Litchfield enquirer., 1877-04-26

Mrs. Banknm had selected for the posi- tion of parent certain Mir. Wilks, Q wealthy gentleman in the neighborhood, and by dint of perseverance and the ex- excise of all her powers of fascinatiQn bad afmoA scufed his capture. The victim was sturdy pillar in the Rev. MT, Heartsease's church, on Fifth Avenue, and the widow had forced herself into the position of what might be called pillar ess, being president of all the ladies' sew ing and relief societies, the head of all committees on entertainments, and the chief censor of the reverend gentleman, who had changed his opiuion of the true meaning of the text wherein St. Paul al. ludes to the thorn in the flesh, since mak- ing her acquaintance,
 Miss Jones also worshipped in MT. Heartsease's tabernacle, but as humble satellite in the galaxy that shone around her fellow w-boarder.
 Mrs. Bankum had made no attempt to conceal her designs upon the single bless herself on the exampl she was setting to match making mothers and beguiling | daughters. She seemed to say, Hook at me, you who quarrel and backbite, fatter and cajole, bow down and humble your selves to secure some wild .scape-grace | with money for your girls. See how l, an | old veteran of forty, move steadily and openly upon the enemy's works, and se- cure the possession of million" To Mrs. Flasher and Miss Jones the widow was very open Tn her confidence, when they sat together in her room after ments were completed, and delighted to | rohnoroo tho fNf ooOb n !,her assault upon the old gentleman's g heart and money-bags. ! At last the day of triumph came, and Mrs. Bankum displayed note in which 1 the begulled victim made formal profter of his hand and fortune.
 "And the dear old fool will be here to- | night to receive his answer. What does l he think 1 am made of, to refuse sixty thousand year?" And Mrs. B. displayed two rows of the dentists finest handlwork, | as she laughed at such preposterous 1 idea.
 1 Here was a coincldence!Miss Jones near l ly tainted. Was 1t not the 20th of Decem- Der, and was not her Solomon coming that very evening to lead her off captive to the residence of the Rev. Mir. Heartsease, there to make her his wife? To no one had Miss Tabitha coHfded her sweet secret. It was too sacred to be bandied about, like Mrs. Bankum's public courtship; and Poddy had been 50 fearful of the ap- p-oaching ceremony leaking out that he had ceased to correspond with his broth er's family in Grand Street and had iusis- i ted upon strictly private and very quiet wedding at Mir. Heartsease's house, and g short trip south in the honeymoon. So Miss Jones had invented nice little story of going into the country to spend the holidays. Her trunk was packed, and she was ready to start, but Mrs. Flasher was not to be informed of the wedding until the last moment.
 On that eventful day Mir. Poddy an- nounced to Miss Perkins that he intended spending couple of weeks with his broth CT in the city; and as the afternoon train rattled toward New-York, Solomon's heart futtered at the rapidly approaching or deal
 The sun was just about to disappear behind the Weehawken bluffs as the train rolled into the Grand Central Depot, and the passengers hurried out of the cars. Solomon was getting more and moro ner- vous every minute. What if by any chance his brother or one of his nephews or nieces should be in or around the de- pot? What could he say? how account for his dressy appearance? He thought of waiting until the cars were hauled out into the yard, and then. by going down a side street, avoid all exposure: but be- thinking himself of the danger of being arrested as thief or run over by switch engine, he changed his mind, and first glancing cautiously along the platform to see that all was clear, pulled his hat over l hio ;oI ko 1n1ko1 ;r1k1 a hack, and giving the direction to the driver, dropped down into the furthest corner, wiped the cold precipitation from his brow, and congratulated himself on arriving so far so we'll.
 It was quite dusk. and the street lamps were fickering, when Mrs. Hasher's was reached, but the gas in the hall had not been lighted. Solomon dismissed the hackman, and ascended the brown stone steps with beating heart. A trim ser want girl answered h1s ring, and he mum bled something intended to be request to see Miss Jones. forgetting to send up I his card in confusion.
 "Oh yes, Sir; I'll tell her." said the girl. with queer smile, as she showed Solo, Lon into the dim parlor.
 "Bless my soul! believe that girl knows all about it," thought he. ''Its very annoying"
 Then he stood first on one leg, then on the other, and tried to be interested in looking into the beauties of very dark old picture, which was just faintly illumi- hated by the light from the street lamp outside, while his heart kept up such a humping he imagined all in the house must hear it.
 A rustic of silk as heard on the stairs, and Solomon turned, with 8 start, just in time to receive a tall and heshy lady, weeping in very stagy manner, into his l arms.
 II am yours, dear, dear, MT. Wilks, sobbed the lady.
 Good gracious! what does this meant This must be some horrible mistake. ejaculated Mir. Poddy,a as he staggered to a chair with his burden. ''Be calm, my dear madam My name is net Wilks. Mot Wilks!' .shrieked Mrs. Bankum, starting up. "Helpl help! thieves! mur- der!'
 Thunder and Ightningl She's gone crazy, and I am the cause. Be quiet, madam-do, pleaseP entreated the wretched Poddy.
 "Oh, Charles, save me from the drunk ,en lunatic!' cried Mrs. Bankum, as 8 young man came into the room; and then she went into mysteries.
 "What do you mean by this conduct, you villain?" shouted Mir. Charles, ap- preaching Solomon in threatening man. ner.
 "I'm sure IT don't know" stammer. ed Solomon, almost bereft of his sen. ses. .&e
 Well. then, get out of here" thunder. ed Mir. Bankum, taking him by the collar of his Ulster and pushing him out upon the stoop.
 This was more than Poddy could bear. ''Let go of my coat; Siri' he shouted, as he wrenched himself clear. ''I demand to see Miss Jones'"
 "Oh, that's your game, is it?' said the other "Want to frighten all the ladies in the house, do you? Get of the stoop, you vagabond!' and he pushed the fight ing, struggling Poddy to the sidewalk, where quite an admiring crowd had now gathered. Then all the Poddy blood was up, and striking out in not very scientific