Litchfield enquirer., 1877-04-26

heart by a desperate forlorn hope, come what would, an narrowly CSC 4ped receiving a charge of small shot in his body, fired from the farmers shotgun, he mistaking the forlorn suitor for chicken thief, after which warm welcome Mir. Poddy hurried home and gave Ma tilda up Tn despair.
 So 1t was with the other two courtships. When he mustered up courage and es- corted Polly Bascom from meeting one Sunday evening, he was mortified to hear, the following week, that he had been &C., cepted by that young lady, and though at the time he wished he was in that posi-. ton, he never even looked at her again.
 He spent several pleasant evenings at Widow Browns, and had got so far as holding the widows pretty daughter Bes- sic ball of crochet cotton without turn ing pink, when one evening he overheard the hired girl refer to ''that goose! why don't he speak out?" and the wld- ows knew Poddy DO more a , so,o,,, Tonng affections before they had begun object.
 Solomon Poddy had celebrated his for ty fifth birthday. Gray hairs had begun to show among the carro,ty locks, and good living rounded his lanky form. Still he was under the dominion of the stern. faced Miss Perkins, and was supposed by all the people round, who were acquaint- ed with his failings, to be confirmed old bachelor. But such was not to be hls late.
 The. summer of '75 came, and with 1t came ae influx of city boarders to sleepy Tattleopolls Down the road from Solo, mon Poddy's Peter Hicks had his house full of ."lot of crazy impudent gals" Miss Peikins, told Lim; and one evening, soon afer their arrival, as he was smoking a pipe on his front piazza, wagon-load of them passed by and saluted him much to. his surpfise-with voley of "Good evening, MT. Poddy." Old Hicks had informed them of poor Solomon's troubles, and every one had made up her mind to get up desperate irritation with the old bachelor.
 After that Solomon drove to the village by miserable rough and stony back lane which ran between stone-w walls overgrown with black kberry bushes, aud avoided Hicks house. It took him an hour long CT to go that way, but he would have gone round by China rather than meet the con- centrated stare and giggle ot Hicks young lady boarders.
 Along this road Poddy was jogging one day behind his old gray mare, pumping over the stones, and musiBg as he went on the misery of living in the same house with Miss Perkins, when he heard little scream. and looking up, saw his fate. Lazily struggling along the narrow bits of grass as she came, was Hicks old red COW, and, perched upon the highest stone, in the wall, where she had climbed, fear less of the brambles, and briers which grew rank up to the top, was lady, in mortal dread of the COW.
 She wore wids-brimmed straw hat tied down over her ears with a green rib bon, and a walking dress of gray material cut short for country rambles, and expo sing just the smallest portion of striped stockings.
 In one gloved hand she waved frantic ally toward the COW an immense bundle of ferns and grasses, and in the other she bfAndisEed stout hickory Alpenstock. A pair of gold-r1mmed spectacles bestrode her rather prominent nose, for the lady was not young. being we'll turned of forty.
 Here was predicament for Solomon. But though bashful man, he was not ACtOtu OA HOAIbCACoos 4AO AoolCACN VO UA1O rescue of the. fair piisoner, and drove the surprised COW down the road at a run, then approached to help the lady from her elevated position.
 ''Thank you, I can get down very we'll indeed" And the lady proceeded to get down.
 A rattling of stones, then scream, and our hero, turning quickly. found the con- fident lady hanging by her hands and feet to the wall. Solomon's bashfulness gave way to the dictates of humanity, and he sprang forward, caught the lady in his arms, just as her hold was loose hing, when-Oh, heavens!-his foot slip ped, and down both rolled, one over the other, through tae briers and stinging nettles, into the ditch.
 Nothing is so apt to establish two stran- gers on eongenial terms as the endurance of mutual misfortuEes. When Solomon and the lady sat up and looked into each others faces scratched and bleeding, all restraint was thrown aside.
 II am afraid, sir, have caused trouble and pain by my foolish nervousness. ," said she, as she adjusted her spectacles to her nose and looked at Solomon's face.
 "Oh no, madam, am used to-I mean I could not do otherwise under the cir cumstances," stammered that gentleman, holding his handkerchief to his bleeding countenance.
 The lady smiled sweetly, and held out hand that he might help her to her feet. The grasses and alpenstock were picked up, and then Poddy, blushing so scarlet as to almost hide the bleeding scratches, intimated that a seat in his wagon was at her disposal for her journey home.
 If you have room, I should like to ride as far as the next turning near Mir. Hicks house. am stopping there," said she. as she took the proffered seat. May I ask the name of the gentleman who has been of such service to me this moIning?' ''Poddy, ma 'am-Solomon Poddy." re- piled the owner of the name ''Oh, indeed MT. Poddy," exclaimed the another with another smile "I have heard the young ladies at Mir Hick's speak os you. Here Is my card, and I hope you will call when you are passing, so I can thank you more fully than can now" Solomon felt very warm. and hoped 1 The card read, Miss Tabitha Jones, 1921 West Twentv-thlrd Street." Hal" continued Miss Tabitha. ''I will | oeoP ACAOs II yOu pACooCs AuCIO hIo HOLuO of our young friends. Thank you, Sir; I can get dogn better here than from off the walL'' And Miss Tabitha alighted, and was immediatnly saluted with cho- I rus of
 1 ''Good gracious. Miss Jones'! where have you been?" ''Mercy! how her face is scratchedi Did he give you the ferns? Arel't they splendid?" Do tell is. What did the old gentleman say?" "Oh. what a flrt you are. Miss Jones!" from the sur rounding bevy of girls, as Solomon drove rapidly away.
 That night he did not sleep a wink, but lay thinking uf Miss Tabitha, and con- graduating himself on the good impress sion he must have made. He refused to eat his breakfast; and imbittered Miss Perkins by scowllng upon her and men, tally comparing her to his new.fouad her oine. All the morning he wandered around the place, unable to turn his hand to any. thing, and at last concluded to I brave the blttery of sly looks and giggles