Connecticut western news., 1873-04-25
VOL. IT.

harrow which he had strapped into the wagon to give the neighbors plausible reason for his trip to the Falls was by no means typical of mental laceration in itssowner. His feeling as heapproach- ed Miss Dolly's moss-grown cottage was purely one of thankfulness that it was in his power to provide her better home. Not that he was grateful to his dead wife for leaving a vacancy there. MT. Wiggin had mourned faithfully for Olive year and day.
 Miss Dolly was out in the garden gathering catnip. She never used it herself, but there were nervous. old ladies in the village who looked upon this herb as the substance pleasant dreams are made of, and Miss Dolly dried it every year, and often left little bundles of it when she made visits of consolation. She had built chip fire under the tea-kettle, and then whisked off to pick an apronful of the pungent leaves while the water was boiling. There she was, stopping beneath the hayes of log-cabinl sun-bonnet, and humming 8 lively fugue tune, when MT. Wiggin drove up.
 "' Come, my beloved, haste away" piped Miss Dolly, cheerily, snapping briskly at the stalks.
 '''Cut short the hours of thy delay;
 Fly like youthful"
 "'Fly like youthful" struck in wheezy bass.
 The sun-bonnet tipped back like cart body.
 "Sakes alive p cried Miss Dolly, not in the words of the hymn, as MT. Wig gin strode toward her on his slightly rheumatic legs.
 ''I don't mean to put you out," laughed he, shaking hands heartily, " but it seemed kink O materoI to take a part with you in Lavitation."
 "You always had way of falling in at the most unheard-of time, remem- ber," retorted Miss Dolly, saucily, re- covering herself, and going on gather ing catnip. She was fifty years old now, and hoped she had her wits about her.
 "You used to say I kept good time, only too much of it, pursued MT. Wig gin, with sudden inspiration "but I tell you what, Dolly, time never dragged with me then as it does these days p
 "It is dull season." said Miss Dol lv, with exasperating simplicity. q suppose the grasshoppers have eaten most of your wheat, haven't they, so it Il hardly pay for reaping ?"
 "Just so, assented MT. Wiggin, dis comfted. He had not travelled five miles in the heat to discuss the state of the crops.
 "Walk in and sit down, won't you ?" said Miss Dolly, with reluctant hospi- tality. Her apron was crammed at last to it's utmost capacity. She devoutly wished it had been larger.
 "Well, yes, I don't care if I do," an- swered MT. Wiggin, after hypocritical show of hesitation. No hurry, though, as know of, and he turned to let down the bars for Miss Dolly, who meanwhile slipped nimbly through the fence, cat nip and all.
 "Bless my heart Idon't see butwhat you're as spry as ever you was, " said he, admiringly, as he puffed along in her wake. 'Still you must be getting into years, Dolly, as we'll as Tho ofense, l hope-and I was wondering whether or no it wasn't lonesome for you living alone here a woman, so ?" "Oh, never was one of the lonesome kind," responded Miss Dolly, briskly, seating her guestin the patchwork cush- toned rocking-chair; and, for that matter, hardly day passes without some of James's folks running in to see me-"
 "Yes, I know; but if you was, to change your situation, wouldn't you en- joy life better, think ?''
 Miss Dolly fidgeted at the green pa- per curtains, and intimated that her present happiness would be complete if the grasshoppers would stop feeding on her garden sauce.
 "That's just it," continued MT. Wig gin, eagerly you do seem to need a man to look out for your farming inter ests, now don't you, Dolly? a man that Il be ready and willing to do for you, and make you comfortable ?''
 "I don't know" said Miss Dolly, dryly. ''The year before father died I did have Silas Potter, and he is the most faithful creature living but what with the extra cooking and washing I had to do for him, my work was about doubled, and when mud-time came l was glad to send him off, and hire by the day. about made up my mind that men folks round the house cost more'n they come to-"
 "I guess we don't understand one another," said MT. Wiggin, slightly disconcerted by this unfattering view of his sex. '1 wasn't speaking of hired help, Dolly. Materially you aOould get tried with that; it's worryin' to wo- man. But if you was to have com panion, now-one that could give you a good home, with wood and water under cover-'
 "Shoo! shoo!" cried Miss Dolly, fly ing out after an inquiring chicken on the door step.
 1 MT. Wiggin drew his red pocket. handkerchief from his hat to wipe his glowing face. Certainly he hadn't fell the heat so all through having.
 "How'syour health nowadays ?" asked
 Miss Dolly, frisking back with look ot
 resolute unconsciousness.
 "Very good remarkably good! don't know where you'll find man |: Dolly, with tougher constitution thar
 I've got"
 "Ah" Miss Dolly blushed like sumac in October.
 "Yes, I'm we'll, ;" pursued MT. Wiggin l perseveringly, "and I'm tolerably we'll } to-do, with nothing to hinder me iron marrying again, provided I can see { , woman to my mind" l "There's the deacon's widow" sug } gested Miss Dolly, oficiously; ''she's pious, economical" r "She's left with means enough t. carry her through handsomely" inter rupted Mr. Wiggin, quickly. "Now r. 7 rather have wife to provide for-on } that needed home. In fact, Dolly, l have my eye on the little woman wan :, this minutep
 3 He had both eyes on her, for tha matter, and Miss Dolly was forced t recognize the situation, whether she ac l cepted it or not.
 "I've managed to sugar my tea s ! far, David, without calling upon m
 neighbors," chirruped she, stopping t