Litchfield enquirer., 1874-03-26
would make no tarrying.

dreadful names, and conforming If vices i'll terms strictly guarded indeed from ths
 profanity he depreciated, but overdipwine
 with denunciations scarcely less bitter ol
 sweeping.
 How hated the self-righteous flavor ht
 smaeked his lips upon, and longed for ths courage and the power to say so to hin hotly, when the cool. calm voice of s'oul step-mother," musical as the fall of watel | over moss grown rocks after Dame Han nah S shrill trumpeting, replied:
 ''I beg pardon, sir, for seeming to diff
 fer; but the suffering pitied, the sin de
 plOred and prayed for, one would hardl,
 wish to leave out of his experience taste
 of city life; there are so many opportuni ties for benefit and enjoyment, so many
 great channels of privilege freely ope1
 to all, together with the widening, fiber
 alizing influence that constant communi
 cation with such variety of men anG
 minds, and things inanimate but eloquent
 must insure, that even with the fearfu
 undertow of evil, cities seem to me mucl
 more a blessing than a curse And tht
 vices, after all, are only such as turk il the human heart; and it may be {
 question If they are purest who are shield ed right and left from outN ard temptation
 never knowing whether they would stand
 or fall; or they who, night and day ex
 posed to its dover and pitfalls keep theil
 virtue and piety intact And there art
 multitudes of such."
 ''To bring the matter home-in thy lov
 ing bosom, Friend, there may be Q hope
 of ther-hood-wouldst thou expose thy
 manly boy, tiny tender girl piItingly t(
 the wiles of the unsanctitied, to see how
 much they could withstand. as thou wnnlds
 u1Is nass thou wouldst have puri fled into the seething caldron; prepared to look calmly on, though aU might be consumed?" And it did seem to me tha there was the least possible quiver in his voice.
 ''Far from it, she replied, her beauti- full eyes softening, 'I would shield the young from all knowledge of and contact with, evil, as l would keep my white gar ments from deflement, if it were possible, but it is not. So I must fortify them well and hold out my hand ever for support and guidance, as when taught the little child to walk There might be. alas. some slldings from the straight path, and some serious falls; but the bruises healed. the wounds bound mp, I think I would rather have him go forward again made his careful by his experience, than re- strain him to anything that might savor of monastic or hermit life"
 l do not know upon what delicate or forbidden ground Mrs. Harrington might have unconciously Cor purposely, for she had keen preceptions) trenched up- on had not the gentlemen's arrival just at this time changed the conversation from morals unto greetings, then gradual ly into general matters of farm and fancy gardening, till in their interest, the lords went out to view the premises, leaving us ladies, as they said, ''to enjoy our femi- nine chat" But what in common could there be, thought to myself, between such uncongenial mortals as we three :? But Madame knew, as she did in music. just how to strike the redeeming note that turned diseord into melndy, and even my under-keyed flats and Hannah's shrills and sharps grew into tones and semitones that made the harmony
 At this promising state of affairs, know ing that good feeling aids digestion, I hastened out to give directions concern ing an ealy tea; and when I returned to the parlor, found the gentlemen there before me. Father stood by his wife's side looking down upon her fair face with serious tenderness. do not know what they had been saying, but little sweet, solemn hush seemed to be resting on the air. But if there had been any utterance toward sublimity, the fatal backward step was taken. I could but see by fathers face and Johns when Friend David, more susceptible to literal than aesthetic con- trasts, asked. suddenly:
 ''How old is thee, Friend Lucy?"
 ''Twenty-eight, she replied.
 And thy husband must be ffty-four or so. Thee is young, hast somewhat of worldly pelf perchance, and were I prone to fattery, would add, thee is beautiful. Why did thee marry Nathaniel, Friend Lucy ?"
 The color spread warmly over the fair face, and mist gathered on the eyelash, as dew evolved from the rose in her cheek. It was the first time she had manifested the slightest degree of embarrassment; but it was delicate question this, to an- swer before such long married matter-of- fact people, with her husbands grown-up son facing her; but she replied, simply and bravely, and, I am sure, truthfully:
 Because loved him."
 Then there was pause. Father pass ing his hand caressingly over the shining hair, little uncomfortable, perhap, that kept him from further demon stration; my tempestuous nature decided ly wrathful that some demonstration could not be directed toword Quaker David himself It is so embarrassing to be embarrassed:
 The summons to tea relieved us some what, and was glad for once, and for fathers sake, that some unpoetic individ- ual had been courageous enough to say that ''the stomach Is the seat of the affec- tions." Though fathers relish for my viands might have been augmented when, "Thee has got treasure in thy wife, Ma thaniel, doated over our heads, as we sat down to ''grace before meat" These people were his first wife's relatives, and their appraval of his second choice could scarce be otherwise than pleasing.
 Tea over, they started for home, with our promise that 8 week hence we would spend the day with them.
 "How did you like them ?" I asked of Madame Mere, as they drove out of sight.
 ''I like them," she replied, ''though I confess they do not quite compare with my ideal Quaker"
 "You expected to find them all exactly alike. placid as pan of milk" said I, re- covering self-consciousness soon enough to say something commonplace and awk- ward.
 ''I certainly did," she said. and laugh ed right merrily. s'No one has told me their family name," she added.
 ''Why how forgetful of me; but then I thought every body must know it was Quaker Cummings by instinct D
 The day for our visit dawned triumph antly, and an hour after sunrise we were on our way. The twelve-mile road lay through beautiful country, fragrant of and forest pine, and tune fal with bird-note and summer symphony: and there was converse all the way, such as one might we'll lend the ear and heart to; not weighty with argument, or spark ling with wit, but satisfying as fruit at the luscious point between aoidity and mellowness. It was the happiest drive, I do believe, despite it's destination, since our old counting days; because perhaps as then, forgot my individual self, and thought of life as beatitude.
 We were arriving almost too soon for my complete comfort. There are atmos- ~Ia~: o,,1 k,,o1sck;o oon5