Litchfield enquirer., 1875-09-02
,Oly. Why do you choose such sad

''Are they sad? Then like sadness. "Indeed?" And he said no more.. She dared not, however. repeat her experi-
 ment immediately; but later, when some famous singer appeared in H EsOvatore, and Mr. 7Denen became enthusiastic over her, and Grandpa Derringer declared that he did not care a farthing for all the sing CTS in Christendom-ab bobolink would put them all to shame, he believed-then Es- telle bethought herself of her former op- cratic success. She made some improve ments upon her last appearance. She powdered her peach bloom out of sight she did not go to be admired; she curled the gray wig about her face; she took a curious pleasure in decorating herself in her grandmother's black brocade, found folded away in the cedar chest up stairs, in the embroidered neckerchief of the pasts laid across her breast simplewise, and fastened with Lapis LGz,sH brooch. Then throwing over her shoulders Mad anne Derringer's fur cape, and donning Mrs. Wheas's discarded bonnet, furnished for the occasion, she hastened ont, delay ed an instant beside a family carriage which was discharging it's freight of furs and 1aces, and passed in to the opera un- der their escort, as it were. How it daz- zlad her unaecustomed eye, such bewild- ering costumes in the audience, as we'll as the actors! They might all and each have just stepped out of the ArGbain Nights, for all she knew. Such perfume prevailing the air; such crowds of beauti- ful faces beaming everywhere; such mu- sic, that made the peach bloom struggle to burn through powder, that made the eyes flash and soften-the old, old airs, interpreted and realized, which she had caught from the wandering minstrels, and dreamed over on lonely nights at Vale vile! She had no conception of the part she was playing herself; she did not ap- preciate it's dangers, nor perceive the eyes that were bent upon her in bewildered questioning, in half recognition. So long as Mir. Denen was not her neighbOr, she felt secure, though, in her needless enjoy ment, she did not know how the brown curls escaped beneath the gray, how her black brOcade was sprinkled with the powder that had shaken like frost from her fair face. When the last note had died away, she dropped her veil and fol- lowed the crowd, in a sort of blind ecsta- cy into the fOggy street, and pausing 8 breathing space beneath gaslight to get her bearings, coming so quickly from light into crosslights and comparative darkness, touch light as dust fell upon her arm, a face-the face of young Car. ruth, whom she had left at Valeville play ing an eternal game of croquet, she thought-lOoked familiarly into hers.
 "When you masquerade again. Miss Estelle, take care you do not allow the brown ringlets to appear in competition with the gray. See here; l severed it with my Damascus blade -treasure-trove. Tuck your arm into mine ane I'll take you home" But she gave him one swift glance instead, and fled, leaving the curl he had clipped away in his hand-hed right or left, she knew not where, blun- dered in the teeth of some restive horses, and fell trampled in the mire.
 "Hold in your horsesI" shouted MT. Denen, who happened to be crossing at the same time. "An old lady has fallen under their heels. JoveI she'll be crush- ed to powdervs end he sprang at the check with one strong hand and rescued her with the other. My little madame, |" said he, supporting her now in both arms, ''are you much hurt? Can you stand? l will call carriage and take you home. Here, Squirting, don't know where in the world to tell you to drive, after all. She's stunned. An! as the bonnet and wig fell of together-''ah, Spurring, you may drive us to MT. Derringer's. 1 think this lady is friend of his.
 ''SO this is the way they return from the opera, is it?" said grandpa, waking up from his doze. after the doctor had come and gone, and pronounced Estelle out of danger. Didn't tell you no good came of the pesky things? So you took the part of an old lady and sung small? Ha, ha! pretty good for a chit like you: but bold my dear, very bold-very Kewish too. Shall have to send you back to Valeville if you go on so.
 "I won't go back, you know" said Es- telle, from among her cushions on the sofa.
 "why not9' asked Mir. Denen, who yet fingered.
 "Oh, because-because- Did make a very passable old lady, Mir. Denen?"
 "I prefer you as young one" smiling ever so little.
 Do you? I should like to be young always. l thought people liked old wo- men the best-at least they show them the most attention.
 Because it is perfectly safe; there's no danger" his smile expanding.
 Danger! Danger of what?" raising herself on one elbow to look at him.
 Danger of losing one's-head!'
 ''I don't believe there's any danger for you. Mir. Denen, anywhere," sinking back.
 ''That's because you don't know me-"
 'And whose fault is that?"
 ''Your misfortune, probably" laughed grandpa. Mir. Denen was very klnd after this mishap. He came every day to in- quire for her. the bruises confining her to the sofa for some time. He brought her punches of dewy violets, baskets of rare fruits hidden beneath flowers, light liter ature to while away dull hours, and a won- derful walnut whose kernal was a tiny vinaigrette of crystal cut in delicate de- signs of branch and leaf. He brought his dute, too, and played melancholy tunes to words of her choosing, and was the same Mir. Denen again who made her jour- hey to Valeville pathway of sunbeams. One evening while he was present Mir. Carruth called.
 ''So," said that youth, "you slipped away from me the other night; I knew it must be either you or your grandmother. Will you go with me in your proper char acter next week? May l count upon the 
 ''IfI I am able to walk, thank you"
 s'You did not mention seeing Mir. Car ruth, spoke Denen, putting away his flute. ''I thought you were alone.
 '.And 90 vas"
 Denen retired into himself as EgteIle recovered and was able to seek his own pleasure. When she found herself strong snough to go and come with Carruth, he was as far away as ever again, as remote and cold as the icebergs of the north pole. once he eondescended to ask EstelIe,
 'Is MT. Carruth staying in town?"
 "Yes," said she: 'she is studying medi. zine with Dr. Thoroughwort."
 "And this is why you did not care to re- turn to ValeviIle. 'a z '-E
 And what is that to you, MT. Denen?'' Tor nothing more annoys Q woman than delicate attentions diluted with iudicious neglect. st5 @1.t-.. ''Oh, nothing but phenomenon, cer- tainly. It's nothing to me, either, that you have lost curl, pursued the provok- ing fellow-''a curl from your left-but