Connecticut western news., 1873-01-03

was excellent, but the lemonade was too hberally sugared for Spencer's taste. It was as sweet as the uses of adversity ---even sweeter, if the truth be told. But Spencer drank it. He would have swallowed almost anything to please Aunty Waterbury.
 "Now, Spencer, said she, 1T don't want you to eat too much of the mince= pie. I know it's good, and there's plenty of it, and I don't believe it will make you sick But I want you to save some of your appetite. I have got a little surprise for you.
 After time, apparently little ner- vous about the surprise, Aunty Water bury went down stairs again.
 "There is one good thing about it, J said Spencer to himself, as he stretch ed his legs out toward the fire: have given the good old lady lot of pleasure, and she would not have had it if had had had my 'claw hammer coat I know. I supposed one day would do just as we'll for her as another, but she thinks it is great thing for me to come on New Years day."
 And now the old lady reappeared, her face little red, as if she had been looE- ing at something hot.
 "It is not quite ready" said she, "but she'll bring it up directly. Don't get impatient"
 Now it was the old lady who was im- patient, and so Spencer only smiled.
 "She! Who is she?" he asked.
 Just then the door opened, and ''she" entered, bearing 8 plate of butter-tef- fly freshly made. Spencer jumped up, and pushed back his chair
 She was wonderfully pretty. Spencer was certainly surprised--but not at the taay; v,, ,,,+ ,-.. ,,o, .. Waterbury, smiling like full moon with spectac1es on.
 "Nor' stammerea Spencer. 'T have not the pleasure---that is, don't recol- lect."
 "You don't tell me! Is it possible Are you sure now that you don't re- member?"
 Rhe young lady and Spencer were now getting very much embarrassed, and the plate of taffy trembled so much in the hand of the former, that Aunty Water bury stepped forward and rescued it.
 "Why, you certainly remember him, Hattie, don't you?''
 "No," said she, "I shouldn't have known who he war if you had not told me downstairs. When knew him, he was little boy and wore roundabouts. :" And she blushed little, and laughed little, and Auhty Waterbury laughed great deal.
 "Yes, indeed," said the old lady, Che didn't have tails to his coat then"
 Bother tails p thought Spencer. And he could not help thinking what a different tail he would have had to his coat if it had not been for that fire. And now the old lady took pity on him. "Why, don't you remember Hat tie ?' she said.
 Hattie ?"
 | Of course he remembered Hattie, but he did not remember this beautiful girl. There was no reason why he should. It had been eight or nine years since he had seen the cid lady's niece.
 They did not long remain strangers the tafy made them acquainted. It was just the same kind of butter-taffy they used to eat when they were boy and girl together, and when Aunty Water bury lived in little house in North Billford, where there was the same turkey-fan over the mantel-piece in the parlor, and the same china figures, and the same Prodigal Son, covered it seemed to Spencer, by the same gauge, as he saw here to-day
 They had dinner in the middle of the day at Aunty Waterbury's, and now, as it was so near noon, Spencer might as well stay, and while the old lady went downstairs to see to the boiling and the baking, Spencer and Hattie sat and talked of old times, and ate taffy. The taffy was very good, but it was sticky, and Spencer reflected that he would not have been quite so free with it if he had steel-pen" coat on, but little but ter and molasses don't matter so much to plain diagonal with fay-pock- cts. And so they sat and talked, aud spoiled their appetites.
 After dinner the three came up into the parlor again; and Spencer made himself as comfortable as if he were sitting for company himself Having no further calls on his mind he forgotit was New Years day, and if the ladies thought that he ought not to be neglect ing his other friends for them, they were too polite te say so. But it is doubtful if any such an idea entered their mind. As for Spencer, he was in state of great satisfaction. He seemed to live in two periods at once. His mind went back to the delightful days in North Billfofd, when he and Hattie were so much younger, and at the same time he seemed to project himself into the future, into some delightful place or other, when he and Hattie should be but a little older that on that delightful New Years afternoon. The fact was, he had Hattie by the hand as she sat beside him, and she did not seem to object. Perhaps it put her in mind of old times, ,and perhaps---bs1t it wouldn't do to go too far into that style of thought. How could he tell what she was thinking? At any rate,' he knew what he was thinking.
 "Oh blessed fire P he calculated, after little silence.
 Yes, indeed p said Aunty Water bury, looking with complacency at the glowing coals in her wen-flled grate, "a fire is just the blessedest thing"
 Spencer agreed with her. And in the years that he and Hattie have since lived together, he has never changed his mind.
 Star Drift. One of the most remarkable discover les supposed to be made by modern l