with smile, call ed him Harry, and went into ectacies over the bonnet. Home was presently tea, tea treated as meal, not the meaningless supplement late diners understand by the term.
 What do you think, Harryr exclaimed the young lady in the course ef the meal
 Think ? replied Henry Mapleson, with his mouth full; why, think that if there were many men of fortune who knew that I had sister who could make such an- chovy toast as this, they would soon car ry her off from me-
 Young men of fortune do not marry their cooks; the new bonnet is much more likely to rid you of me. But what was going to say was, we have got goose
 It isn't you, pussy, and it is not me- quoted the brother, turning to the cat.
 oh, what grammar
 The verb "to get" takes an accusative, Susan. But about the goose. How did you steal it 2
 'Nohow; it came; together with it's gib- lets, and half-a-doZen of sherry
 What MT. Anonymous again 2
 'Yes.
 He is very good, said Harry, serious expression coming over his face. But there is one thing that do wish he would send-his name, I hate mystery
 But you like goose, added his sister,
 Well, yes; frankly, do-sherry like wise. He says that he is an old friend of our parents; but if he is ashamed to ac- us now, had sooner be with out his charity. However, it is ungra- cious to say so; and after swallowing a G20 note it would be absurd to strain at a goose and giblets. We will eat the bird on the day set apart for that purpose by the church. Shall we invite our fellow lodger2'
 'Mr Nicholson? Oh, certainly
 When the tea-things were cleared away. and the lamp lit, Susan Maplsson set to work upon her brothers buttons and socks, and while she sewed and darned. he read novel aloud to her; equitable division of labori
 Just as he had finished a chapter, the hall door closed. and observing that MT. had come in, and that it would be a good plan to give him his invitation at once, Harry Mapleson rose and went ont, returning presently, followed by the an elderly man with a slight stoop, who placed his hat and um- brella on chair, and came forward to greet Susan, who took off her thimble to shake hands with him.
 Have you been to the British museum to-day ? she asked.
 Yes, my dear: yes, as usual; am 6 leech applied by the publishers to old books.
 "A leech? No; bee.' .
 Well, that is perhaps pxettier way of putting it, and more complimentary both to myself and the venerable authors I draw from; they are fowery enough some times too. But the bee skips from bud to blossom in gay, coquettish manner, which would never draw the honey out of a black letter volume, let alone a mediae- val manuscript. fear that leech is more literal.
 But, then, what term would you have left to apply to the publishersP asked Harry.
 Nay, nay, said the old man; T cannot complain. They pay me very well; there is not much competition in my musty lne.'
 A tyro in physiogomy might have pro- nounced MT. Nicholson to be intellectual and benevolent. but it would have taken an adept in the art to decipher the ex- precision which habitually spread oyer his features. There was a weary, hopeless, hunted look which told of great suffering. either mental or phisical- -probabably the former, for the deep lines about his mouth and eyes were of that character which is worn by sustained rather than spasmodic action of the muscles. He was a man with terrible because secret sorrow. I do not say that you would have gathered all this on the present occasion, for when he was in the society of the Maplesons he waa a diffarnuk hosno um xuoc