Litchfield enquirer., 1878-07-11

blushes to answer for. And as for the gown, why, it seemed very fine to me forty years ago, to be sure, but we haverusted together. A new generation has sprung up, which knows not Joseph, nor his coat of many colours. was accustomed to regard my mother as the finest of her sex; she was 8 woman the like of whom one seldom sees now-One seldom saw then i: but if it won't turn your head, my dear, may say that you sometimes bring her to my recol- lection Perhaps it may be some compensation fer all the jests made at your expense this morning, Mrs. Brand, to hear that an old man thought he had not seen so pretty sight for many year."
 .'Did you Really ?"
 She looked to see whether too was mak- ing fun of her. .-..+.
 S'Yes, did"
 ''And you are sure, quite sure, you did not mind !" ''Quite sure, replied I. ''And so there's no more to be said" .1... ....,......
 ''Oh, how good you are!" she exclaimed, with sigh of relief. ''This has been vexing me the whole day. Twas SO afraid you had been hurt, and I thought you would hardly comprehend how it was, for of course it is diff ferent to you--" .-...........- -.-
 ''Quite so, quite SO, said I, with sudden re- collection siAnd that reminds me that-as you say it is different to me, and certainly it is flor the sake of auld lang syne, have fa- your to ask. It is whim, fancy of mine, my dear, but think you will not refuse me. 1 seem to feel as if I could not bear to think that anything she wore, that I remember her in so well, was cut to peices to cover furniture. So you won't think me unreasonable, will you, Carry" continued l, hurriedly, for feared was, Eff ask you not to do that Don't wear
 
 you in the least uneasy; but lay it by, and keep it safely somewhere, for her sake.'
 'I will will" Her dear eyes filled with tears. Why, l cannot imagine, unless my voice was less firm than had hoped it would be-
 'It shall never be touched" cried she, en- phatically. 'I don't care what the girls say. And if it would give you any pleasure, ,-l mean, if you would like to see me in it some- times-I-I will certainly put it on."
 ''No, no. You are the best of girls but I demand no such sacrifice Just let it alone, and we will never speak about it again."
 She turned a ring on her finger, and hesitat. ed.
 ''That was one thing I was thinking about. If you spoke of it, the others would hear how had been caught, and they would quiz me unmercifully Captain Thorne particularly He never lets a thing drop. But" added she, quickly, ''tell me, how came you there That door is usually belted." .' /.
 1t was not" said 1, and, impelled to bad pun, added, "so I bolted in. 1 know nc mere"
 And were you there the whole time ?"
 ''Ah, that I cannot tell. But, to tell you the truth, fancy so; for your remark about having had narrow escape leads me to imag. inc that you had fled from the same set of in truders that persecuted me-"
 "Well," said Garry, after considering, "yor must have been there, and you heard the worst. But you have forgiven us"-putting her hand in mine-''so I will try to forget the rest"
 Except your promise" ventured to re mind her.
 My promise ? Oh yes. No fear. It IS { compact"
 The door opened as all was thus harmoni ously arranged, and one after another dropped in till the party was complete.
 l kept my promise, and no doubt Carry would have kept hers but, owing to no faul of ours, all were not equally discreet.
 The joke had transpired.
 The Captain had seen something. He hat insisted on knowing what that something wa what they were all laughing about,
 Bessie, or Lily, or Selina had told and Mrs Brand was exposed to the full fire of the gen tleman's wit.
 She must appear once more in her Noah's ark costume. She must give them all tn treat from which they had so cruelty been ex cluded.
 But the lady was obstinate. No importupi ties could move her until, in the confusion O the moment, transgressed, and, following my own train of thought, joined my entreaties t those of the others
 Carry gave me look that might have said "Et tu, Brute!"
 One part of my engagement had forgotten was never to have asked her to wear thu gown.
 was mute; and, seeing my penitence, ther arose an evident struggle in her bosom.
 She stepped to my side, and whispered, "l yom wish it, I will.' at .r.e
 ''No, no" said I, Git was only ---"
 But she was gone. I suppose she read i my countenance how very greatly did wisl it. .an..... .s l...0t., ..s ..
 ''Now," thought I, lis my hour of triumph The minds of men," mentally argued, "ar less gregarious and frivolous than those of VIC men, which, afraid for moment to differ fror those around them, follow their leader like flock of sheep. If am wrong in this matter am wrong but should like to be pronounC ed so by a good independent judgment"
 A good independent judgment! ,it '..
 Listen!
 The beautiful creature reappeared, blushin betwixt modesty and vexation, and stood in blaze of dazzling wax-ight. My. exultatio was complete, but so was my scorn for ,whils no doubts could now shake the conviction ths my judgment was correct, read in the look of all around, one universal-titter. sJ
 Yes, they absolutely were unable to conces their diversion Out of, l daresay, dozen ( my own sex, only two or three had the bok ness, the audacity; or what you will, to affirr that the dress became the wearer-and they with one exception, were old codgers like my self. H: ' Hlr. .l
 That exception, am glad to record it, wa her husband, who said, and almost swore, tha never in his life had he seen Car look hand scmer.
 The rest, to man, deserted to the ladies Mrs. Brand, to be sure, could wear anything still l" and smile and shrug supplied th' verdict. .2'
 Old-fashioned dress, dress in general, dres to come, and dress exploded; was now tn talk .. +t.
 The majority were all for the reigning fasf ion. They could see no beauty no elegance in anything that had had it's day, although surprised me C0 observe. now reaQy they WeI to acknowledge the claims of the most darin novelty provided it were only new enough. ':The last thing" which was scarcely to B had;" the style, which Madame 'Imperatric was just introducing" what any court mil ner had pronounced ''was to be, ,"-all of thes were recognized to have merits; and onl against one outrageous invention did hear th involuntary protest" Dear how hideous which, however, was instantly afterwards cor verted into ''but, no doubt it will be very O. coming" As, in this discussion, the men were, to tn full, as deeply engrossed as the women, l 500 turned aside, and buried myself in book ( prints for the remainder of the evening.
 A few months after this went abroad, tn fogs and earth -mists of November proving ba for delicate chest The south of France wa tried, and discarded: some change more con plete than this was urged by the doctor.
 To the East my thoughts had long inclined l and at length, over coming all obstacles found myself on board the steamer off Brin( isi, little guessing that five long years woul pass ere I should again tread it's deck, hom, l ward bound. For five years, however, wandered abol the Holy Land, till at length, renewed in bod