Litchfield enquirer., 1875-10-28
GFrom scribner's Magazine.I THE WiNrHRoP.DRuRY AFFAIR.

THE WiNTHRoP-DRuRY AFFAiR.
 The Book Club in our day was not merely a circulating library, but also . fortnightly assembly of the members. These little informal parties were not too bookish, and were ended by a modest supper of coffee. scalloped oysters, sand wiches, and cake, and these prescribed limits were transgressed only on pain of expulsion.
 On the evening when my tale begins, the Book Club met at the Merrimacks ]. and although the charming hostess dared not risk salad additional, she did ven- ture, as she had some young people from out of town visiting her, to introduce . fiddler just before the clock struck ten, our hour for dispersion.
 "Did orthodox ministers daughters dance in those days?"
 | An me no. To be sure, it was once urged in awful accusation against papa, by disaffected deacon, that he had been present at the house-warming of parisi- toner when dancing was in order, and that ''his girls danoed every set, and Dr. Dra- per stood and looked on just as if he en- ioyed it ;" but this, regret to say. was an invention, so far as our dancing was concerned. Doubtless, had we so chosen, papa would have only reiterated his for mula, Gas you please, my daughters, but l we were all the more careful not to offend even the prejudces of the parish, because of his blessed trust in us, and our recip- rocal loyalty to him and his professional interests. Still, it was something of q trial (greater at the time than now seems credible) for such merry girls as we, to only stand and wait while all our friends were moving through a cotillion. How ever, we were apt to have compasslonate acquaintances who gallantly proposed to ''stand out" dance with us, so that we never had very painful sense of wall. fowerage.
 We were under the Won Tassels' care, and, of course, remained with them to Mrs. Merrimack's appendix.
 Leslie Won Tassel was the daintiest little creature in person and appoint ments, but keen in discerning flaws and sometimes ruthless in her thrusts, so that often her most sweet tones had the sting of blow. Trust and tenderness melted her into childllke humbleness and sweet ness, but these, unluckiIy. she rarely clio ited, because SO few besides ourselves saw her genuine self. ss had noticed throughout the evening that Leslie was in one of her moods, when the boldest held his breath at her word.
 As subsequently, appeared, her brother Cher only relative within four degrees, who embodied in himself an immense accumu- lation of ancestral pride and authority, which he now and then exercised toward her overwhelmingly at unexpected mo- ments) had had one of his severest spasms of governance.
 He wished to go to Europe at once, and his lone little sister must needs be taken, an unwelcome burden, and he had spent the day in dictating minute statutes for selfish, tyrannical spirit, that she was al- most beside herself.
 There was a subdued gentleness in her, always courteous manner. which to eyes that knew her we'll foreboded danger. and. although was not within range, it was evident that she was making ears jingle on all sides. Just as the impromptu dance was breaking up. however. she came. and sat down by me to confesa. as she was apt to do. some of her misdeeds; but, as we were obliged to wait for our car riage, two or three other lingerers soon joined us and the conversation became genefal. Among them was Miss Roper. from Cambridge, the most marvelously pretty girl ever saw. but utterly vapid. It seems that this lovely stranger had pre- viously reused Leslie's ire, not only by her amusingly open attempt to fascinate MT. Won Tassel in particular, but by her patronizing manner in general, and her naive and prOfuse expressions of surprise at the unexpected civilization of our be- loved little city's society. There was no malice, only crass ignorance in the Beauty; but Leslie was beyond distinctions that night. ..a- t. .
 When, therefore, Miss Roper, by way of gracious furtherance of acquaintances with MT. Won Tassel's sister, Isped out the inquiry :''What is your favorite pur- suit, Miss Won Tassel ?" we were shocked to hear Leslie respond in her blandest tone :"Swinging on gate, Miss Roper do you do it very much in Cambridge~ When Miss Roper murmered some in- audible reply, Leslie went on:
 "But suppose yon who live on Mount Parnassus really cannot understand with what delight we Lowell girls enter into such humble recreations, after our con- finement during the long day at the loom and the spinning-jenny."
 Miss Roper beamed compassion, evident ly holding the delusion of all foreigners. which none of us failed to encounter at one time or another, that Lowell girls, of every degree, had something to do with spindles.
 ''But know you dote on music, Miss Won Tassel. I watched you and your brother last night at the Quintette Club Concert, and you were perfectly absorbed"
 ''Thst obligato accompaniment was the best thing they gave us, don't you think, Miss Roper ?" interrupted Stephen.
 'Oh, naagnifQue," squealsd the Beauty with her great lustrous eyes uproiled and her hands clasped.
 '.Yes. it was as you say." said Leslie, meditatively; ''but did you ever in your life see such big, shiny one ?''
 Whereupon. incredible as it may seem, Miss Roper. who was too pretty to need much wit, musical or otherwise, fell into the trap and innocently replied:
 "Oh. yes indeed, really think the obligato they always use in their Concerts at home [such emphasis T is fully a size larger" r A. &ar .s or course it was, and under these cir cumstances. Stephen, glowering savagely at his peaceful sister, strode to the door to look after the missing carriage. and we wLo remained all began to talk at once, to prevent further horrors.
 Mir. Won Tassel speedily came back to announce that no carriage was at the door; and remarked Intellectually. that it was raining viciously, and the hackman vas in Q something and something of a temper Tn consequence '; whereupon Miss Roper, whose cup, 1t seemed, was not yet full, simpered out: .,1 ls.'
 ''How considerate you are, Mir. Won Tassel! I am afraid I don't sympathize with that sort of people as I ought; do you know, it never quite seems as if they were of the same flesh and blood as our selves l' .. t-r-r
 Mir. Won Tassel was not as yet so enam- ored as to have lost hisrsense,r and only lifted his patfician eyebrows little and bowed to the fair savage; but Leslie re- marked with pathetic cadence: 'You no- tice. perhaps, Miss Roper, that my broth CT looks surprised and somewhat grieved; -he was once hackman himself" and while the victim was faltsring out, ssOh, I'm so sorry-II think that some hack men are very nice" !" the nauabtv rirl add-