Litchfield enquirer., 1875-07-29

ne VIII DC coming through, said Mamie
 The young hardware merchant was flat
 tareds and dropped softly back into hi. semi-TecIning posture. When at lengtl the water boy made his appearance, Groo Eseck, with considerable show of magnif
 cence. prevailed upon him to part witl
 the property in one of his glasses; and
 having partially filled this from the un
 dignid6ed but exceedingly hospitable spou
 of the youngsters tin can, handed it tt
 Mamie. His spirits rose, on the accom-
 plishment of this little politeness. and h.
 allowed himself bolder range of thought
 in the conversation that ensued.
 Why do you go back there?" he asked
 ed, speaking of the eschool. soon afterward
 and expanding with the consciousness ot
 an unfettered fancy.
 'eI have no other way of getting a liv
 ing" answered Mamie, simply. s.And
 besides, ann more interested in that than anything else.
 But you don't look like person that would be satisfied with teaching school. 3 he persisted. 'tI have an idea that you
 belleye in soman's rights; don't you? ] should think you would be for taking uu something mOre-m0re masculine. so to speak"
 Marnie.s cheeks flushed, and at the same time she stirred the ruffie at her throat with her finger. slightly, as if troubled by the heat.
 .'Why should believing in woman's rights involve being more masculine?" she retorted, quickly. "There, don't let us talk of it, please. You have no reason to suppose that believe in what people usually call woman's rights"
 GrOOseck was taken aback. He was si- lent for a moment, and applied one@ hand to his hair with 8 slow, brushing move ment. as if he hoped by that means to soothe the hurt he had given Mamie.
 "I only meant, !" he said humbly, ''that you would be likely to look down on the some of the usual occupations of women teaching, for instance, I don't know,- even thought that you were n't the kind just to marry and settle down, like the rest"
 Marrying is one of the usual occupa- tions you thought would look down up- on, l suppose?' asked Mamie. with as- sumed innocence.
 But immediately afterward she was sor- " for the young man, s predicament; and, Introducing new topic, made herself so Rraciously attractive, that Martin Groo- seek not only recovered from his moment ary modification, but was quite bewilder- ed with delight; so that he was shocked and surprised when he found himself at his destination, and obliged to part with her. Just as he was getting off from the car, young man mounted the steps whom GrOOseck knew. It was an educational enthusiast, Walter Halliburton by name. who was already becoming we'll known in his special sphere of activity. Grooseck always felt an instinctiye pity for him. as man destined to labor continually with out reward, though in himself pleasant enough companion, and deserving of a better fortune. But now he scarcely mo- tced him, and only bowed by habit of recognition; so absorbed was he Tn san- guine reverie. Halliburton, as it chanced. took his seat in the very car which Groo- seek had left. though on the opposite side from where Mamie remained He did not know her; but something in her form and aspect pleased him. aRd he had constant Y Q gnardx xn9es9stn l2666ns rtnsaeAr- -tas 3uickened, at the end of his journey. on his finding that it was also the end of her journey. Of all this, Grooseck of course remained unconscious; and he went about all day in an undisturbed trance of min gled melancholy and beatitude. His bus mess did not possess it's usual attractions for him, and he longed for an hour of sol itude. Yet, that night, in the privacy and silence of his chamber, he apostrophized himself in a tone that reasserted the pru- dence he had for some hours been inclin- ed to forget. Martin" he said aloud, before his glass; ''be careful what you do It is hardly safe to marry one of these women with problem"
 When the long sprays of the great elm had begun to yellow at the tips, as if, swayed to and fro by the wind, they had been dipped for an instant in the rising tide of autumn and then drawn out again from their bath of gold, the scheoI-house was once more opened and filled with 8 busy and numerous life. But to Marnle, returning from her ten weeks vacation. there seemed a subtle and evasive change in all things bereabout which she could not account for wholly, but which lay deeper than the changing color of the leaves. It might have been partial re- turn of the home sickness she had experi- enced before, on coming to Flint Hill. This, at least, would be the inference from her resumption, at this time, of that hab- it of gazing from the windows of the in unOccupied moments, to- ward the distant mountains of New 4amp- shire. At other times, as at recess, she found herself looking steadfastly down the short stretch of road that lost itself from her sight in the direction of Hollow dale. By and by, there came to be Q strange fascination in this idle amuse- ment. She began to take 8 personal in terest in the various passers-bY, and es- pecially in those who came from the side of Hollowdale. For aught she knew, some one of them might have. come straight from her far of native hills, following the line of this highway all this tune. At first, when q figure would appear at the farthest point of sight on the long course that the road made in that direction, she could hardly determine which way it was going; it would remains for a moment or two almost stationary, and then gradually advance. Then she would begin to won- der who this might be, who stepped so slowly in making hls way for the first time into her experience. She tried also to picture to herself the circumstance of some one living on the turnpike,-j as she was living on it,-feeIing that it was all very dull, and that nothing particular was going on; and then suddenly awakirg to the perception that all sorts of people had been coming down the road, without her noticing if, and mixing themselves up with her life, until all at once she should prove to be the very centre of some. hith- ert0 unsuspected romance. Such a thing might very well happen, she thought-in . story.
 "H we could only live in stories for a little while, now and then r she exclaim- ed, to herself
 But there was another matter which troubled her. She had, naturally enough. made the acquaintance of young Halibur- ton, who had remained for time in the village where her mother lived, and where her summer had been passed. Being an enthusiast, he was also. of course, a re- former; and was already far advanced in q project of establishing an academy where his new theories, or his modifica- ton of old ones. were to be put tolthe test.
 Mamie had been Thoroughly inducted in. to his schemes; and so brilliant and i'm posing did they appear to her. that she