Litchfield enquirer., 1876-06-22


 have bowled along the fashionable avenue of his day, drawn by an equine marvel at whose antiquity the fast young men, even of that time, would have scoffed Surely that gaunt body could never have known the pranksomeness of colthood, but must have entered existence at it's present rev erend agei The clumsy wagon held two occupants a man, slouching. grizzlad, sharp featured. with thin face marked by cabahstic wrinkles, and a woman whose lneaments were fixed in that expression which its wearer fancies religious" but which impartial observers denominate ''sour,D and whose figure was even more angular than that of Miss Jones, who, Ashford had at first fancied, enjoyed a monopoly of all the angles of the region
 Uncle Fab and Aunt 'Turyi" cried Jimmy from his place by Ashford's knee.
 Uncle Fab showed some surprise at sight of the stranger Tn his porch on such familiar terms with both the children, and reined in his steed before the gate with a bng-drawn "Whoa-a," which Bucephalus obeyed with a proud confidence that whoaing was the one point wherein he feared no criticism.
 By way of salutation, Zabdiel scratched his chin.
 Guess you're the chap Jake Braown's tellin' me he see pass his shop three hours ago, aint yer? S'pose, naow, you're want in ter put up?" Receiving an affirmative answer, he continued: 'Wa'al, we don't keep tavern generally, but guess we ken accommodate yer. Mustn't look for city fixin's, though. Be, from the city? Wa'al, < I wuz sayin', we're plain farmin' folks, but cal'late we knaow the time O day '0o0ut's wells Bosting or New York;"
 Of which Ashford politely assured him he had no doubt; whereupon he was pre- sented to his hostess according to the fol, lowing formula:
 ''Make ye 'quainted with my wife, Ike. tury, Mr.-"
 Ashford" supplied that gentleman, with bow and smile which actually soft ened the justification which served Aunt 'Tury for heart.
 As that evenings hospitality ended in Ashford's being domiclled in the old farm. house for the summer, we will endeavor to describe It's interior.
 The kitchen. where the family meals were spread, was garnished with the usual festoons of onions and dried apples, hang ing from it's smoke-darkened walls and rafters guiltless of ceiling, while on the mantel-piece repesed 'Zabdiels stumpy clay pipe in friendly company with bun dle of 'yarbs" (Anglice, herbs) for the good mans bronchitis. In the centre of the floor a flight of rough stairs ascended to the "loft'-two bare, closet-like places where the children slept, pleasant only in the dormer windows already mentioned.
 The ''fore-room," assigned to Ashford. somewhat more pretentious in its charac- ter, boasted half dozen chairs, severely facing each other; looking glass. between the windows, with stiff asparagus branches surrounding its tarnished gilt frame a table, ornamented with tall oil lamp, two huge monstrosities of sea-shells, and the household literature, to wit, family Bible. few Sunday school books. a little pile of old Tanners Almanacs, and one or two stray numbers of fashion magazines.
 The sole picture-framed in cone work, and bold both in anatomy and color-rep- resented Jacobs journey into Egypt /; while the bed, with it's high posts, was covered by quilt whose varied hues seemed designed to remlnd the patriarch of his lost sons ''coat of many colors."
 But ut the window one forgot all else in a view where the dance and sparkle of the bright river water contrasted with the sombre green of pines stretching for miles away to the very feet of hills that lowered aloft in still snblimity.
 Had Paul Ashford been wrecked upon some cannibal island, so far from victim izing him, the natives would speedily have raised him to their highest office-such the effortless popularity that always at- tended him. What could there be in common between the culture and refine ment of Ashford's nature and a coarse, sluggish mind like Zabdjel Burton's s. whose intellectual exercise was comprised iR a weekly nap under Parson Stebbin's preaching, spelling over his agricultural paper and almanac, and Scriptural read ings every 'sSabbath?' Yet Zabdiel relat- ed to him the minutia of the farm, the price brought by his pair of steers, and that expected for the brindled heifer, the prospects for crops and hay field, until the young man possessed complete knowledge of agriculture, theoretically speaking.
 Even the hard cider of Aunt 'Tury's" disposition continued to mellow beneath the spell of his sympathetic politeness. As her union with Zabdiel Burton had been New England marriage de conven- dnce, arising from his want of a house. keeper, and her wish for house, she still retained her ancient prejudice against mankind, just as 6 horse long wont to stop at certain places is urged with diff culty past them. So the exception in his favor was no slight tribute to her guest.
 The children, of conrse, simply dotted on him, and Clem made him the confidant of her childish troubles: how the boys at school laughed at her red hair /; how she disliked Aunt 'Tury; how she had loved her. mother, but could not remember her father; and how much she ''set by" her brother Jimmy. which last was evident to Ashford.
 Studying her with ever growing interest, he saw that she possessed the passionate intensity of devotion which marks a one- ideaed nature-a girl of little adaptation, strong Individuality, and an unreasoning honesty, that could never discern in black or white the faintesL admixtHre of gray.
 'tlf she ever lovesr' thought Ashford. ''But she will probably throw herself away on some .Braown' or 'Stebbins' with Oht the most remote suspicion of her pos abilities"
 To any thing he chose to tell her of the world that lay outside her home, Clemence would listen. like Madame Recamier, c ravir. Remarkable as was her general quickness of apprehension. this was par ticularly shown in music, for she would catch up the airs that Ashford sang or whistled in voice like that of any wood land bird. and with perfect accuracy of tune. Once, however, on his humming French Song, the bright face suddenly and when, in concern, he asked the cause, unable to reply. she ran away, crying as if her heart would break.
 This happened in the earlier part of his stay. and the explanation came incident. ally through Uncle Fab.
 "Clem's mother was a Canuck," said he. My brother Jim. he got little too much larnin', n that split him fer farm in; kin c turned his head'n' made him restless, n twas all to n fro with him, tlll one time he wuz up in Varmaount, n see this gal thar-near the border, whar them CanuOks swarm over from Canady- n waFpt he all possessed to merry her Clem's named fer her mother. Clemence Adaly Marie-I couldn't tell yer the string