Litchfield enquirer., 1878-11-14
WHOLE NO. 2737

 People do pity idiots. suppose but wonder | whether it is worse to be an idiot and not know it, or to be considered one and have no chance of disproving the charge? October 15-Things go on in much the same way here Mir. Duncan breakfasts with us, then takes himself off, and see no more of him until near dinner-time. Yesterday l was obliged to leave Aunt Eunice to her own devices most of the morning. The night be- fore, in recalling some of the memories of his childhood, Mir. Duncan expressed e desire to taste once more such gingerbreadas his mother used to make, and determined to gratify him. began to be so conceited about my housewifely accomplishments that l might have known that pride would have fall soon CT or later. How in the world Bridget ever came to make such a blunder can't tell but the, most trusted will fail sometimes. The gin gerbread was all mixed, and was siftng in the flour slowly and carefully.
 Bring me some more four Bridget" l said. ''Here isn't half enough"
 Bridget turned upon me face full of dis may. r,-....~
 ''Sure, Miss Marion, there's never a bit more, /" she cried-''and me that forgot to tell you about it this morningl"
 No more flour stared rpm the pan to Bridget, and from Bridget back to the pan. But what's to be done ?" ] cried. May0e Gn6rOS euOugn, HISS, uarklHg, CTlbu Bridget, in honest tribulation.
 'I am afraid not" say, ruefully; ''but it will have to go in as it is, suppose. don't know how it will come cut"
 And hastily washing my hands and doffing my apron, ran up stairs to Aunt Eunice. She, however, was nowhere to be found. High and low searched, but in vain, and as her bonnet and shawl were missing, I was forced to the conclusion that she had gone out ol4 p,-kf kloo I...f.. feeling, this would have been most welcome reprieve It was not that minded Aunt Eu- nice in herself, but was beginning to feel for the first time in my life the necessity of weigh ing my words when I talked to her. Even with all the caution that it was possible to fore see what curious twist she would give to my words in repeating them, or to guard against the distortions which facts underwent in their passage through her mind Aunt Eunice and MT. Duncan together were becoming too heavy load for my slender shoulders to carry, though alone felt that neither of them would have been specially formidable.
 The day wore on and Aunt Eunice did not appear. When luncheOn-time came and pass ed, and still l saw no signs of her, 1 became thoroughly alarmed. 1 would have gone to search for her, but what would have been the use of that when 1 did not know where to search? MT. Duncan came back at an unus- ually early hour, and was just conhding my troubles to him, when confused noise in the street called us both to the window. A rabble of small boys was the first thing that we saw small, ragged boys, dancing, shouting, and yelling in a very ecstasy of enjoyment, after the manner of gGAaials the wOrld over. At first 1 saw no reason for their triumphant demOn- stratiens in the prosaic butchers cart which they surrounded, and gaZed in simple wonder at their antics. Another moment, and horror rushed'over me, as saw the glisten of green .frock on tho front seat, as 3 mild faded face surrounded by purple halo bent forward aud nodded cheerful greeting to me- and hand in a baggy cotton glove waved it's salutation.
 Aunt Eunice," cried, ruching to the door | to receive her, "where hGUe you been why did you go out alone and, oh ! lotdt possessed you to come home in this style? never was blessed with much control of my feeling, and, as 1 spoke, sank down on the stairs in fit ofhysterical laughter. Aunt Eunice gazed at me calmly.
 'It was very good way" she said, with m air of mild remonstrauce. 'You see, l thought that as you were busy, would go without bothering you, for once, did not say any thing about it, for 1 knew that you wolld in- 'sist upon going with me. Well, went to New York, found my way to the ferry without any trouble, but when got on tho other side, what with the noise and the confusion, l fairly lost my head, and wandered about for don't know how long, without any idea of where was 1 was getting very much discouraged, when suddenlyI caught sight of this man, and re- membered that 1 had seen his cart at your door. had some trouble to make him hear me, but when he did he stopped at once, and most civil-spoken young man he proved to be- He offered to call a cab for me, but said, No, if he would just take me himself in the course of his round, that would do very we'll" People stare? We'll, a little, per haps but you see no one could mistake me for anything but lady-wasnt it lucky put on my brocade ?so it didn't SO much mat ter"
 "Did you-did you stop al many hOusesS" 1 ssked, falteringly.
 "A dozen or SO, replied Aunt Eunice cheer fully. ''It is singular what .commotion such simple thing as the stopping of butchers cart at the door makes. Every one rushed to the front windows as If they had never seen one before"
 ''Oh, Aunt EuDice, how could you ?'' gasped, Tn irrepressible hOrro-.
 ''How could what ?" asked Aunt Eunjcc, innocently. eff it's riding in a butchers cart that you mean, might have objected to that a month ago; but if yOu have no scruples on that point, why should |? l have no doubt that MT. Duncan himself drove cart when he first went into the business, though l suppose that he has got beyond it now,"
 Mir. Duncan, who had been out to settle with the man and dismiss the boys, re-appeared at this juncture l glanced at him in dismay. Had he heard? I really could not tell. His eyes were dancing, while the rest of his face was preternaturally grave; but there was quite enough in the circumstances of the case to ac- count for that, without making it necessary to suppose that he had caught Aunt Eunice's last words. 1 might at least hope that he was still in ignorance of the h0rrors which Aunt Eunice had seen fit to thrust upon him.
 My gingerbread l had forgotten all about it in the anxiety of the afternoon, and it did not return to my mind until we sat down to table.
 ''How did the gingerbread bake, Bridget 2" I asked
 Sure, ma'am," said Bridget, composedly, fit didn't bake at all; it b0iled" producing m proof of her words cake-pan, of which bottom and sides were thickly incrusted with sub stance closely resembling the ''taffy" dear to childish hearts. In the laughter which this episode caused our embarrassment melted away. Indeed, 1 am ceasing to be afraid of Mir. Duncan. We had delightful evening after Aunt Eunice's fatigue had got the better of her and banished her to her own room. October 14-Aunt Eunice has not distin- guished herself in any special way of late. Yesterday she was too much exhausted by her adventures of the day before to be any thing but quiet and meek What should dc if any one but Mir. Duncan were staying here ? | like him more and more every day. It seems impossible that have only known him for q week. He is so kind and thoughtful toward me, and Aunt Eunice he treats with a respect which is wonderful He sees, as G0, that the lady is-what shall say Pa little shaky in her wits, and he is tender of even her worst freaks and blunders. Of course he can not help laughing-nobOdy could-but the laugh ter is not of kind which could hurt her feels ings, even if she knew of it, which she docs not
 Yesterday was damp, rainy day, and was raw chill ln the air which struck Co the very marrow of your bones, so. toward evening. 1 ventured to ask Bridget to light the furnace fire. think I would have let them freeze to death quietly If had known what Che re- suit would be. Out of every register the smoke came pouring, until the whole house looked