Litchfield enquirer., 1878-09-12

SCAsCS SV uuAHSbdkhDly bn HIS I8Cc tn0G Jcnnl0 could not foFegO the amusement of alternately encouraging and rcpulsing him. But Jennie had far more ambitious thoughts than any one knew. There were few men whom she met who would have served her purpose, could she have held them against the pressure from Oth- CT quarters, but she knew that there were oth- CT chances besides those, which might turn up any day. There were men from other cities, and there were foreigner; she was in no hurry marry, and had calculating mind, inherited rightfully from ancestral Grahams, While still young she had heard the chink of gold in the talk of her elders as they laid up dollar against dollar. Generations of Grahams had died in the intensity of responsibility and the firm belief that they would be assigned in par adise pew in the front rank. Jennie did not think of pews, but she did intend to make 8 brilliant match.
 Consider, then, the hopelessness of Georges suit. Nwas simply ludicrous. Many is the time have laughed with and laughed at Jen- nie while canvassing poor Georges infatuation, sand that is why slight constraiht you may have noticed always comes over Jennie in my presence. She is afraid will remind her of those times
 ''Geores was studying law in anoffice down town, and living life that it is mild to call heroic. He acted as office-boy and sweep, be-
 
 ness of the firm. This was to make mere money. He also slept in the office in order to escape board bills. and had some arrange ment with the janitor's wife to furnish him with the cheapest kind of meals. He knew no one, and passed unnoticed in his thread-bare coat, At daybreak he was up, taking a breather around the squares between Trinity Church and the Post office, took glass of milk at pie stand, read law till breakfast-time, something in the way of literature afterward, and then began his days work. In the evening. as the clock struck eight, he put on an old dress suit he had bought for the graduation exercises at his up-cOuntry college by half past eight he was ringing Jennie's hell in Bond Street, and as nine sounded over the city he closed her door and walked down Broadway to his law books. That was his day, with the regularity of clock work. Rain or shine, Jennie at home or not, the Grahams smiling or frowning, warm or in different, it seemed to make no impression on George. After few weeks they gave up grumbling over him, and grew secretly to re- spect and like him. Old Graham insisted on asking him to the Sunday dinner.
 'sBut Jennie? The rages that pretty, pictur- esque, statuesque, well-bred child used to fly cousin she would cry. He's nasty, push ing, impertinent, odiOus, disagreeable, 1ubber- ly country clod-hopper don't merely hate him, wish he were dead-wish were dead. won't be persecuted in this way. What claim has he on this family ? Then she might fall a-crying. usedts think that crying show ed how absurd his hopes were now 1 know it meant that he was too much for her.
 ''Well, must make my story short. Spring came around, and the hot weather of June i; with it hope of release for the little calculator She was of for the summer first at Long Branch, then to stay with some friends at Sar- atoga, tive weeks at Lenox, and possibly, if a certain great lady did not forget her, for 8 week of fashionable bliss at Newport. I re- member the triumphant tone that mingled in her quiet remark to poor George that he would not see her until autumn. His face fell mo- ment, but there was just a glimmer of the s- - i:--Se -Hhinh ynu noW catch so of ten when he looks at his domineering little wife.
 t'Of course George was net able to follow her to the watering places. She felt, in mere anticipation, like bird released, and became so insufferably patronizing to me, in conse- quence of her joy, that began to think had made mistake. She was terribly worldly little thing. could not help contrasting the perfect selfishness of her easy life with the struggles of George. had no fear of him as rival, and admired him as man. It hap pened just then that the chief of the house in which am still clerk askedmy advice about some matter that involved law business It was something out of the usual run, which could be managed by other lawyers besides our regular legal advisers, and so put in 8 spoke for George. Old Robinson took in the situa- tion at once George managed the case excel lently, and earned a handsome fee. It was not till 1 saw the broad grin on his face with which he pocketed the check for that fee that realized what use he intended to make of It. He was on the trail of Jennie
 'I was at Long Branch when he arrived. Haven't you been at Long Branch It is 8 place people go to in order to avoid the heat i; and so the hotels are placed on bare white sand where the reflections from the water and beach concentrate. They go to repese tLem- selves from the noise of the city, and each ho- tel is Babel They are tired of being on dress parade in whatever society they may be- long to. so they go to place where you are more seen, and must therefore dress more, than in New York. They believe in sea-bath- ing, and take it mostly by sympathy, that is, by looking at others, who, with more energy or less vanity, make scarecrows of themselves in the surf. It is a charming place, Long Branch; visit to it is a wonderful relaxation to nervous man. Indeed, I wonder New Jersey did not place her lunatic asylum there, 1t is place so soothing, so full of insects, with the under-tow 30 handy.
 Jennie was little Napoleon it Long Branch. She was in the quietest hotel, but surrounded by the best men. Her manage ment of them was superb; it was like the cen turion in the New Testament, except that those whom she bade to go had 8 way of returning without being asked to come, and standing about, limp and rather white in the gills, in an uncomfortable and depressed condition. She would sit in window of the great drawing room on low chair, and summon to her the mousiest and most experienced gentleman who crossed her line of vision, merely by certain indescrbable set of her head. I never could analyze it, although have seen her exercise the charm 8 hundred times. One day she had collected three or four around her, and driven from the room. without recourse to any visible or audible argument, handsome Western girl who had been playing on the pian0. You have noticed theeogt of woman | mean-beHe femme, well built, with head like Millaiss idea, of Evangeline-a good deal dressed, and addicted to singing to herself popular songs of senti- mental nature in public parlors. She could not stay in the same room with Jennie. She had weaknesses 1; she was sentimental -proba- ply is very sweet and fine woman. Jennie seemed without Q weakness, and her intensely practical nature drove out the other, as copper 0AltCo Ouk CAItSE COAus xU8k 8 I6kllCE UtGtGF remark to make about Jennie, but you will see my provocation.
 ''ro this scene enters George, arrayed-I don't care to tell you how he looked, because like him go thoroughly. Some clothier in Chatham Street had taken the poor soul in it would have been more charitable if he had taken in some of the extra cloth of his gar- ments at the same time However, there George was, a dreadful fact-big, ungainly, devoted, and unappeasably in love. Jennie did not look at the faces of her admirers. She quailed to think what concentrated disdain was heaping in the men of mousey step. She did not care what the wilted youths thought who stood about, misunderstanding. George came up with a rush that scattered them right and left. It was as if he had spread cut his long beny arms and swept them all away from her. Did you ever see 6 cuttle-fish close around little silvery menhaden? Neither have l. But can imagine that it would make good metaphor to describe the way in which George took possession of Jennie.
 She had risen moment before he entered and fitted in hap hazard dainty way over to the music stool just left vacant by the Western