Litchfield enquirer., 1874-01-08

have nothing left for husband except
 few pailsful of sweetened water.
 The Elders pathos finally triumphed
 He was again received into favor and we
 coned home. His return was speedil
 made known throughout the neighboI
 hood. On the next Sabbath, when he ar
 peared at the brick church, he was greet
 ed with some show of kindness. He Wa
 permitted to remain in the town withou
 molestation.
 It is not pleasant to record the fac
 that, by slow degrees and painfully, Lid
 Ann's husband settled down into shoe
 maker. Hard pressed by his father-in
 law to do sODaething, he acknowledged t
 lifelong familiarity with lasts and leath
 CT and the cobbler's trade. After som
 hesitation and questioning as to what tn
 apar. for his shop at the farmhouse, an,
 tools and leather were procured for him
 He proved a skilful workman. His frs
 triumph was pair of high morocco shoe
 for Lida Ann. They were noticed gooI deal because they were the Elders work They were pronounced by the ladies wor thy of that superlative feminine adiectiy :ssplendid A friend of Lida Ann's re quired pair immediately, and soon thu Elder had all the orders he could talk care of.
 The neighbors generously overlooked the evangelist's decline from public hon ors. They respected his skill and indus try. Farmer Fernwell also had the kind ness and good sense to commend his son in-law heartily for his labor. But Mrs Fernwell and Lida Ann were not at all en thusiastic upon the subject. It was tn. coming down from minister's wife to shoemaker's that was humiliatng. The Daisy had married not so much MT Hetehel as ''the, Elder"
 Three years rolled away. Life at tht farmhouse was cool, calm, and homelike with the variety which country residence and alternating seasons give. The tap. tap of the Elders hammer in the little shoproom up stairs had become a very familiar sound. A pair of little feet, too were just beginning upon the farmhouse floor tap-tap, which as time progressed would become an immense series, consti tutlng the weary march of another life The Elder was recognized now as settle ed-down citizen with wife and a bright little child recently christened with the name of Ruth. His character had come to be pretty we'll understood by his neigh, bors. He was found to be sentimental and ''swashy,' but otherwise reasona. ble creature and good hearted. It was necessary to look ont for him at prayer and other gatherings for reli gious worship. He was always contriving q sensational trap to catch the brethren and sisters, and produce religious cry 
 4 new and startling sensation came to the neighborhood. The spirits invaded this remote and bleak region. It was at the beginning of a rigorous winter. Most of the church people piously hoped and expected that the spirits would be frozen out. But ''the medium" was unfortu- nately native, returningifrom visit to 3 mildor climate, and, bringing the spirits home with him, he succeeded in render ing them so comfortable that they remain cd.
 Eleser Hetchel ''took to the spirits. ' He spent many evening at the houses Sfss -sltha circle gathered, andzwas zeal ous and influential disciple. He could not have table-tippings openly at his fa- house, for Deacon Fernwell stoutly declared that he would have no such nonsense upon hls premises; but the Elder was suspected of practising alone slyly in his shop-room when he ought to have been begging shoes. He often plead ed with his father-in-law and mother-in- law not to grieve and neglect ''the dear. dear spirits" and he quite broke down with sobbing and tears when they finally laughed at him. He went up to his little shop-room, crushed, crying. and subdued, like little boy who is whipped and abused at school. Mrs. Fernwell's moth erly heart smote her when she saw this, and she went up after him and comforted him. The Elder was really proud of this. He told one of ''the boys" Ca goat in dis guise) in circle afterward, how he had fetched the old lady," and he recom- mended it as thing worth trying.
 Lida Ann was between two fires. Her husband praised the spirits, and her ia ther condemned them. To gratify her curiosity, she attended table-tipping Ann also took to the spirits. Her atten- ton was strongly drawn to the doctrine of spiritual afinities, as 1t was expounded by spiritualistic preacher who visited the new field to encourage the converts. She had grown toward a woman's estate since she became wife, and her woman s heart was rebeiliOus ill regard to its be- longings. It speedily became apparent in the circle that the Elders little girl of a wife was particularly great upon the doctrine of affinities. It was no secret that "the dear, sweet angels were smiling upon the affinity of the souls of Sister and Brother Skitchwin. This was the foreign preacher. He was very young, and, if certain vacant was not felt, he was handsome. He had long curls carefully oiled and twisted into corkscrews, and an expres- sion ill his eloquent moments that seemed to the circle seraphic.
 Lida Ann would have been shocked at any immortality, but there was something about ''the twining of the blushing red rose with the golden bells of the lily" as described by Skitchpin that fixed the doc. Urine of spiritual afinities as firmly upon her young heart as if it had been fastened there by an adhesive plaster. It should be remembered that Lida Ann was only about twenty years of age, and the TO- nance of her nature was drawing towards it's prime.
 Itwas day of consternation and surprise when suddenly Lida Ann and the Rev. were found to be n1issing. The occurrence fell with a painful shock upon all the people. They had ''such confidence in Lida Ann !'' Logan stood up for her fiercely even yet. ''No busi- ness to have married her to her great. if they didn't want her tc cut up," he would say.
 Ten days of suspense and sorrow were passed at the farmhouse. Then came a letter: it was signed by Slick and Spavin attorneys, dating from Chicago. They s'begged to inform Hezekiah Fernwell Esq, that, as per previous arrangement Rev. A. z. Skitchpin had arrived on Fri day last, and the previous afidavits of re- etc., having been satisfactory there was no delaying in obtaining ths divorce, and the couple were married o1 Saturday, and this letter sent as per re quest of the same" They enclosed witt the letter printed circular asking fol patronage. and intimating that they hat peculiar facilities for procuring divorce. upon the shortest notice that could be de sired.
 This letter was relief. Soon a lette came from IIida Ann to her ,nothar r