Litchfield enquirer., 1877-04-12
JOHN GossIP.
LYoN's March 31 1S7

JOHN GOSSIP.
 LYoN's March 31 1875.
 EDITOR ENQUIRER-We are having our first genuine rainfall since last November, and our housemaids are happy Our cisterns, if not all broken, have held but very little water, the last season. The melting snows of the last month have served to eke out little moisture to the diiligent, the watchful, and the energetic with pails, tubs and barrels; but for the last 24 hours, it has ralned pretty con- stantly, at times accompanied with thun- der and lightning, in genuine, Spring style, suggestive of wild geese. and blue birds, tender oral and festive frogs. If we lived at the old home we should ex- pect to add cells and suckers, but can put in horse radish, artichokes and pie plant, with Spring levers. light dresses, rag carpets, wall paper. blue bottle flies, and houses turned topsy turvy.
 We have had some decided sensations of late. almost metropolitan in their character. A man and his wife visiting in Illinois arrived at the East end of Clin- ton railroad bridge, at a time when the crossing on the ice was bad and walked over the bridge. It being just at night he went back alone after his trunks se- cured it, started to return with it across the bridge. and has never been seen since. his pockets were found about midway on the bridge, and on the ice below. He had about $l 200 with him. and there is little 1 doubt but he was murdered and put un- | der the ice in the river. He was we'll of, and had good farm in the interior of this State. with large and interesting family.
 Last week, travelling man put up at one of our hotels, staid around day or two, drank some, went to bed; and was foudd dead in his bed, next day, with laudanhm bottle by his side and his papers all destroyed. He had regis tered his name wrong; but it was. found to be H. T. Cotter, of Conn. A Mir. William Cotter, Of Middletown, Ct., has asked for details. He had but little money left, and, it is supposed, was dis couraged and tired of life.
 Some time since, the 'step-daughter of physician in family of easy virtue, was missing. and two negroes were arrest. ed for Kidnapping and seduction. but es- capped for want of evidence. She was at length found in house of i'll repute in Davenport. having been to Chicago and drifted around to that place. She was brought back to Lyons, and the darkeys rearrested, her testimony being against them The defense set up. was her bad character. but the trial resulted in their being bound over. In the mean. time the mother had too turns of shoot ing at one of the darkeys. and she, too, has been bound over, and the affair is badly mixed. but thoroughly disgrace ful, distressing and demoralizing.
 As an offset. in part, the revival meet. ings report TO conversions. a still larger number improved in conduct and living, and the saloon interests suffering. One saloonist refused to reinsure with a Christian, because the meetings had in- jured his business so much.
 APRIL End Bright and pleasant. Yes terdsy the Congregational church vied with the Episcopal and the Catholic in celebrating Easter. The minister in the pulpit stood with flowers to right of him, and flowers to left of him, flowers in front and rear in pots from greenhouses. in boquets and crosses and wreathes &c. in profusion. counted F Calla lilies tow ering up, white and clear and beautiful. suggesting in number the F apostles. whether by design or coincidence, I am unable to say; but it all formed pleasing picture to the eye, the fragrant hyacinths, and other flowers, a refreshing sense to the olfactories. There was Sunday School concert Tn the evening. A. B..