Litchfield enquirer., 1875-04-15

white envelope, unseaIed. lying on the floor. As picked 1t up 3 photograph dropped out-it was no doubt "Lorainy's" likeness, which had slipped outside ln- stead of into the old mans pockets. Yes, the slight figure was clothed in black: even the round throat, unrelieved by any white ness, rose out of crape ruffie. I knew enough of ladies' dress to perceive that, at least; but the face took all the ''widow' similitude even from crape and meriho. A photograph IS often caricature: there are faces whose beauty Is so entirely m ex- pression that the enforced stiffness of sit ting for their pictures makes them utter unlikenesses; but this face had positive beauty of it's own in delicate outline, large, pensive eyes, a sweet, full mouth, but a lurking possibility of fun and spirit in the piquant nose and dimpled chin. It was a peculiar face, for all it's beauty-unusual, interesting; full of suggestion. No regu- lar, faultiess visage, no Madonna, no nymph, 10 goddess or angel. was recalled by it's aspect; over the broad, full forehead the hair lay in loose waves, soft and shin ing, but color was wanting, of course. It was picture that took hold of me vitally, face that I studied all day, that invaded my dreams, that-I may as well own it. took entire possession of me in twenty four hours, and resolved me to find out the original as soon as might be. Perhaps Ihad better introduce myself. My name is Frank Goddard, and was twenty-nine years old when found the Widow Cases picture. It would be more according to the fitness of things as depicted in the or dinary novel had been poor but hon est young man, with uncorrupted morals, oIoova oolIo~u nd nFanw <<,. science through the dreadful trials and temptations of clerks life in the city; but I was not. I was only a tolerable young lawyer, with plenty of well-to-do relations, among whom were two old maid en aunts who had spoiled me always, and now having just died, to my real sorrow, carried on 6 sort of fposthumous betting by leaving me fifty thousand well-invested dollars, and very pretty house and gard en in sn old New England town. I. was not poor before; now I was rlch as I need be, and disposed to enjoy my money lit tie while before returning to the office, which could we'll do, having left in my place an old comrade and college chum, who was glad to step into 8 tolerable busi- ness, and do all the work for year or two, for pay now, and 8 partnership hereafter. So left home. intending to travel, and during the first hundred miles of my jour- ney stumbled on the Widow Cases pie ture and my own fate. Don't suppose I had never been in love before; had, at least twenty times; I had fatal facility at that sort of thing. had been madly in love, and refused, accepted, engaged, dis engaged. In fact, I have a vague idea of once having two bona tide engagements on my hand at once: don't really know how 1t happened was not victim. think I must have been a fool
 However, I knew the symptoms by heart, and here they were setting in again at high tide. There was no help for it. I could not get any further West than AL bany. I recovered my trunk there from its durance in the baggage car, refilled my valise, and checked the trunk back to H, took the cars to Millerton, and then and there bought ticket for Pekin.
 Did any body ever write hls exprience in Connecticut country taverns.? I shall not offer mine to the public, but think it might be a readable article. I found room for my valise in Rodgers Hotel, and feather-bed for my place of rest But I cared very little. My absorbing object was to find the Widow Case; so strolled down into the.bar-rOom, a dreary desert of bare floor, enlivened here and there by a spittoon, creaky armchair, 8 whip leaning against the wall, and a county map Mir. Smith, the present landlord of Rodgers Hotel, in 8 greasy velveteen coat and battered felt hat, was leaning on the high counter with both elbows, talking COWS to an old farmer. I did not hesitate to interrupt the deliberate dialogue with my query, I-. :. "Are there any my families of the name of
 This innocent question was received with roar of laughter by Smith, and an idiotic grin, both broad and long, from the toothless old farmer. Ibegan to feel vexed, naturally enough, and Smith per ceived 1t. ..-
 ''Scuse me square: but fact is, there ain't much folks in Pekin besides Cases, nd here's one on 'em; this old gen1'man Deacon Levi Case"
 t'How de do how de do !' chuckled the old man. "Pieased to see Ye. Didn't al together kstch yer name. !" This time he did
 ooh, jes sol Why, sounds dreadful nateral. Ain't one O the Norridge God dards, be ye?" .sE g'sssf
 I disclaimed the honor, but did not en. ter into the subject of my family; I only raised my voice, and asked him if he knew any widow lady of his name in Pekin. g
 '.Lor, yes! He he he More'n four on 'em. Why. there's Widow Elbert 0ase'' (here my ears tingled, recalling that name in the talk of the old couple in the earl, ''but she's gone out West; there's Widder Case up to the mill; another on 'enn down to Parsonstit,e, t used ter be South Pc kin. There ain't no widder up to our folk se.; not yet! he he he Do'no' her name, do yer'
 Dear reader, am not G. Washington. can tell lie, at the proper time and I did it I could not expose that lovely, delicate being, whose picture carried in my left breast pocket, to the giggle and chuckle of this grinning old satyr, the coarse laughter of Smith, the bar-room gossip of Pekin. would rather hunt up every Widow Case in Connecticut q thought so then D than do it; so | said, with the ease my law practice gave me, that did not know her name, my busi- ness did not enter into personalities. I would go to all these places. So, getting directions and a horse, I set out alone to hunt up my cynosare. drove mp ashad- owy, still, grass-grown road to the mill AASss au0 WOeU cOU1O~ 1Ak0 E00 lEEl6 brown house door resound no louder to my whip and knuckles, I tried the mill it. self, but there was nobody thsre; it was empty of all but heaped grain and piles of fabby bags; the eNhale plaesE amaf1ean of new pine and fresh meal-all but the shed where the great wheel hung motionless. for that alone was old. and the black fans of the wheel itself bore tho tint and slime, and sent into the fresh June air the mouidy scent, of long use, of old water soaked wood. Then ! went back to the house and opened the door without <cere- mony: . real old hag rose from her rock ing-chair and hobbled up to me with one hand behind her ear, took the hint. and shouted, sS@~
 Does the Widow sCass liveshers9a
 I'm Widder Case, she croaked.
 Here was number one! but not nv yv1d- ow, evidently. I made some futile CT rand about the mill, and left her numb ling and croaking at the door. to follow the next direction. hunting up another widow in Parsonville,- manufackurinr NNurx t.r~& gv@&