Litchfield enquirer., 1877-04-26
From Harper's Magazine.l SOLOMoN PODDY'S C0uRTSHIP.

DlGdSdub luOubA OA mug SuoV OA e1seso Oss@ N Miss Tabitba Jones conceived the idea that she would spend few weeks in dull, quiet Tattleopolis She came, and like Cesar. he saw, and she conquered; and on her return to New York carried with her in one of the numberless vallses, bags, and bundles which inhamed the ire of baggage masters and hackmen, the here ofOre-unappropriated heart of Solomon Poddy.
 Not to say that Solomon's heart had never before been touched with the ten- der sentiment. On three several occasions he had ,hguratively speaking, laid It at the feet of so many different fair enslavers; but he had been so careful to keep the matter a profound secret that the fact WAS unknown to the world of Tattleopo- lis. even to the favored ladies themselves.
 Mir. Poddy was very bashfu!. man so ,....ol, that~ iIo III ght oufciy y~b0-c c1hIbI- ted by Barnum as q prodigy of bashful- ness, aud challenge the world to produce his equal
 When old Mir. Poddy, the late lament ed proprietor of Grand Street dry and fancy goods establishment, discovered this trait in Solomon at an early ago.. It gave the poor gentleman great pain, for he intended his first-born to be his suc- cessor in the business. He had looked forward to the day-the elder Poddy was a dabbIer in splritualism when his body being safely consigned to the dust, hls spirit should, ill company with other con- genial souls. hover over Grand Street on moonlight nights, and he could then re- fer his companions, in triumph to the sign, Solomon Poddy, successor to Isaac Poddy-establisbed 1920" SG.
 But can bashful man be a dry-goods merchant, and listen with that suave and bland expression of scountenance which IS property of the fraternity to the com ments and arguments of changeable fo- males out for forenoon's shoppIug?
 How compliment the buyer on the color becoming her complexion "to charm?" And when half an hour has been spent in matching the material, pulling it this way and that, holding 1t up to the light, and trying if It will wash, comparing the pattern to Mrs. As new dress, and the price to Mrs. Bs, with the conclusion that ''Smith and Tomkins, down the street, sell the very same goods at one fourth the price, and. II don't think it will do at all-do you, dear?"-how could asbash- ful man, with serene and triumphant smile, dive under the counter and spread before the admiring eyes of the almost lost customers an article which shall cause them to resume their seats, and come mence all over again--compliments, pull ing, trying. and matching.
 Worst of all, how could he have the hardihood to expatiate upon the wearing qualities of flannel petticoats or the ia sh- ion of hose?
 It was clear to the old gentleman, from the time when the youthful Solomon, at tho ohi11rnn'c rkx in hopor of h;o birthday, ran up stairs to his room and hid under the bed, rather than kiss the plump red lips of miss of ten, that he would never do fer the shop. @
 But time passed on, and Mrs. Poddy presented her lord with another boy. As this youngster grew to years of discre- tion, he developed all the qualities miss ing in the first. born. Old Isaac boasted that there was no more brassy, self posses ed urchin in the city than his youngest son. He early showed an aptitude for sharp bargainings in marbles, tops and kites with the boys of the neighborhood, in which trades he accumulated vast stores of those articles, and was looked upon as very large operator in toys be- fore reaching the mature age of twelve.
 Having developed sach talents, it was decided in full family council that Thom- as Poddy should take the helm of affair Tn the store when it should be relinquish- ed by old Isaac.
 Then arose the question, what shall be done with Solomon who by this time was grown to be lank, tall carroty-hai ed, pudgy-Hosed. and freckle. faced young man of t~ en y, with mild suggestion of moustache making it's appearance upon the upper lip.
 Mrs. Po6dy suggested the navy as a business in which change of scene, ex posture to rough weather, and absence of female society might gradually work change, and render Solomon more at ease when in the company of ladies. But Isaac he would purchase farm in the country, and give Solomon the management of it. There, in the congenial society of COWS, horses, and pigs, with snatches of inter. course with the mllkmaids and farmers daughters-who would probably be more lepient to his weakness than the critical city ladies-Solomon might in time con quer his bashfulness, and become able to enter a room full of ladies without blush ing to the roots of his yellow hair. The idea was carried out. And that is how Solomon Poddy became, as he called himself, gentleman farmer. And that his house might be kept in good order, a maiden sister of old Mir. Poddy was in- stalled as housekeeper.
 In conrse of time, Isaac Poddy, the father, died, and the old sign ln Grand l street was altered to ''Thomas Poddy. successor to Isaac Poddy, established | 1S20," as had been the desire of the found. | CT of the house, and snug sum in ready money and stocks and bonds was divided bet" cen the two sons, Solomon receiving the farm as part of his share.
 With the reputation for wealth which Solomon Poddy had now acquired, he was free to pick from all the buxom far mers' daughters round whom he would for wife. He felt the need of one sore. | lv, for the old spinster aunt had now fol- lowed her brother to the grave. and her place was filled by stern-faced, mascu- line female of fifty, who was recommend ed by the dowager Poddy in New York as first class pushing house-heeper for her son. She managed to push so we'll that in few months she had pushed poor Sol omon to the wall and he hardly knew whether he was the owner of his own house.
 Many were the evenings he spent. in his room, driven there by the torments of his oppressor. and ruminating on the subject of getting married and driving this usur- per f,om her throne. He went so far at this time as to venture to spend the win
 ter evenings at the houses of the hospita- ble farmers in the neigbborhood. select ing those who were blessed with prepos. sessing daughters of a marriagebIe age At Farmer Smiths he spent four eve nings discussing the subject of winter fodder, much to the amusement of Miss Matilda Smith, in whose eyes he sought to find fa- vor. And when the old man began to doze, and then, with the observation flor he perfectly we'll knew the purport of Sol omon's errand}. Well, Mr Poddy, kal- kerlate I'll go to bed. as I've got to be up
 blight ana early in the >mornin'; I guess you and Matildy can keep each other com
 pany for the rest of the evening"" and ia.
 king. his candle. stumbled up to bed-
 whither Matilda's mother had preceded
 hlm, Solomon would have given half half
 his fortune to have had the power to s.y.