Litchfield enquirer., 1878-05-09

 Don't ye mind ye was lettn' on about Night walkin' in her scant robes on the hill :? Did Ie think was goin' to hand that over to that child2 No, sir, stopped it! How? Why, I jest said, suitably apparelied.' That's all. It's easy when you know how"
 Another unlooked-for result naturally tol- lowed the baleful excellence of this cores pondence. Miss Fanny grew more and more anxions to behold again the author of her be- ing and of these extraordinary letters One or two vague hints to that effect, thrown out ln her correspondence, were received with alarm by her guardians and it was finally resolved that the next letter should be composed in such a manner as to effectuaEly check this wamkUn assife. For this purpose all the guar dianR nsbenbled. Considerable excitement was manifested. grieve to record the fact that mnch liquor was drunk, and that Cap eain Rats was somewhat exalted and discur- sive. But your true gentleman is never more fastidious and refined than in his cups; and the gentle Captain Rats, during the whole let ter (save an occasional slip), held his rhetori- cal hat deferentially in his hand. A copy of this epistle has been preserved, and runs as follows
 My OwN DARLING CHnD-Your esteemed and precious favor came promptly to hand, and contents noted we-that is your sainted mother and myself-are glad to hear that the draft for $250 came promptly to hand and trust that the balance of $150 which you re- tained after paying Mme. Brimborions bill, will be. sufficient for you to purchase faces, furbelows, bonnets, shoe ties, and hosiery sui table to the season and the fashions. that is is your mother-who is still unable to write, by reason of sore finger-and myself hope you will not spare any expense to clothe yourself equal to your schoolmates We note what you say about Mary Rickett's new silk dress. that cost $75. You are to see that $75 and go her $50 or $100 better, drawing on us for the balance, if short. Raise the Rickett girl or bust. We trust you are careful of your health, and do not partake too frequently of confectionery, and that your French and mu- sic lessons are the same. We trust that you wrap up warmly when you go out, and are careful about your fannels i'll that dreadful eastern climate, and always wear your rub bers The wheat crop this year will average nearly forty bushels to the acre, or supply each inhabitant of the state with forty-four barrels of four, and still leave 100, 900 bush els for expOrtation. With the Pacific rail- road finished and the effete nations of Europe and Asia knocking at the Golden Gate for bread stuffs, the time is not far distant when the state will be entirely self-producing. We often picture you, dear child, sitting at your tasks, your bright eyes occasionally dropping in reverie as you think of your parents so far away. Do you wander with us through these dim woOds-God's first temples-and breathe with us the infinite peace of solitude, or re- feet that long before we had being or exist ence these grand old monarchs looked down on others as they do on us? Do you? We hOpe-that is, your mother and myself trust you do, although we earnestly beg and lnl- plere you not to dream of visiting us here. Fer the society is quite unfitted for person of your age and sex. Murder not unfrequent- ly stalks abroad, and sluice -robbing is as com mon as the red hand of the assassin. Scarce ly a day passes that we do not consign some victim to the silent tomb. Consumption IS epidemic and smallpox too often has marked the lovliest of your sex for his prey. The face of beauty fades quickly through pestl- lential fever now quite common, and the ex- Uisite daughter of one of the first families has been taken for an Indian squaw by reason of the same. Freckles are paramount. The hair withers snd falls-the teeth likewise the same Much as we hope to once more behold that darling face, we could not expose you to such certain run Your mother tainted on reading your request to visit her. fear Tn her present state of health a visit from you would be fatal If you value your parents love, banish this idea from your mind In few years. probably, we will be able to once more clasp you in our arms by the Atlantic shores. ..- .e.
 YoUR AFFFCTIoNATE PARENTS.
 Six weeks had elapsed and the dutiful an swer to the above, confidently looked for by the guardians. was due Nevertheless, as the time approached some nervousness on the part of Fleet was manifested by that gentleman's unrest and his frequent visits to Captain Rats, to whom all letters addressed to their deceased friend were delivered. Nothing from the young lady yet, suppose Fleet would say, indIfferently. 'NO," the captain would re- spOnd quietly. ''I reckon it'll take her about two weeks to get over her disappointment Then she'll write sassy-like as not-or mebbe not at all" Fleet turned pale then red, and then bit his moustache. "You don't think, captain" he asked with an affected laugh, 'that we were little-just little too hard '" Not too much for peace and quletness, re- piled the captain gravely women don't take a half way nos they can't believe man means it." he added, ''any more than H'ey do." Nevertheless, the captain himself grew little anxious, and having to visit Sacramento, left strict orders with his comrades that he was to be recalled promptly on the arrival of Miss Fanny's reply. ...s-...--s
 But his visit was not interrupted, and it was nearly three weeks later that he mounted the box seat of the Pioneer stage coach to return te Lagrange AS he settled himself beside the driver, after the interchange of a few compli- mentary epithets, his eye glanced down to- ward the wheels, and was attracted by an open letter, and part of female head obtruded from the window of the coach. The fair read CT had evidently thus sought to evade the gloom of the coach's interior, and possibly the prying eyes of her fellow passengers, while she perused it. But why did the captains w.thered cheeks instantly lose color, and why did he convulsively clasp the railing by his side? The letter was in his own handwriting, and had been mailed to Miss Fanny six weeks beforei
 It was impossible even by the utmost cran- ing, and at the risk of his life, to see anything more than bit of lace, some artificial flowers, front on blond halr and the fatal letter Yet his guilty conscience instantly recognized in these scant facts the formidable presentrnenl of the aacaivsd~ orphAn. Had she discovered the trick, and was she now on their trail, witl this terrible indictment in her hand? Or Wa she still in ignorance ignorance which single chance question and answer now mlgh dispel, amid fainting, shrieks tears, and vail ing! Captain Rats grew apoplectic with be deFmsnt he dared not even ask a question 0 the driver who was already beginning to sur vey him with sardonic leer, and had audibl, sought information if he, the captain, callet this kind of conduct proper at 'histime O life Let the gal alone, Rats-dont you see it ain love letter from you she's porin over? h added-a statement that again coveredthe cap tain with guilty blushes. But sudden jolt 0 the vehicle a little shriek, and the fluttering O the letter to the road, jared from the reader finger, gave the captain a providential opper tunity. To jump from the box to the road anC seize the truant epistle was the work of a mo ment- When he approached the coach to re store it to it's fair owner another passenger haC appropriated his own seat on the box and thus gave color and reason for his exchange to the inside" The young lady thanked him, tht coach again started forward and Capt. Rat fell into the seat beside her. Here was the su preme moment With profuse apology, tn, captain drew his knees together, slipped into
 respectfully diagonal position, so as to oppos
 the narrowest point of contract with her. an
 carefully dusted his knees and her dress softl
 with his handkerchief. The shyest nympl
 would scarcely have been startled the colde.
 and most antiquated of duennas would nc
 have been discOmposed by the submissive re zu,~r4 of sI.e raufain The vOunp lady wI,