Litchfield enquirer., 1876-03-30

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 It happened in this way. The unhappy State had fallen into the hands of d0pble- faced, conscienceless whites, .4wh0 used the newly epfranchised blacks as tools for. their evil purposes. These leaders were sometimes emigrant NorthernGrss some times renegade Southernerss but always rascals., In the nIesens' case they had lHa ! famed their ignorant followers to riotOus l proceedings in the city, and the poor blacks. fancying that the year had come | when each man was to have plantation, naturally began by ejecting the resident owners before the grand division of the spoils. At least this was their idea. During the previous year, whea the ar
 mics were still marching through the l land, they had gone out now aud then in motiveless sort of way and burned the | fine planation residences. near the city; and now, chance having brought Gardis- ton to their minds, out they come, incon- sequent and reasonless as ever, to burn Gardiston. But they did not know the United States troops were there. oi as
 There was siege of ten minutes, two or three volleys from the soldiers, and I then disorderly' retreat; one or two wounded were left on the battlefield (Miss Dukes flower garden,) and the dining room windows were broken" Be- l yond this there was no slaughter, and the victors drew off their forces in good order to the camp, leaving the officers to re- ceive the thanks of the household Cousin Copeland, envelope in 8 man. moth dressing-gown that had belonged to his grandfather, and Gardis, look ing distractingly pretty in a hastily | donned short skirt and little white sack i hn hod \ brown hair waving over her shoulders, and her cheeks scarlet from excitement, Roger Saxton fell into love on the. spot: hitherto he had only lowered. as it were, on the border
 Had you any idea she was so exquis- itely beautiful" ?" he exclaimed, as they left the old house in the gray light of dawn
 ''Miss Duke is not exquisitely beautiful; she is not even beautiful" replied the slow-voiced Newell. ''She has the true Southern colorlesS. or rather cream col ored, complexion, and her features are quite irregular"
 ''Colorless I never saw more beautiful coloring in my life than she had to- night !" exclaimed Saxton.
 '"To night, yes; grant that. But it took good-sized riot to bring it to the surface. replied the impressive captain
 A guard was placed around the house at night and pickets sent down the road for some time after this occurrence. Gar dis, prey to conflicting feelings, desert ed her usual haunts and shut herself up in her own room, thinking, thinking, what she ought to do. In the mean time. be- yond formal note of inquiry delivered daily by wooden-faced son of Mars, the two officers made no effort toward a fur ther acquaintance; the lieutenant was on fire to attempt it, but the captain held him back. "It's her place to. make the advances now" he said. It was; and Gar dis knew it. r ,.. One morning she emerged from her re- treat, and with a decided step sought Cousin Copeland in his study. The little man. had been disquieted by the night at- tack; it had come to him vaguely once or twice since then that perhaps there might copying family documents; but the nebula--it was not even definite thought had faded, and now he was at work again with more ardor than ever.
 "Cousin Copeland, said Gardis, ap- bearing at the door of his study, II have decided at last to yield to your wishes, and and invite the officers to dinner"
 By all means" said Cousin Copeland, putting down his pen and waving his hands with a hearty little air of acqules- cence-''by all means" It was not until long afterward that he remembered he had never expressed any wish upon the subject whatever. But it suited Gardis to imagine that he had done so; so she imagined it.
 ''We have little to work wita," contin- ued the little mistless of the house; ''but Dinah Is an excellent cook, and-and-oh, cousin, do not wish to do it; cannot bear the mere thought of it; but oh !! we must. We must" Tears stood in her eyes as she concluded
 "They are gong seon," suggested Cousin Copeland, hesitatingly, biting the end of his quill.
 '"That is the very reason. They are go- ing soon, and we have done nothing to acknowledge their aid, their courtesy-we Gardlstons, both of us They have saved our home, perhaps our lives; and we've let them go without word ! Oh, cousin, it must not be. Something we must do; no6lesse oblige have often thought and thought, and really there is nothing but this: we must invite them to dinner" said Miss Duke, tragically.
 CT always liked little dinners" said Cousin Copeland, in a gentle, assenting murmur.
 Thus it happened that the officers re- compliments of Miss Gardiston Duke in- "Hurrah !'' cried Saxton ''At last !''
 The day appointed was at the end of the next week; Gardis had decided that that would be more ceremonious. "And they are to understand" she said, proud ly, "that it is a mere dinner of ceremony, and not of friendship"
 '. Certainly" said Cousin Copeland
 Old Dinah was delighted; Gardis brought out some of the half-year rent money, and dinner was planned, of few dishes truly, but each would be marvel of good cooking, as the old family servants of the South used to cook when time was nothing to them. It is not much to them now; but they have heard that it ought to be, and that troubles the perfection of their pie crust. There was little wine left in the wine-room-a queer little re- cess like secret chamber-and there was always the crockodile china and the few pieces of cut glass. Thefour forks would be enough, and Gardls would take no jelly, so that the spoons would serve also; Tn fact. the dinner was planned to accom- modate the silver. So far, so good. But now as to dress; here the poor little mis- tress was sadly pinched. She knew this; but she hoped to make use of certain well-worn changeable silk that had be- longed to Miss Margaretta, in hue dull green and purple. But, alas upon in- spection she discovered that the faithful garment had given away at last, after years of faithful service, and nov there was nothing left but mildew and shreds. The invitation had been formally accept ed: the dinner was in course of sprepara- ton: what should she do ? She had ab-. solutely nothing, poor child, save the two faded old lawns which she woreh ordinaria ly, and the one shabby woolen dress for cooler weather. "If they were anything but what they are. ." she said te herself, after she had again and again turned over the contents of her three bureau drawers. Iwould wear rmy every-day dress |. Ahou np %rauh1o